The purpose of this study was to identify keywords medical educators should learn for their teaching and support. An anonymous web-based survey was conducted with 92 university faculty members and clinical supervisors. The participants were asked about their awareness and need for the 14 items related to support for students with disabilities. The items with below-average awareness and above-average need were “reasonable accommodation,” “educational considerations,” “self-understanding,” “support methods in clinical practice,” and “privacy and confidentiality” . Based on the results of this study, it is desirable to create video materials that can be studied on demand to promote understanding and awareness. This would contribute to the improvement of the qualities and skills of those who support learning and to the development of the standard of medical education.

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.

The number of students with disabilities is increasing in healthcare and other fields. However, support systems have yet to progress, and faculty and staff often find it difficult in the field. About 10% of medical students in the United States report that they have a disability, and reasonable accommodation is provided in didactic, lab, and clinical setting. The government and others have indicated support policies for students with disabilities, and a large-scale survey of healthcare providers with disabilities has been conducted, and the issues have been clarified. This section introduces specific examples of support and reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities overseas. It is thought that the training of students with disabilities and their employment will facilitate diversity among healthcare professionals and improve the quality of healthcare. There is an urgent need to understand the overall picture of healthcare students with disabilities in Japan and to develop support systems for their inclusion.

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.

In recent years, non-cognitive abilities have garnered attention, and their significance is attributed to overall well-being. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is an educational program specifically focused on the social and emotional aspects of non-cognitive abilities. The domains of SEL are divided into self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. These can be incorporated into various educational settings, including classroom instruction and extracurricular activities. While SEL is primarily introduced in elementary education, non-cognitive abilities remain crucial for higher education and professional training as they both learners and educators.