弘前大学医学部保健学科・大学院保健学研究科

On October 1, 2000, Hirosaki University School of Health Sciences, which consists of five courses and twelve programs, was officially established as a new faculty under the School of Medicine upon the merger of its predecessors, the former Hirosaki University School of Allied Medical Sciences (established in April 1975) and the specialized Nursing Teacher Training program offered by our Faculty of Education (established in April 1968). The former Hirosaki University School of Allied Medical Sciences was restructured from the Faculty of Medicine’s Nursing and Maternity Nursing School, Clinical Laboratory Technology School, and Medical Radiation Technology School, with the addition of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy faculties. The specialized Nursing Teacher Training program offered by our Faculty of Education was originally a nursing college specializing in training teachers of high school nursing curriculums. These institutions each bring a long history and traditions to their respective fields of medical technician education and teacher training.

Our faculty became the Hirosaki University School of Health Sciences on April 1, 2004 in accordance with the provisions of the Act of National University Corporations issued on October 1, 2003.

In recent years, the healthcare industry has become considerably more complex due to many rapid advancements, which have necessitated medical professionals to have tremendous amounts of knowledge and technology. Additionally, specialization of medical services has fragmented patient-medical professional relationships, and communications amongst medical professionals have become increasingly difficult. Today, along with its rapidly increasing elderly population, Japan faces a prevalence of aging-associated refractory and chronic diseases, sparking a demand for elderly nursing. These issues have brought our medical environment to a turning point. With the resulting demand for home care and nursing, and the establishment of Japan’s Long-Term Care Insurance System, the nation faces a new era where healthcare is no longer constrained to the walls of medical institutions.

To precisely and effectively meet the demands of modern society stemming from these issues, the School of Health Sciences was newly founded under our Faculty of Medicine by merging the former Hirosaki University School of Allied Medical Sciences and its 25 years of worthy achievements with our Faculty of Education’s specialized Nursing Teacher Training program and its 30 years of proud history. We are pleased to develop future medical professionals who will be capable of utilizing advanced medical technology together with a rich sense of humanity and morality to contribute to the health and welfare of people worldwide.