Because new media have come onstage in the information technology period, also self-learning methods have been diversified. Recently, small group discussion such as clinical conference using the mailing list is lively performed among the primary care physicians, and it is considered to be useful for continuing medical education. To promote the mailing list for continuing medical education, we present as follows; 1) present situation: to show a good example of TFC-ML (total family care-mailing list), 2) usefulness: to know new medical knowledge, new medical information and literatures etc., to discuss clinical cases. 3) issues: a role of moderator, excess of information, correspondence with slander, 4) future: to reevaluate usefulness for continuing medical education. We would like to expect effectiveness of mailing list for continuing medical education.

The aim of this study is to clarify the present situation of activities of continuing medical education (CME) for the primary care physicians to whom the leading hospitals, such as universities and clinical trainee hospitals perform CME in their regions. A questionaire was designed for main 4 parts, as following: 1) On the purpose of CME for the physicians. 2) On the organization (office) managing CME in the hospitals. 3) On the strategies of CME. 4) On the evaluation of CME. Answers to a questionaire were replied from 234 institutions (58.1%). Analyzing the results, we recognized that the leading hospitals actively carried out CME for the primary care physicians in the community. Furthermore, conversion to experiential learning from passive learning and establishment of evaluation methods should be promoted in CME.

The committee of continuing medical education in Japan Society for Medical Education discussed on PRA of American Medical Association [AMA]. We have first analyzed the brochure of PRA for the members of AMA, and then prepared the questionnaire for AMA. We were able to obtained the answers to the questionnaire which were sent to AMA through courtesy of Japanese Medical Association (JMA). It was realized that AMA emphasizes an importance of PRA for medical practice to the patients; nevertheless acquisition rate of PRA is actually low, and so AMA proceeds with efforts towards completion of PRA.

The aim of this study is to report and analyze the results of a questionnaire concerning the present programs for the junior residents in the postgraduate clinical course in Japan.
A questionnaire was sent to the administrators or the persons in charge of the programs of 347 institutions including 80 university hospitals and 267 clinical training hospitalsas designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Answers to a questionnaire were returned by 271 institutions (78.1%). The results were analyzed and summarized as follows.
(1) About 95% of both university and clinical training hospitals have their own programs at present.
(2) In the substantial formula of programs, university hospitals have had straight or rotation form while the clinical hospitals have selected rotation or super rotate (comprehensive) form.
(3) The programs of university hospitals have started in majority before 1992 while those of clinical hospitals have began after 1993.
(4) The programs of university hospitals have contained the clinical training at the other departments or institutions in a significantly higher ratio compared to those of clinical hospitals.
(5) The check system for the evaluation of the programs has well functioned in half of both hospitals.
(6) For the assessment of the programs used, about half of the staffs of both university and clinical hospitals feel unsatisfactorily in their active programs.
(7) Concerning the intention to renewal or modification of their programs used, there were rather passive agreements in both university and clinical hospitals.

The aim of this study is to report the results of the workshop which was designed to define several indispensable conditions for the implementation of the compulsory clinical training. These conditions discussed include the guarantee of position and improvement of labor conditions for trainees, standard for the authorization of institutions receiving trainees, training curricula and teaching staff of institutions, and the certificate of qualification for the trainees after the compulsory training. The products of the workshop showed plans and guidelines to these conditions as seen in this paper.