Introduction : The purpose of this study was to clarify the effectiveness of a home exercise (HE) program for hemophilic patients.
Methods : An intervention study was conducted over twelve weeks for patients aged 16 to 60 years, inclusive. Exercise guidance to assist in the improvement of their knee function was provided to the patients. Using questionnaires and assessments of physical function, we measured the physical condition of the patients before and after HE. Guidance about the strengthening of knee extensor muscles, static stretching of knee flexor muscles and standing balance training, as well as advice for the promotion of physical activities, was provided on an individualized basis. Muscle force and range of motion of the knee, modified Functional Reach (mFRT), 10 meter walking time, and 3 minute gait distance were all measured. All patients were surveyed for bleeding frequency, activities of daily living (ADL), and health related quality of life (HRQOL : SF-36), respectively.
Results : Twenty-two patients with an average age of 37.2 years, were included in the analysis, with 86.4% of them having a history of severe of hemophilia (coagulation factor level <0.01 IU mL−1). There were significant improvements in strength of knee extensor and range of extension of the knees, mFRT, 10 meter gait time, 3 minute gait distance, ADL, and physical function of SF 36. There was a significant correlation between Ex for locomotive activities and change of 3 minute gait distance. No increase in bleeding frequency was noted.
Conclusion : HE for hemophilic patients is useful for the improvement of muscle force and range extension of the knees, mFRT, gait speed, and ADL. Individualised guidance for improvement of physical activities and knee function is necessary for improvement of overall physical function.

1) We visited four universities in Australia where both graduate-entry and undergraduate-entry programs are adopted.
2) Although there is not clear difference in the outcome between the two programs, preference for graduate-entry program was recognized.

The first trial of common achievement test-computer-based testing was held from January through August 2002. The number of examinees was 5, 693, of whom 5, 676 were analyzed. Single-best-answer, five-choice questions were used. The highest score was 92 points, the lowest score was 19 points, and the average score was 55.9±10.2 points (standard deviation). Scores were distributed normally. The test sets did not differ significantly in difficulty, although test-set items differed for each student. The percentage of correct answers, the ∅-coefficient, and the point-biserial correlation coefficient were calculated for each category of the model core curriculum. The percentage of correct answers was highest in category A of the model core curriculum, and percentages of correct answers were similar in categories B, C, D, E, and F. The ∅-coefficient and the correlation coefficient were low in categories A and F and were highest in category C. Although the percentage of correct answers in this trial was lower than expected, many test items had discriminatory power. The Test Items Evaluation Subcommittee is now evaluating test items, determining pool items, and revising new test items for the second trial and expect to compile a useful item bank.

Nationwide common achievement test system for entering clinical clerkship will formally start from December 2005. Before the start, four times trial examination were carried out. Based on these trials, some problems for the test sytem were pointed out. We have analysed the problems proposed to induce more suitable examination system.

1) We reported recent movement to graduate entry program (GEP) of medical education curriculum in the UK by both interviewing faculty members who are in charge of GEP and doing literature review.
2) In GEP, we may be able to make better doctors in short term.However, as long term outcome is not known so far, further discussion is necessary.
3) Many contents can be improved by just curriculum change, not by introducing GEP.Besides it can be said that GEP can make diverse doctors.

In 2002, Japanese medical students began computer-based testing (CBT) to assess their basic and clinical medical knowledge, based on the model core-curriculum, before starting clinical clerkships. Of 9, 919 multiple choice questions submitted by 80 medical schools, 2, 791 were used for CBT and 7, 128 were rejected. To improve the quality of future CBT, we analyzed why questions were rejected. The most commons reasons were difficulty, length, and inappropriate choice of answers. A training course may be needed to improve the ability of medical school staff to devise questions.

Computer-based testing (CBT) has been used in Japan since 2002 to assess medical students' basic and clinical medical knowledge, based on the model core-curriculum, before they start clinical clerkships. For effective CBT, multiplechoice questions must accurately assess the knowledge of students. Questions for CBT are submitted by all medical schools in Japan. However, only 40% of questions are chosen for CBT and used at random; the other 60% of questions are rejected because of poor quality. Toimprove the ability of medical staff to devise questions, workshops were held at 30 medical schools. The acceptance rate of questions from schools where workshops were held was significantly increased. The workshops were extremely effbctive for improving the quality of questions.

Data from the first trial of the computer-based nationwide common achievement test in medicine, carried out from February through July in 2002, were analyzed to evaluate the applicability of the item-response theory. The trial test was designed to cover 6 areas of the core curriculum and included a total of 2791 items. For each area, 3 to 40 items were chosen randomly and administered to 5693 students in the fourth to sixth years; the responses of 5676 of these students were analyzed with specifically designed computer systems. Each student was presented with 100 items. The itemresponse patterns were analyzed with a 3-parameter logistic model (item discrimination, item difficulty, and guessing parameter). The main findings were: 1) Item difficulty and the percentage of correct answers were strongly correlated (r=-0.969to-0.982). 2) Item discrimination and the point-biserial correlation were moderately strongly correlated (r=0.304 to 0.511). 3) The estimated abilities and the percentage of correct answers were strongly correlated (r=0.810 to 0.945). 4) The mean ability increased with school year. 5) The correlation coefficients among the 6 curriculum area ability scores were less than 0.6. Because the nationwide common achievement test was designed to randomly present items to each student, the item-response theory can be used to adjust the differences among test sets. The first trial test was designed without considering the item-response theory, but the second trial test was administered with a design better suited for comparison. Results of an analysis of the second trial will be reported soon.

Objective：This study aimed to examine the effect of experiencing parent-child separation on the social adaptive skills of children with cerebral palsy.Methods：The subjects were children with cerebral palsy who belonged to special schools. They were divided into two groups based on whether or not they would experience parent-child separation by participating in the camp activity. Asahide-shiki Social Adaptability (ASA) was used to evaluate their social adaptive skills. ASA consists of four specified sub-scales, namely “language,” “daily living,” “social life,” and “interpersonal relationship”．The data were analyzed using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA with the group and the time of evaluation as the independent variables. The simple main effect test was used, following the Bonferroni method.Results：Interaction was observed at the total skills scores and “Social life” of the sub-scales items, while the time of evaluation was found to have a main effect on the subscale scores of social life and interpersonal relationship. As a result of the simple main effect, improvements in social life, interpersonal relationship and the total skills scores were recognized in the group experiencing parent-child separation.Conclusion：Cerebral palsy children who experienced parent-child separation improved their social adaptive skills, particularly social life and interpersonal relationship skills. For children with cerebral palsy, who lack experience of social participation, extraordinary experiences are an opportunity to review their relationships with people in daily life, and it leads to improvement in their social adaptive skills.