Introducing Comprehensive Community Health Care Clerkships in Depopulated Areas

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  • 過疎地域の医療機関における包括的な地域医療実習の導入
  • カソ チイキ ノ イリョウ キカン ニオケル ホウカツテキナ チイキ イリョウ ジッシュウ ノ ドウニュウ

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Abstract

Greater use of regional health care clerkships for medical students is needed to address the lack of physicians in rural areas and the increased importance of general medicine and comprehensive community health care. Yamaguchi University has introduced a comprehensive health care clerkship, in which third-year students study community health at small hospitals and clinics over a two-day period in depopulated and remote areas of Yamaguchi prefecture. The clerkships were introduced as a selective program in 2010 and became a compulsory subject in 2012. To make the program more effective, we set the purpose and objectives and asked students to write self-introductory letters and to interview patients and staff in the institutes. We also provided some related lectures and orientation to improve the students’ motivation and attitude. A survey of students who undertook the clerkship in 2014 demonstrated that almost all the students were better motivated to learn at university and to practice as physicians, and that they had found role models during the clerkship. The clerkship generated the expected outcomes by providing students with actual experience of community health care. However, it was not clear whether the clerkships were effective in increasing the numbers of physicians in Yamaguchi prefecture. Further research is needed to evaluate longer-term outcomes and to improve the content of the clerkships.

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