This study used group interviews and questionnaires with first year medical students to determine: 1) their motivation for entering a medical school; 2) their self-image as future physicians; and, 3) the factors that have influenced these. Our study revealed that medical students' motivation for entering medical school and their self-image as future physicians were influenced by their personal medical experiences, family members who worked in medicine, and medical issues presented in the mass media. We believe that gaining an understanding of changes in students' self-image as future physicians and the factors influencing these changes can be important in the development of effective medical education curriculum, as we face change and upheaval in both medical knowledge and practice.

During the 10-year period from January 1978 to December 1987, our department of surgery performed a total of 1, 839 surgical operations for cancer of the stomach. The surgical removal rate stood at 96.9%, and 80.2% of the patients who underwent surgery were cured. The cases of early grastic cancer accounted for 54.3%. The death rates under and after the operation were 0.3% and 0.8%, respectively.
The 5-year suvival rates for progressive cancer removal cases and cured cases are 53.9% and 74.2%, respectively.
To improve the results of treatment, improvements should be made to the method of physical examination for early detection of diseases and diagnostics, and surgical techniques. In addition, interdepartmental collaboration in therapy is called for.

We report a case of debranching thoracic endovascular aortic repair for Kommerell's diverticulum with right-sided aortic arch in 78-year-old women. The computed tomography (CT) demonstrated Kommerell's diverticulum with a right-sided aortic arch and the trachea and esophagus were compressed by the diverticulum. The diverticulum had a maximum diameter of 32 mm, and surgical intervention was chosen because of the aneurysmal change and the possibility of rupture. We performed endovascular aortic repair for Kommerell's diverticulum with a right-sided aortic arch because of low lung function and low frailty. The patient was discharged on the 21st postoperative day. There was no evidence of aortic event during 2 years follow up.