Juntendo University, Tokyo, established in 1838.

  What should a graduate school be? What should its role be? What problems does it encounter? What are its negative effects on those who are not graduate students? If we consider the problems of a graduate school in negative ways, there is no end to such considerations. Therefore, let us approach these questions in a positive way. The positive aspect is to further the promotion of research activity and the development of highly advanced clinical management through the graduate school. In other words, this strategy is extremely important in order to activate the universities which have medical schools.

  In the first place, by having a graduate school and its students, it is both possible and necessary to promote exchanges within the various departments and fields of both basic research and clinical science. In the case of the graduate school of medicine, it is true that there is an overwhelmingly large number of students who decide to be clinical practitioners. I recommend that these students study an area of basic science research during some period of time within their four years of graduate school so that they may become physician-scientists. This will help to activate even the field of basic research. The activation of basic research contributes to the activation of clinical medicine, and leads to the development and fostering of good practitioners.

  Secondly, through the graduate school, there can be exchanges not only between other national and private universities, but also with excellent researchers at various kinds of institutions. An important role for graduate students as researchers can be to actively learn from other institutions and to bring acquired knowledge back here through collaborative studies.

  Thirdly, through the activities of the graduate school and its students, international exchange programs and collaborative studies become feasible and are highly recommended. The introduction of novel skills, methods and knowledge by the students who study at outside institutions, will make a great contribution to their home laboratories and departments, which are headed by excellent supervisors.

  To sum up, we should regard the graduate school in positive ways, not negative ones. It is essential to develop dynamically. The further development of each university's characteristic educational curriculum and graduate school research system has also been strongly recommended by the University Advisory Council of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

  Given the existence of the great number of universities in Japan, in order to sustain our present status as a distinguished university and to expand it more, the activation of our graduate school has inevitably become a most important issue.

  The history of Juntendo University extends back to its foundation nearly 160 years ago, yet we are one of the smaller private universities in Japan. It is not fruitful to discuss the disadvantages such as space and facilities. In order to develop research activities which surpass those of other universities with long traditions and to take a role in making these activities be of service to those in clinical practice, it is indispensable for us to make the most of our geographical location in the center of Tokyo, to apply our various systems flexibly, and to contribute our human intelligence.

  The challenge of assisting our university in taking the large steps toward contribution on a global level depends on our grasping the crucial points of maintenance and management of the graduate school system. Our most important issues are approaching these matters positively, introducing highly original ideas, making necessary changes and improvements, and developing our graduate school.

Editors: Michiko M. Sudo, M.D. and Bruce E. Allen