Table 2 Behavioral medicine (Toho University syllabus)

Course summary

Behavioral medicine can be defined as the interdisciplinary field concerned with the development and integration of psychosocial, behavioral, and biomedical knowledge relevant to health and illness, and the application of this knowledge to prevention, etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. Behavioral medicine is a field for studying human behavior and its background theory. It relates to psychology, sociology, and anthropology, and it focuses on communication and decision making. This class includes problem-based learning, small group learning, and role playing.

Prerequisite knowledge and attitude

1) Feeling and sensitivity as a human being

2) Communication skills

3) Understanding of medical professionalism

4) Motivation to deal with patients systematically, not as a diseased being

5) An understanding of stress based on biology, neurology, endocrinology, immunology, and psychiatry

6) Completion of medical classes in somatic diseases

Attainment target

Students who complete this course can explain the following topics:

• development process in life cycle

• biological process of human behavior

• psychological process of human behavior

• psychological evaluation

• major psychological therapies

• dependency problems

• sexual behavior and problems

• meaning and disorders of violent behavior

• suicidal conduct and its prevention

• communication between patients and doctors

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