地域で働く医師の現状と提言

Nowadays, there is a shortage of doctors working in rural areas in Japan. Because the elderly population has increased rapidly in rural areas, more community-based primary care physicians are needed in future.
This review is to clarify motivation of a doctor working in a rural area in Tokushima prefecture. I showed my carrier （called Dr. H） and community in Tokushima prefecture. Dr. H, now in his fifties, was born at the same town as the hospital now working. Dr. H graduated the University of Tokushima, and practiced internal medicine and medical research in the Tokushima University, its related hospitals, and National Cancer Center （Tsukiji, Tokyo）. But in his forties, Dr. H started working at rural clinics and small hospitals. Through clinical practices, Dr. H presented 10 posters at the Semiannual Meetings of the Tokushima Medical Association during 10 years.
In Tokushima prefecture, three big issues were discovered and invented : a new disease called as “Japanese spotted fever”, blue light-emitting diode （LED） and “Awa Odori exercise”.
Even in rural small hospitals, it is meaningful to practice medicine and research. Every doctor must have this “research mind” even in the rural areas.