We developed a system to evaluate internal medicine residents in terms of general internal medicine and subspecialties and assessed whether the evaluation system was effective and satisfactory for them. Evaluations were performed by the residents and their instructors at 6 months, 12 months, and every year thereafter. A questionnaire was completed by the residents to assess the effectiveness of the evaluation system. In every field, the scores given by the residents themselves after 6 months of residency were an average of 1 grade lower (on a 5-grade scale) than those given by their instructors. The students thought that the evaluation system was effective but contained too many items and had obscure standards. Although evaluation systems for medical residents are uncommon in Japan, we found that the results of the residents' and instructors evaluations were closely correlated. Self-evaluation systems are important in postgraduate education; a standardized system is required for a uniform level of education throughout the country.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify characteristic lifestyles in children with obese parents. Methods: 8,030 children (4,072 males and 3,958 females) aged 6 to 7 years were investigated. A questionnaire relating to the lifestyles of children was distributed through elementary schools for completion by parents. The heights and weights of parents were self-reported. A parent with a body mass index (weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) greater than the 90th percentile for gender (26.7 kg/m2 for fathers and 24.3 kg/m2 for mothers) was defined as an obese parent. A chi-square test for each trend was applied to evaluate an increasing trend in the frequency or level of each lifestyle in children with obese parents. Results: Children with obese parents were significantly associated with increasing trends in the proportions categorized by irregular intake of breakfast, faster eating, longer TV watching, and shorter sleeping hours. Conclusions: These lifestyles are considered to be possible risk factors for the development of obesity. These characteristic lifestyles observed in children with obese parents could strengthen the relationship between child and parental body compositions, in addition to the genetic predisposition to obesity in children with obese parents. These findings indicate that education with lifestyle modification for obese parents will be required to prevent further weight gain in children with obese parents.
Child ; Parents ; Life Style ; seconds ; trends

To re-examine the effectiveness of spa bathing for chronic pain. The comparison study was between spa bathing and usual hot baths, with 41 patients, 7 with rheumatoid arthritis, 11 with cerebrovascular hemiplegia, and 23 with vibration syndrome.
The patients bathed once a day for 10min, at 40°C and then once a day for six consecutive days for 10min. at 40°C
There was not much correlation between blood circulation and chronic pain: but spa bathing showed a significant longterm improvement in lessening pain than did hot bathing. The spa bathing in lessening was most efficacious 120min. and 180min. after bathing.

Objective: To nurture pharmacists capable of contributing to the prevention of adverse reactions to psychotropic agents, the Sapporo Hospital Pharmacist Association has been holding a seminar for psychiatric pharmacy specialist.  A questionnaire survey was conducted to clarify the usefulness of this seminar and its future direction, and evaluate the necessity of providing information on psychotropic drugs.
Methods: An anonymous 21-item questionnaire was distributed to participants in the 2008 Sapporo Hospital Pharmacist Association seminar for psychiatric pharmacy specialist.
Results: The mean recovery rate was 76.3%, and the respondents had a broad background in terms of age, gender, etc.  The seminar was identified as being beneficial, and the participants’ awareness of the accreditation of Board Certified Pharmacist in Psychiatric Pharmacy showed regional characteristics.
Conclusion: Based on the survey results, guidelines on conducting the seminar in the future were successfully developed.  From now on, it is important to create an environment to nurture psychiatric pharmacy specialist in the Sapporo area.  Additional efforts should be made so that the provision of information on psychotropic drugs in the seminar can contribute to the prevention of adverse reactions to them.