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

Jichi Medical University

Basic Information of the Institution
Ownership: Private

Location: Tochigi, Japan

Accreditation Status
Year of the Review: 2020
Accreditation Status: accredited （Accreditation Period: April.1.2021 – March.31.2028）

Jichi Medical University

Certified Evaluation and Accreditation Results
for Jichi Medical University
Overview
Jichi Medical University is founded on the principle of “educating dedicated doctors of
ethical standing in order to provide highly skilled medical care in remote areas of Japan
where medical aid is limited, to promote the health and well-being for people living inrural communities, and to contribute to the advancement of medicine alongside the wellbeing of humankind on a wide scale.” In terms of human resource development, it aims
to “train doctors with advanced medical skills to secure and improve medical care in
remote areas and other communities, and to train nurses who can provide advanced
medical care and community nursing.” As a medium- to long-term plan for fulfilling its
founding principles and objectives, the University has drawn up a 7-year plan in the formof its “Medium- and Long-Term Goals” and “Medium-Term Plan”. The plan has been
under implementation for three phases already, indicating that the University is making
efforts to enhance its education and research activities.
The executive body of the University, the “Jichi Medical University School
Corporation Planning Committee” (referred to below as the “Planning Committee”) is
responsible for internal quality assurance. This is then implemented through a four-tieredorganizational structure consisting of the “Medium-term Plan Implementation
Committee”, “General Working Group”, and “Divisional Working Groups” underneaththe Planning Committee. A PDCA cycle has been established to solve and improve
problems identified in the check and review process, in which the Medium-term PlanImplementation Committee gives instructions for improvement and the Planning
Committee reviews issues that require a University-wide response, which are thenreflected in the Medium-Term Plan. However, there are some issues that requireimprovements. These include the fact that the scope of the checks and reviews is limited
to the implementation of the Medium-Term Plan, and that there is no organization that
conducts checks and reviews of the Planning Committee itself, which is an executivebody.
Regarding education, all faculties and graduate schools have organized theircurricula appropriately in accordance with their degree award policies (diploma policies)and curriculum design and implementation policies (curriculum policies). Of particularnote is that, in accordance with the founding principle of the University, distinctive
courses are offered in the fields of medicine in remote areas and multi-profession
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collaboration. It is a highly significant achievement that these efforts have resulted in
graduates engaging in medical care in remote areas and contributing to securing medicalcare for local communities with an attitude of actively contributing to local medical care.
The University’s efforts to conduct various social cooperation activities and to return theresults of education and research to society at large are also outstanding. These include
the “Training Program for Nurses Practicing in the Community”, a project that contributes
to the health of local residents and to the practice of medical nursing in the community,
industry-academia collaborations, and joint-use, joint-research hub facilities. With
respect to student support, too, the University has established a student support policy andset up a framework on that basis, enhancing systems for assisting students’ studies andimplementing measures to prepare them for national doctors’ and nurses’ examinations,
thereby maintaining a high pass rate. It has also set up a system to support students’financial needs, providing substantial assistance including dormitory management andfull loans for tuition and other student fees in the School of Medicine.
However, there remain some issues to be addressed. In terms of student quota
management, the ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap is high in theDivision of Medicine and low in the Master’s Course of the Graduate School of Medicine.
In addition, the Graduate School of Medicine does not clearly indicate research guidanceplans to students in advance, so this should be corrected.
The University has already recognized the need for curriculum maps, subject
numbering, and other measures to create an environment where students can take courses
in a systematic and sequential manner, and has begun to consider these issues.
Going forward, we hope that the University will resolve the problems identified
here with internal quality assurance efforts and further develop its distinctive andambitious initiatives.
Notable Strengths
Social Cooperation and Contribution
Graduates are engaged in medical care in remote areas and help secure medical care
for local communities. In addition, faculty and staff at the University’s faculties andgraduate schools have a good understanding of its mission, and are working toimplement it in practical initiatives. In particular, the Graduate School of Nursing’sTraining Program for Nurses Practicing in the Community, which is aimed at nursesworking at clinics in remote areas, hub hospitals for medical care in remote areas,
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medical institutions in Tochigi prefecture, and home nursing stations in the northern
Kanto region, develops the complex and advanced clinical decision-making skills
and excellent community care skills required for team medicine. The program wasdeveloped on the basis of a needs assessment, and the fact that it includes e-learning
opportunities and a follow-up program is commendable for its contribution to thepractice of nursing in the community.
Suggestions for Improvement
Internal Quality Assurance
The scope of the checks and reviews conducted by the Planning Committee in its
capacity as the body with responsibility for the entire University, is limited toprogress management and assessment with respect to the Medium- and Long-Term
Goals, Medium-Term Plan, and the Business Plan that takes these as a basis. At
present sufficient checks and reviews have not been implemented in terms ofuniversity-wide efforts. The “President’s Advisory Council” is also said to conductvarious reviews, but these are not initiatives for improvement based on the checks
and reviews in each faculty and graduate school, and as such, it cannot be said that aframework for an internal quality assurance system has been established. Therefore,
it is necessary to set out the roles and positions of the Planning Committee,
President's Advisory Council, and the Medium-term Plan Implementation Committee
within the internal quality assurance system, develop policies and regulations in linewith these roles and positions, and establish a system that conducts appropriate
checks and reviews of University-wide initiatives and provides support forimprovements accordingly.

Educational Program and Learning Outcomes In the Master’s and Doctoral Courses at the Graduate School of Medicine, therelationship between the learning outcomes indicated in the degree award policy andthe methods for measuring them is unclear. Therefore, it cannot be said that thelearning outcomes indicated in the degree awarding policy are appropriately
measured, and improvements are required accordingly.

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Student Enrollment
The ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap in the Division ofMedicine is high at 1.01, so improvements are needed to ensure that undergraduatestudent quotas are properly managed.

Conversely, the ratio of student enrollment to the student enrollment cap in theMaster’s Course of the Graduate School of Medicine is low at 0.40, so improvements
are also required in terms of thorough quota management at the graduate level.

Recommendation
Educational Program and Learning Outcomes In the Master’s and Doctoral Courses at the Graduate School of Medicine, neither themethods of research guidance or their schedule are specified as part of the researchguidance plan. Improvements should be made so that these are made clear to studentsin advance.

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