Graduate School of Health Care Sciences

It was in April 1989 that the Graduate School of Health Care Sciences was established at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University, consisting of nursing science and medical technology science courses. Master’s program was introduced in April 1990, and doctor’s program in April 1992.

In April 2001, the Graduate School of Health Care Sciences became the first departmentalized (intensified) graduate school in Japan in nursing science and clinical laboratory science. It has a undergraduate-to-postgraduate educational system with the graduate school at the center, serving a pivotal role in developing nursing care, medicine and medical technology experts as the only integrated medical university in Japan.

In April 2014, the integrated health care sciences’ nursing care course was reorganized as a Department of Advanced Nursing Science, an integrated five-year doctor’s program. Also in April 2014, Japan’s first joint public-and-private educational program “Cooperative Doctoral Course in Disaster Nursing” was launched, as an integrated five-year doctoral course, and as one of the three courses offered by the Graduate School of Health Care Sciences along with Biomedical Laboratory Sciences.

In FY 2018, the Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences was further integrated into the Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences.

Why Study at the Graduate School of Health Care Sciences?

Developing advanced practitioners, researchers and educators

It was reorganized in 2014 to develop advanced practitioners, researchers and educators to work globally and academically with broad perspectives and highly ethical views in health care and medical sciences, developing their scientific nursing care thinking and abilities for research, education and practice, based on the knowledge and techniques acquired in undergraduate degree programs. The purpose of the integrated five-year doctor’s degree program is to develop professionals who can contribute to the quality of medical care at medical institutions, and to policy making etc. at government agencies. This includes nursing science educators who can take on educational roles as members of faculty at nursing science universities and graduate schools to develop excellent practitioners, professionals and researchers, researchers who can work and play their part globally and academically at research institutions, educational institutions, government agencies and such to develop and promote nursing science to contribute to people’s health and welfare, and advanced experts with highly ethical views and comprehensive ability to make matters happen.

Development of certified nurse specialists (CNS)

This program develops advanced practitioners, researchers and educators to work globally and academically with broad perspectives and highly ethical views in health care and medical sciences, developing their scientific nursing care thinking and abilities for research, education and practice, based on the knowledge and techniques acquired in undergraduate degree programs. In disaster and critical care nursing science, certified nurse specialists (CNS) will be developed, who will be able to research and instruct nursing science, who also have advanced practical abilities.

At a Glance

Doctoral Program

Featured Education and Research Activities

Integrated five-year program

This program pursues expertise in advanced research, education and practice of nursing science, and aims to develop young researchers through an integrated five-year program, as well as promote efforts for writing quality doctor’s degree nursing care theses and advanced practitioners (certified nurse specialists) obtaining doctor’s degrees. Being an integrated five-year program, it allows continuous securing of students who are highly motivated in research wishing to obtain a doctor’s degree from the time they enter the graduate school, enabling the department to establish efficient and continuously developing educational and research plans in the space of five years. By making the obtainable degree a doctor’s degree, research plans, research ethics reviews and doctorate thesis reviews will all be unified. This way, students will be in an uninterrupted educational/research environment, unlike the master’s degree program being two years and doctor’s degree program three years. This way students can work on quality doctoral theses in nursing science, based on academic plans of long-term perspectives. At the end of the second year, a progress review will be conducted with examinations and reviews of research plans and research theme reports and the state of obtaining credits will be reviewed to identify how the student has learned and met the expected research level. Those who pass will be able to move onto the next year.

Developing diverse talent

In this course, a degree will be granted to: (1) nursing science educators who will be able to take on educational roles as members of faculty at nursing science undergraduate and graduate schools to develop excellent practitioners, professionals and researchers, (2) researchers who can globally and academically work at research institutions, educational institutions, government agencies and so forth to play their part in building and developing nursing care that will contribute to people’s health and welfare, (3) persons who can develop advanced professionals with a comprehensive decision-making ability and high ethical views, to improve medical care at medical institutions and play part in policy making at government agencies etc., (4) global leaders in nursing science with global perspectives and networks, who can take part in making suggestions to the public and in policy making on global, state and local government levels, based on their practice, education and research in nursing science, (5) Persons who, based on their in-depth knowledge, trusted techniques, development of humanity and extensive experience in nursing care, can develop new roles of nursing and ensure opportunities where such roles can be put to work, such as in management, operation and coordination in team medicine, and in supporting the management of patients’ treatment and rehabilitation, and (6) persons who are driven with a sense of mission, who have broad perspectives and ability to put matters to work.

Number of Students and Faculty Members

Number of students Approximately 90

Disclosure of Information

Organization of the Graduate School of Health Care Sciences

  • Chair of Educational Committee, Masayo Kashiwagi
  • Head of the Department of Advanced Nursing Science, Yoshiko Sasaki
  • Head of Cooperative Doctoral Course in Disaster Nursing, Yoshiko Sasaki

Contact

Graduate School Academic Affairs Group 2, Academic Affairs Division, Yushima