University Accreditation Results(Results for Certified Evaluation and Accreditation for university)

Osaka Medical College

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Osaka, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2013
Accreditation Status: accredited （Accreditation Period:April.01.2014 – March.31.2021）

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Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Resultsfor Osaka Medical College
Notable Strengths
Educational content, methods, and outcome

It is commendable that the educational content of the Faculty of Medicine consistsof the systematic combination of several components, which has developed overyears. For example, its educational content combines the PBL Tutorial, CTB/OSCE(common examinations), and the Clinical Clerkship. Among these, third and fourthyear students take the content-heavy PBL Tutorial. The Faculty of Medicine sets up
the goal of “Development of Clinical Reasoning Skills,” trains tutors, effectively
utilizes self-teaching hours, facilitates active discussions, and introduces courses
involving the practice of clinical skills. It has also established the “Committee for
the Improvement of the PBL Tutorial,” and has been making comprehensive efforts
to refine the program. The Faculty of Medicine has continuously improved the PBL(Problem Based Learning) Tutorial program for the last eleven years.

Social cooperation and contribution

It is commendable that the University is promoting international cooperation andsocietal contributions. For the purpose of “training healthcare professionals who
can responsively perform in any place regardless of international borders,” theUniversity, together with the Medical School Hospital, has actively engaged ininternational exchange programs mainly through the Nakayama International
Center for Medical Cooperation. The University has also held the annual
International Exchange Symposium since 2003, exchanging information on medical
education and medical research with participants from the United States, Russia,
and other countries. It has signed exchange agreements with multiple medical
universities abroad such as the University of Hawaii and China Medical University,and has regularly sent and received students and professors. The University has also
been active in participating in the project of JICA (Japan International CooperationAgency) and dispatching international research teams.

Suggestions for Improvement
Mission and purpose
The purpose of development of persons of talent and other purposes of education
and research for the Faculty of Medicine and the School of Nursing are not clearly
defined in the University regulations or equivalent rules. This should be improved.

Educational content, methods, and outcome
The Graduate School of Medical Science does not define the required knowledge
and skills for completing the program in its degree granting policies. In addition,although the graduate school defines policies for designing and implementing thecurriculum, basic ideas on educational content and methods are not stated. Thissituation should be improved.

In the Graduate School of Medical Science, the criteria for examining
degree-seeking theses and dissertations have not been clearly stipulated. This

3should be improved by clearly stating the criteria in the student handbook (andother handbooks) to make them accessible to students.
In the Graduate School of Medical Science, some students complete all therequirements except the dissertation, and leave the university before completing
their dissertation requirement within the time limit set by the university. Later,when these students submit their dissertations, even though they do not haveenrollment status, they are granted doctoral degrees in the same manner as thosestudents continuously enrolled. This is not an appropriate use of the system andshould be corrected. The University needs to reconsider the ways to deal with thisproblem, and in accordance with the purpose of having course-based doctoral
program, the university should also create measures to ensure degree completion
within the required time frame.

Enrollment
Both the average of the ratios of the last five years of enrolled freshmen to the
freshman admission cap and the current ratio of enrolled students to the student
enrollment cap are high at 1.03 in the Faculty of Medicine. The numbers should beimproved.

Student support
There is no office that deals with career support in the Faculty of Medicine and theGraduate School of Medical Science. After the student earns his or her medical
license, the University does not offer any career guidance, and leave the pursuit ofstudents’ career paths with them based on their own choices. The University should
offer systematic career guidance and support.

Administration and finance
The University should formulate a mid- to long-term financial plan to implement
the entire reconstruction of the aging affiliated hospital and the introduction of anelectric medical record system.

Internal quality assuranceSeparate committees have conducted self-studies and evaluations without
systematic and regular involvement of the University at large. In addition, theprocess of the self-studies and evaluations has not been clearly defined. TheUniversity should set up a clear procedure to reflect the results of evaluation in its
subsequent improvements. The University is expected to create a university-widesystem of self-study and evaluation to enable regular and systematic self-study andevaluation of the University as a whole.

Area of Serious Concern
Educational content, methods, and outcomeIn the Graduate School of Medical Science, a research guidance plan has not beenformulated. The plan should be formulated so that students can receive appropriate
research guidance and direction for writing the degree thesis according to the plan.

Regarding the approval of previously acquired credits, since the Graduate School

4Regulations clearly state that the University Regulations apply to each case, anappropriate credit count should be set according to the Standards for theEstablishment of Graduate Schools, and this should be clearly stated in theGraduate School Regulations.