The Common Achievement Tests for medical students consists of Computer Based Testing (CBT) conducted before clinical training, and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) conducted before and after clinical training. Since the publicization of the Common Achievement Tests for medical students before clinical training in 2023, the Committee for Reasonable Accommodation has been established within the Common Achievement Tests Organization (CATO), where reasonable accommodations for each exam are being considered. Reasonable accommodations begin with an assessment based on requests from candidates and proceed through constructive dialogue between candidates and universities. Additionally, recordings of practical training sessions are provided to facilitate objective assessments, enabling the provision of reasonable accommodations tailored to candidates’ participation in clinical training and internships, thereby ensuring smooth examination processes.

Objective: Anticancer drugs have carcinogenic potential and are associated with occupational exposure risks among healthcareprofessionals who handle them. To minimize occupational exposure, healthcare workers must be adequately aware of the risks ofanticancer drugs and the appropriate techniques for their preparation. However, there is little information on the awareness ofpharmacists who prepare anticancer drugs in medical settings. The aim of this study was to investigate awareness of hazardous drugs(HD) and appropriate preparation techniques among pharmacists, and identify problems that pharmacists experience in managing theirexposure to anticancer drugs.Design: Questionnaire.Method: The questionnaire was sent by e-mail or mail to pharmacists employed at 270 institutions who belonged to the Chiba Societyof Hospital Pharmacists. From September 2015 to March 2016, respondents completed the questionnaires voluntarily and returnedthem by mail. Returning the questionnaire was regarded as informed consent to participate in this survey. Based on the completedquestionnaires, we examined the awareness of pharmacists in their daily work.Results: In total, 218 questionnaires were returned (collection rate: 10%). Awareness of the risks of anticancer drugs was high, and ahigh percentage of respondents use personal protective equipment during drug preparation, but the use of closed system drug transferdevices was low. Overall, however, it was found that many pharmacists had insufficient understanding of safe handling techniques.Discussion: Despite some recognition of the risks associated with exposure to HD, the measures taken to prevent exposure toHDs―including anticancer drugs―were inadequate and this issue must be urgently addressed by medical institutions and pharmacists.Countermeasures such as training sessions in the handling of HDs and the development of manuals are needed for each facility.

Medical education towards a specialty is a core stage of training for medical doctors. The specialty training system in Japan was initially organized by various academic societies and was recently integrated under Japan Medical Specialty Board, which was established in 2014. From April 2018, a revised specialty training system will begin and be based on new program guidelines. Its main concepts are professional autonomy, quality assurance of the medical specialty board and trustworthy medical consultation. As with undergraduate education, global standards are recently required in postgraduate education. Consistent outcome policy throughout undergraduate and postgraduate education and workplace-based assessment can hopefully be established.

Under the current postgraduate clinical training system for physicians, three principles have been emphasized in its basic tenets; cultivation of character appropriate for physicians, generation of awareness to the societal role of medical science and healthcare, and mastery of basic clinical skills needed to respond appropriately to injuries and illnesses frequently encountered in general practice. In accordance with its quinquennial review rule, the Clinical Training Committee under the Medical Caucus of the Healthcare Professions Council released draft revisions of a notification published by the Director general of the Health Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in March, 2018. The document is entitled "On the operation of the ordinance concerning the postgraduate clinical training prescribed in the paragraph (1) of Article 16-2, Medical Practitioners Act" .　A Key distinction of the revised draft is new learning outcomes featuring core values shared by physicians: commitment to physicians' societal mission of public health, altruistic behavior, respect for humanity, and maintaining one's own integrity. Another key distinction is securement of longitudinal consistency in the set of required faculties, from medical school curriculum to continuing professional development programs. Further improvements in systems and environments to enhance devotion to life-long learning are needed.

Medical education towards a specialty is a core stage of training for medical doctors. The specialty training system in Japan was initially organized by various academic societies and was recently integrated under Japan Medical Specialty Board, which was established in 2014. From April 2018, a revised specialty training system will begin and be based on new program guidelines. Its main concepts are professional autonomy, quality assurance of the medical specialty board and trustworthy medical consultation. As with undergraduate education, global standards are recently required in postgraduate education. Consistent outcome policy throughout undergraduate and postgraduate education and workplace-based assessment can hopefully be established.

A community-based medicine program in the postgraduate clinical training system has been offered as a mandatory program since 2004. Training sites range from clinical attachments in rural/remote areas to public health centers in the city. The role of the program director is important for enhancing the community-based medical program and raising resident doctors. Unique training programs have been carried out, such as medical training in the afflicted area of the earthquake/Tsunami disaster area as well as an exchange program between Hokkaido and Kagoshima residents. The Japanese healthcare system is drawing global attention and local demand. Enrichment of the community-based medicine program is vital for the human resource development that makes the Japanese healthcare system innovative and sustainable.

"Quality of education" has various definitions, and the definitions are classified mainly into five categories. Introducing the definition categories of "quality of education" , we analyze what aspects of the postgraduate clinical training system for physicians as an educational program have been reconsidered and redesigned. According to the analysis, we propose to introduce a programmatic assessment, which compose of several assessment methods, for evaluation at each stage of medical education from undergraduate to continuous professional development. Realizing such evaluation, we also propose to introduce a student/trainee assessment from a patient's perspective.

"The Ordinance of Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on Japanese Postgraduate Medical Training System" from 2020 was announced to each prefectural governor on July 3rd, 2018. This Medical Training system has been reviewed once every five years, and has been strongly aware of the consistency between the model core curriculum of the undergraduate medical education and the continuing professional development of Japan Medical Association. In this journal, Postgraduate Education Committee in Japan Society for Medical Education has published six installments of a series entitled "Japanese Medical Training System and Medical Education" . We reviewed the series and discussed medical education trends surrounding the postgraduate medical training system and issues in the committee. We will be reporting the information as part of the seventh installment of the series.

Medical education at college is the very first step of life-long learning as a medical doctor. Curricular reforms in Japan took place in the early 21st century, and can be exampled by the development of a model core curriculum, the emergence of the CAT (common achievement test) examination, the development of clinical clerkship and so on. The International accreditation of medical schools has just started spring of 2017. It highlights outcome-based education, which accelerates the connection of undergraduate education with postgraduate training.

　For female physicians, it is important to nurture an environment that enables them to take advantages of support for child rearing as well as for their return to their original jobs. It is also critical for physicians, whether female or male, to receive education to recognize the professional/occupational missions of being a physician. Once they have received environmental support and mission clarification, they will be able to realize an uninterrupted career in order to attain their social contributions.

　The Committee on Studies of Career Education for Female Physicians has set five learning objectives by examining the required abilities and capabilities of a physician.

The proposed five learning objectives are to acquire:

(1) Professional awareness of the missions of being a physician,

(2) Ability to make career plans,

(3) Flexibility to embrace diverse values of the profession,

(4) Appropriate attitudes for both those receiving and those offering the support, because it should be the responsibility of the medical community,

(5) Recognition of social gender differences and acquires the capability to deal with such differences.

All organizations related to medical education should promote these five learning objectives.