Perspectives in medical education: 6 reflections on the state of clinical training for residents in Japan.

The Muribushi Project in Okinawa, Japan, is breaking new ground for residency training in Japan by explicitly emphasizing clinical skills training and primary care. The core philosophy of the Project is defined by seven "concepts" that commit to (i) establishing cooperation between several hospitals to educate good clinicians; (ii) providing the best learning environment at multiple training sites; (iii) following global standards of practice; (iv) focusing on primary and emergency care of common diseases; (v) emphasizing faculty development through international exchange; (vi) providing residents with opportunities to obtain training abroad; and (vii) improving the quality of medical care through residents. Observations by the author during two week-long visits, one year apart, reveal that the Muribushi Project is fulfilling conceptual goals (iv), (v) and (vi) by emphasizing primary care and encouraging international exchange for faculty and students. The opportunity exists to fulfill goals (i) and (ii), but it is not being exploited because programs at member hospitals are not integrated, so that residents spend the duration of their residency at one location, and there is no formal system of rotations that would broaden their clinical experience. The Project is failing to meet a sixth goal of following global standards of care (goal #iii) and it is too early to say if it's pioneering approach to residency training is having an impact on healthcare in Japan (goal #vii). On balance, the Project's success in implementing elements of its core philosophy for residency training in the tradition-bound environment of Japan is particularly laudable.