Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders, and is common in childhood. It is characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort with no organic or metabolic etiology. The abdominal pain and discomfort are associated with changes in defecation or stool form. We report a pediatric patient with IBS, who was successfully treated with acupuncture and moxibustion.
The patient was a 10-year-old girl, who had developed IBS 3 years previously. She had abdominal pain accompanied by bowel movements with soft stool five times per day. The patient was treated with acupuncture and moxibustion according to the theories of traditional Chinese medicine. In addition, we used the Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale (GSRS) to evaluate her quality of life. She received acupuncture and moxibustion treatment at two sessions/week during the first 6 weeks, followed by only one session/week later. One month after the treatment was started, her GSRS score began to improve and her abdominal pain and bowel movements were reduced. Compared with baseline, her GSRS score was improved at 2 months and 1 year after the acupuncture was started. In conclusion, acupuncture and moxibustion treatment was effective in the present pediatric IBS patient.

　To effectively educate medical teachers for clerkship and residency training, the international faculty development program was developed. Ten faculties of the School of Medicine participated in the program and learned about clinical education through lectures and direct observations, transforming their educational perspectives. Factors to optimize such an international faculty development program were discussed: 1) Authentic educational institution and environment, 2) matching the participants' specialty and subject at the observation site, 3) optimal combination of lectures, direct observations, and debriefing sessions, 4) mutual understanding of cultural differences, and 5) sense of community cultivated by experiencing the program for a week. Those factors suggest ways for further improvement to reform the program, promote better management, and conduct educational research on faculty development.

Undergraduate medical education requires learning in both science and art. We have developed a learning model for use in first-year medical education that applies art-based research, which has been developed in sociology.　This is a method in which medical students themselves conduct research while creating works of art to solve local medical, health, and welfare problems, deepening their learning. They also share their artworks with other students.　The methodology consists of four steps: [I] groundwork, [II] collection of materials, [III] fieldwork and artwork, and [IV] appreciation of interactive artwork.　In the class, students take the initiative by creating works that are full of individuality and assertiveness. This learning model is a relatively new model for medical education through which students can deepen their understanding of the art of medicine.