Graduate Schools

Graduate School of Medicine/Graduate School of Nursing

Graduate Schools Overview

The Graduate School at Fukushima Medical University aims to train researchers and specialized staff who can autonomously contribute to the development of medical care, and to create new medical studies and nursing studies.

The Graduate School of Medicine provides one doctoral program and two masterʼs programs. The Doctoral Program of Medicine aims to foster researchers in various fields of medicine. The Masterʼs Program of Medical Science targets graduates who did not previously specialize in medicine, and the Joint Masterʼs Program of Disaster and Radiation Medical Sciences targets working members of society such as nurses and local government employees.

In the Graduate School of Nursing, we provide one doctoral program and one masterʼs program. The Doctorate Program of Nursing aims to train future nursing scientists who can actively work as researchers, educators, and nursing practice leaders. The Masterʼs Program of Nursing trains nursing professionals responsible for the development and research of nursing assistance methods, as well as nursing professionals (specialized nurses) and midwives who have advanced specialized knowledge, technical skills, and excellent practical capabilities.

Program Structure of the Graduate Schools

Philosophy of the Graduate School of Medicine

1. 1.Nurture researchers who aim to advance medicine and embark up on original scientific research.
2. 2.Develop highly specialized clinicians who have correctly learned research methodology.
3. 3.Cultivate researchers and high-level professionals who can actively work in various fields related to medicine and medical care.

Doctoral Program of Medicine, Overview Study Period 4 Years

The doctoral program aims to mainly accepts graduates of our School of Medicine, but also those who have completed a master’s program in other fields, and aims to offer them opportunities to deeply explore the field of medicine.

Upon entering, students who join this doctorate course choose either the Advanced Medical Researcher Course or the Specialist Medical Scientist Course. The former aims to train students who aim to become medical researchers; those who will support the future of medicine and expand the borders of medical science.

The latter is mainly aimed at students who have finished their post-graduate clinical training and wish to undergo specialized training to be eligible for board-certified specialists in their chosen fields. This course aims to develop clinicians who have advanced and specialized clinical abilities, as well as the ability to conduct research in the clinical setting, and offers the necessary classes to achieve these ends.

Curriculum Characteristics

As part of the basic curriculum, students in the Advanced Medical Researcher Course are required to take a compulsory class called Introduction to Medical Research. In addition, Introduction to Medical Science Research, which mainly focuses on experiments, is also required. For students in the Specialist Medical Scientist Course, Advanced Human Studies is a compulsory class. In 2013, we began to offer Research Design Studies, which allows students to learn basic research skills while conducting studies first-hand.

In each of these courses, students acquire knowledge on medical research by taking these basic educational subjects, and that knowledge will serve as the foundation of their research.

To deepen the understanding in their chosen fields of specialization, students choose subjects from among the specialized fields that correspond to Advanced Medicine and Advanced Medical Practicum. Students are also encouraged to take classes that are outside of, but related to, their chosen fields of specialization in order to expand and develop their research, and develop the ability to solve problems from a wider perspective. Moreover, in order to gain a fuller understanding of the advancement and refinement of medicine and medical practice, Graduate School Seminars, which focus on advanced research in a variety of fields, are also provided. These seminars are compulsory for all courses.

As the ultimate goal of our education in these courses, we will provide research guidance for thesis preparation in each field.

Master's Program of Medical Science, Overview Study 2 Years

This program provides an intensive education in medical science to students who have completed an undergraduate program in fields other than medicine and possess both a broad knowledge base and unique perspectives. By integrating knowledge from various disciplines, we aim to train our students so that they can be active as researchers, engineers, and specialists, integrating their interdisciplinary knowledge into a variety of fields related to medicine and medical practice.

After completing this master’s program, students are encouraged to move on to the doctoral program (typically completed in four years; three years for students with superior research track records) to enhance their abilities as researchers, acquiring higher-level specialized knowledge and research methodologies.

Curriculum Characteristics

 This major provides a short-term, intensive education in medical science to students who are not doctors and have completed an undergraduate program in fields other than medical education. Therefore, the curriculum mainly consists of basic medicine classes and societal medicine classes, in addition to a small number of clinical medicine classes, with a design to enable the study of medicine from a scientific perspective.

The acquisition of medical knowledge and technical skills through lectures alone is difficult; thus, we also offer courses that incorporate a practical element. In 2017 we updated our curriculum so that students are divided into one of two courses ‒ the Integrated Medical Science Program and Social Science Program. We cultivate healthcare professionals who can actively contribute as researchers, educators, and high-level specialists in various fields related to medicine and medical care by integrating knowledge of different disciplines.

Joint Master’s Program of Disaster and Radiation Medical Sciences Overview Study Time 2 Years

The unprecedented large-scale and multitude disaster of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident made it clear that we had a considerable lack of healthcare personnel who could adequately provide long-term medical care following a disaster, from the emergency phase to the recovery phase.

With this background taken into consideration, in 2016 we began the Joint Master’s Program of Disaster and Radiation Medical Sciences in collaboration with Nagasaki University.

This program offers two courses that are mainly for working adults such as nurses and local government employees. These courses provide students with a wide range of knowledge that allows overhead views of natural and nuclear disasters, as well as radiation medicine as a whole. We aim to develop professionals who have a knowledge base that enables them to act during disasters and appropriately respond to health hazards in the long term.

Curriculum Characteristics

Students in this program learn a wide range of skills divided into two courses (Medical Science and Health and Nursing), consisting of: basic classes such as Fundamental Radiation Medical Science and Introduction to Emergency Medicine; course-specific advanced classes such as Advanced Disaster Medicine and Disaster Community Nursing; and hands-on training classes such as Emergency Medicine Practicum. Students will acquire the know-how and ability to make proper judgments in the clinical and field settings by incorporating what they have learned through these lectures and practicums.

In 2020 we opened a satellite campus in Joban Hospital, Iwaki City, which provides an easy-to-join environment for people enrolled in the program who do not live near our Fukushima City campus.

Philosophy of the Graduate School of Nursing

The Graduate School of Nursing aims to develop professionals with advanced specialized knowledge, technical skills, and practical abilities who can work in sites where nursing is practiced, researched, and taught, and who can contribute to the creation and development of nursing science.

Educational Objectives of the Masterʼs Program of Nursing

1. 1.Nurture nursing professionals who have advanced specialized knowledge, technical skills, and practical abilities.
2. 2.Develop researchers who can engage in the development and research of nursing methodologies.
3. 3.Cultivate educators who can design career development programs for the nursing profession.

Specialized Courses in the Masterʼs Program of Nursing

Fundamental Nursing (Researcher Course)

Students investigate the generality and universality shared by all nursing fields, such as the functions and anatomy of the human body, as well as how nursing should be both practiced and taught, while learning different research methods in accordance with research objectives or the characteristics of research goals.

Cancer Nursing (Researcher Course / CNS Course)

Students develop effective nursing methodologies to solve the health problems of cancer patients recuperating in various places, as well as their families, from the time of cancer diagnosis to the terminal stage.

Adult Nursing (Researcher Course)

Students develop nursing methods in accordance with various health and disease stages, including developmental challenges and the activities of daily living of people who have suffered biological invasions from diseases and external injuries, as well as their families.

Gerontological Nursing (Researcher Course)

Students develop nursing methods that support older adults to fully live their
own lives in even if they are undergoing treatment or require hospitalization.

Mental Health Nursing (Researcher Course/CNS Course)

Students develop nursing methods necessary to ensure that people with mental health issues can independently live their own lives.

Maternal Nursing and Midwifery (Researcher Course/Midwife Course)

Students develop nursing methods for supporting womenʼs health through their entire life cycle, with special focus on women in the maternity cycle and their families. In the Midwife Course, students can acquire the qualifications to take the Midwifery National Exam.

Pediatric Nursing (Researcher Course / CNS Course)

Students develop nursing methods for supporting the healthy lives of families raising children, as well as the necessary methods for improving the QOL of children with health issues and their families.

Community Nursing (Researcher Course)

Students develop nursing systems and methods for individuals and groups with various health conditions, and to address health issues for local governments, corporations, and individuals receiving visiting care.

Educational Objectives of the Doctoral Program of Nursing

1. 1.Develop educators and researchers of nursing who, in education and research institutions in nursing universities, study methodologies for care and care system development that meet the needs of complex and diverse ranges of people, who can independently conduct research that contributes to systemization and development of said methodologies, and who can both implement their research findings in nursing practice and advance the quality of nursing education using not only said findings, but also their leadership skills.
2. 2.Nurture leaders (nursing practice leaders) who, in nursing practice sites such as hospitals and other healthcare facilities, independently conduct research in their own organization and drive joint research with other education and research institutions, such as nursing universities, and who can lead in the implementation of their research results into nursing practice.

Doctoral Program of Nursing Overview

In April 2022, the Fukushima Medical University Graduate School of Nursing established its doctoral program (in the field of practice and development of nursing) with the aim of having students develop and deepen the specialized knowledge they have learned until that point in the masterʼs program from a nursing practice perspective, and to cultivate these students as researchers and leaders who can pass on their findings to institutions where nursing is practiced.

～Field of Practice and Development of Nursing～

Practice and Development of Nursing aims to establish new methods of care that are necessary in modern nursing, as well as systems that are designed to provide such care in a timely and appropriate manner. These goals are met by conducting research into, and providing education on, the methodologies that would be most effective in the implementation of the above-mentioned care and systems.

We aim to develop original and high-quality nursing practices that assist with solving increasingly complex and diverse health issues, and to solve the health issues of residents who wish to live in areas they are familiar with, and local regions which have uneven distribution of health care and welfare resources. We also aim to help students acquire the skills necessary to create continuous nursing practice systems, which includes collaboration with various professions.

Overview of the Graduate School of Health Sciences

The Graduate School of Health Sciences at Fukushima Medical University opened in April 2025 with the aim of training competent practitioners who can further develop the art and science of health care.

Features of the Graduate Program in Health Sciences (Master's Program)

With advanced expertise already in place, this graduate program trains master’s degree candidates in clinical practice, education, and research, with the expectation that they will mainly work in Fukushima Prefecture as they apply the knowledge and scientific thinking that they acquire.
The Health Sciences Program is divided into four areas of study: Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Diagnostic Radiology Science, and Clinical Laboratory Science.
A well-established undergraduate Department of Health Sciences serves as the foundation for our graduate program, with a goal based on Fukushima Prefecture's “Basic Plan for New Training Facilities for Healthcare Professionals”: “To cultivate individuals who can acquire advanced knowledge and skills as professionals and fulfill their roles as members of a healthcare team.” The department has incorporated common subjects across the four disciplines, including “Team-Based Healthcare,” as well as subjects studied alongside students from medical and nursing departments, to foster an awareness of interprofessional collaboration. Building on established strengths, we aim not only to instill an awareness of interprofessional collaboration, but also to encourage initiative in addressing real-world challenges. Students from the four fields learn about emerging trends in each other’s professions and challenges in clinical settings through common courses, while engage in specialized studies with an interprofessional collaborative perspective, enabling them to approach challenges from multiple angles. Additionally, we cultivate individuals who can conceive and implement methods that contribute to teamwork by leveraging their specialized expertise in collaboration with other professionals, thereby putting diverse skills to good use in practical settings.

Specialized Courses in the Masterʼs Program of Health Sciences

Physical Therapy

Students acquire advanced knowledge while developing problem-solving abilities and practical skills in clinical care, education, and research, with a long-term goal of being able to conduct independent research. The curriculum is divided into four fields: “Musculoskeletal Disorders,” which focuses on prevention and treatment; “Neurological and Pediatric Disorders,” which covers the latest findings in these fields; “Internal Disorders,” which explores pathophysiology and treatment methods; and “Community and Preventive Care,” which emphasizes practical community-based activities. In specialized courses, students learn about the latest research trends and evaluation methods, while in practical courses, they advance their understanding of physical therapy practice and research topics through literature reviews and discussions.

Occupational Therapy

Work is a humans endeavor, deeply related to health and the richness of life. In occupational therapy, we focus on “physical and mental functions” and “active participation,” which are aspects of “functional abilities” in human life. We conduct research on the relationship between physical and mental functions and work, the impact of functional impairments on work, and the effectiveness of occupational therapy in restoring physical and mental functions through participatory activities. Specific research topics include relationships between physical and mental functions and activities of daily living in patients with stroke or dementia, the degree of physical and mental functionality required for independent daily living, factors related to daily living functions and preventive care for the elderly, and the effectiveness of occupational therapy for students with developmental challenges.
In the field of occupational therapy, we cultivate individuals who can independently advance  research, education, and clinical practice, while also developing the ability to explore human “daily living functions” and to seek innovative approaches to address related challenges.

Radiological Science

Building on a foundation of diagnostic radiology science, students systematically acquire advanced knowledge and skills in diagnostic imaging, nuclear medicine, and radiation therapy. We cultivate highly specialized medical technologists with the ability to respond flexibly to new needs and technological advances. There are five areas of focus: “Medical Imaging Information Engineering,” “Medical Imaging Science,” “Nuclear Medicine Science,” “Radiation Therapy Science,” and “Medical Physics.” We also place a strong emphasis on fostering a “research mindset” that encourages innovative thinking and the generation of new insights. Additionally, we aim to cultivate individuals who can take on leadership roles in healthcare and team-based medical care, and who can excel as researchers and educators in the future. While responding to the rapidly evolving state of medical technology, we aim to improve the quality of regional and international healthcare by cultivating individuals with broad perspectives.

Clinical Laboratory Science

This field includes cutting-edge research on a wide range of conditions, including infectious diseases, rheumatism, cancer, dementia, and cardiovascular disease. Specific topics include rapid detection of pathogenic microorganisms, elucidation of drug resistance mechanisms, and identification of opportunistic pathogens, all of which contribute to rapid and accurate diagnosis in clinical settings. Additionally, research is underway to develop diagnostic methods and therapeutic interventions for Alzheimer's disease and primary brain tumors such as gliomas. Through the analysis of dementia risk factors and the functions of glycosyltransferases, new possibilities for the treatment of neurological diseases and cancer are being explored. Furthermore, research is progressing on the development of diagnostic methods for cardiovascular diseases and sleep disorders, as well as studies on vascular pathophysiology and organ interactions detectable by ultrasound.
These endeavors are intended to bring about long and healthy lifespans, a high-quality regional medical system, and an inclusive society where everyone has access quality healthcare.