The Gunma University implements interprofessional education, which is one of its educational principles. They have been doing this by holding a training session, a core subject, mandatory for all students of the School of Health Sciences.

I assisted the training groups of students from various departments for the first time in 2006. At that time, I realized that the training program promoted interprofessional teamwork systematically and in a lively atmosphere.

Since then, teachers have accumulated training experience, and have identified achievements and room for improvement of the program. (1) it is recognized that students of the School of Medicine need to participate in the program as well to increase the reality of teamwork. (2) It is also recognized that students were not able to understand their roles as specialists in the interprofessional clinical training, and hence were dissatisfied with it.

I myself have been transferred from the School of Medicine. I am confident that it is important for medical students to join the training session and experience teamwork together with students of the School of Health Sciences.

Under the Support Program for Distinctive University Education (GP) in 2007 by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, we are planning to enhance the educational assessment system, promote the participation of the School of Medicine in the training program, and develop “interprofessional education networks ” between local health care facilities and the university.

Since modern medicine is facing a wide variety of problems, such as medical safety problems, child abuse, and insufficient health care services in underpopulated regions, “Interprofessional health care” has attracted growing attention to overcome these problems. Some medical educational institutions have developed “interprofessional education programs” to address these specific problems.

We are determined to further improve the educational system of the Gunma University, reaffirm its vital role, and develop “information networks for interprofessional education” to provide comprehensive medical education.