When learners fail to achieve results despite their efforts, various factors may contribute to this failure. This article will focus on cases of "not knowing how to learn" and "large variation in strengths and weaknesses" among learners. Regarding learning, we will introduce theories of "attention," "short-term memory," "encoding," and "long-term memory" based on the "multi store model of memory" form cognitive psychology. Regarding variations in strengths and weaknesses, we will focus on neurodevelopmental characteristics of developmental disabilities, such as "sensory bias," "difficulty in imagining, integrating information, and allocating attention," "weakness in working memory," and "impulsivity." This paper will explore the reasons for and countermeasures against difficulties in learning achievement from these and "metacognition" perspectives.

Education aimed at nurturing “non-cognitive abilities” that are not measured as academic skills has been garnering attention because these abilities can contribute to academic performance and life success. Empathy, one of these “non-cognitive abilities,” has been conceptualized in different ways in education, psychology and health care professional education. Therefore, this article provides an overview of the topic by combining its status as a “non-cognitive ability” with its role in health care professional education. This paper also reviews educational practices implemented to foster empathy.　First, we attempt to clarify the characteristics of empathy within the focus of different contexts. Through this, we introduce the concept of empathy in health care professional education as similar to that of psychology, in that it can be divided into two elements: cognitive and emotional. Second, regarding the elements of empathy, we review examples of educational programs that have been implemented to foster empathy among students in health care professional education, comparing them to their general education counterparts. Thus, we broaden the scope of empathy to include psychological attributes and skills, as well as empathetic environments and situations in which students and health care professionals find it difficult to empathize with others. Thus, this article can be used as a guide for overviewing the concept of empathy and developing education on empathy in health care professional education.

This article examines the role of the noncognitive ability, Emotional Intelligence (EI), in leadership. As the complexity of tasks required of teams expands, leaders are increasingly expected to play a role in supporting followers in demonstrating their own abilities. For this reason, a leader’s attitude toward followers is important and rooted in EI. There are five elements of EI: “Self-awareness,” “Self-regulation,” “Motivation,” “Empathy,” and “Social skills.” Being able to recognize “Self-awareness” leads to “Self-regulation” and “Motivation.” At the same time, “Self-awareness” also moves from “Empathy” to “Social skills.” In this paper, the cultivation of EI is also discussed.

In this paper, as support for “students who are showing signs of academic underachievement”, a fictional case of a medical student will be examined from the following three perspectives. The first is a cognitive/neuropsychological perspective on the possibility of “incongruence between cognitive characteristics and learning strategies” and “higher brain dysfunction” . In support, it is important to identify the the student’s traits and adopt appropriate learning strategies. The second, from a clinical psychological perspective, discusses the possibility of “depression” due to tasks in “identity development”. Self-understanding and environmental coordination are required for support. Third, from the perspective of neurodevelopmental syndrome, the possibility of “specific learning disorder” is considered. In this case, too, it is necessary to devise learning strategies that match the student’s traits and provide continuous motivation. For individualized understanding as already mentioned, interdepartment collaboration is also expected.

In this paper, as support for “student who is not good at communication”, a fictional case of a pharmaceutical student will be examined from the followingthree perspectives. The first, from a developmental and social psychological perspective, is the possibility of “unlearning or mislearning of communication” and “discrepancy between the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self.” In support, learning assertion skills can be effective. The second is from a clinical psychological perspective, in terms of “social anxiety disorder” and “narcissism”. In support, pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy will be discussed. Third, from the perspective of neurodevelopmental syndrome, the possibility of “autism spectrum disorder” is considered. In this case, involvement that enhances self-understanding and self-affirmation will be important. Educators and supporters are required to make an accurate assessment of the cause of the difficulty.

In this paper, in order to understand “newly medical professionals who cannot do their jobs well in clinical practice”, we gave concrete fictitious cases, examined the reasons from three viewpoints, and showed supporting examples for each. The first is the possibility of “discrepancies between the learner’s personality and the environment” and “difficulties in the learner’s own environment” from the perspective of environmental factors. Also included is the importance of how to match the learner and the environment. The second is the possibility of “bipolar disorder” from the perspective of clinical psychology, which requires consultation with a specialist and specialized therapeutic intervention according to the diagnosis. The third possibility is attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder from the perspective of neurodevelopmental disorders. In addition, it is important to improve the work environment, including the surrounding staff.

Supporting learners in difficulties is difficult. It is the responsibility of hospitals, universities and other medical education institutions to respond effectively. Traditionally, there has been a bias against focusing on the learner and a tendency to be persuaded by teachers’ beliefs. However, the factors that can lead to learners having difficulties in education include not only the learners but also the educators and the environment. There are also pedagogical, psychological, and cultural approaches to analyzing each factor. In the future, we would like to suggest that a single supporter have more than one perspective. However, because of the context in which supporters are placed, there is a limit to the number of perspectives that can be taken. Therefore, it is hoped that medical education institutions will be able to provide a support system in which multiple supporters, from multiple positions and with multiple perspectives, can ensure a broad perspective.