Showa University medical school admits rigging entrance exam scores

that's just wonderful good to have integrity and gain the trust of patients

And another one. And what will happen? nothing. They have "deeply apologized" and vowed to be transparent and not let it happen again, just like I said yesterday more and more schools would do, while further dragging down Japan's already sad reputation of poor post-secondary education and elitism.

What should be done is they lose their accreditation for 10 years, if not permanently, as a medical school, grandfathering those that have already been given access. Further investigation should be conducted into who let in whom based on alumni ties, and if the students were involved they should be thrown out, while those who got them in should be immediately fired (not "forced to resign"). The school should also have to allow in (for a final term) those who barely lost out in the cut because of those let in, if the former still wish it, and at full scholarship.

When schools are never punished for this kind of thing, and corporations who engage in similar corruption also never punished, is it any surprise we hear about it continuously, and more often than not by the same culprits? No surprise "Japan Inc." has its own special definition.

In reality it's not the fault of the students, the schools are the one's responsible and they should pay!

Male applicants who had failed multiple times were also shunned because they also tend to fail the national exam for medical practitioners, which would bring down the university's ratio of successful applicants and hurt its reputation, according to the sources.

I am actually slightly more sympathetic to this - someone who has failed 3 or 4 times already quite probably does not have what it takes to be a doctor. They might get over the line through a herculean feat of study, but as the data show, they have a high rate of failing to become doctors and are essentially depriving someone else of the opportunity to become a doctor.

However, the sexual discrimination against women is a disgrace to Japan and those who lost out on the chance to become doctors should be either compensated or offered the opportunity to enroll.

Ah_soToday 05:09 pm JST

Male applicants who had failed multiple times were also shunned because they also tend to fail the national exam for medical practitioners, which would bring down the university's ratio of successful applicants and hurt its reputation, according to the sources.

I am actually slightly more sympathetic to this - someone who has failed 3 or 4 times already quite probably does not have what it takes to be a doctor. They might get over the line through a herculean feat of study, but as the data show, they have a high rate of failing to become doctors and are essentially depriving someone else of the opportunity to become a doctor.

I agree, but this is easily solve by allowing people to take the exam only twice, or only up to 3 years after finishing high school. Which is something all university should do... that's better for the university and that avoid student to waste time on something they are not cut for.

So these less than qualified doctors might operate on me one day. That’s a comforting thought.

It's common knowledge amongst Japanese people that children of medical school alumni are given preference, so I don't know why there's any surprise about this. According to one group of medical students I taught this rigging goes on even at the level of the national exams for doctors. They were clever, hardworking and pleasant people, but were lamenting the fact that certain other students could pass with very little effort on their part. This is why I was often advised by Japanese friends and neighbours to avoid certain clinics for treatment: 'The father's very good, but he's retiring and the son is taking over. He's useless.' The original clinic owner is usually a wealthy and powerful figure in the community who has many connections. One particularly obnoxious student who I taught was part of a medical 'dynasty'. He did nothing in school (when he came) and he stated directly that they wouldn't dare fail him. I thought this was just some twisted bravado, but it was confirmed to me informally by other professors.

@Sid, I can fully second what you said. Both my uncles are doctors and they tell me which clinics to avoid for those exact reasons. Also, they tend to cover up for their buddies and med school alumni, so botched operations and procedures rarely see the light of day. Same for dentists but don’t have the inside scoop there.

Just watch the Doctor X drama series - a lot of the behaviour of the medical establishment is included in the episodes. Miho Nakazono was a very good scriptwriter, with good sources.

Except for people who fail 4 or 5 times, how can I go to a hospital knowing I'm being treated by the best, first rate women instead of second rate men?

Except for people who fail 4 or 5 times, how can I go to a hospital knowing I'm being treated by the best, first rate women instead of second rate men?

Rhetorical question? If you are serious, the best of the best are in private one's, not public, better compensation and prestige. Also look on the walls of the "private" one's, you'll see that the doctors for the most part, have done internships or have done residencies in the US.

Dentist almost killed me, luckily I stumbled and I mean stumbled into another dentist who had trained in Europe, he was so shocked at what was done he didn't charge me. Doctors are the same wearing a white coat does not mean they are competent the janitor also wearing a white coat in many cases are more competent.

Who's going to jail? Who's going to be striped of their education license? Who is getting fired? Why does the government just DO NOTHING!?

It is very difficult for patients to judge whether the doctors who see us are good doctors or not. People here are writing as if they do no have quacks in America. Is that right? I go to Tokyo University Hospital. Do I think it is a good hospital? Nope. I found good doctors do not have to be graduates of famous medical schools. If doctors are kind, sincere and honest, they are good doctors. Japan's top heart surgeon Amano who operated the emperor failed the exams to enter Nihon University medical school three times.

 If doctors are kind, sincere and honest, they are good doctors.

SOrry, I would rather have an arsehole doctor who is up to speed on the latest developments in his field and knows what he is doing rather some guy, or female doc for that matter, who just wants to sweet talk me!

Failed females can marry male doctors, but not the other way around ... probably what they were thinking.

It's common knowledge amongst Japanese people that children of medical school alumni are given preference, so I don't know why there's any surprise about this. 

And remained common knowledge without any level of scandal for many years. How very Japanese - one of those unfair things that permeate right through Japanese society and must be endured - shou ga nai.

Perhaps this is an opportunity and a moment of awakening to start righting some of the wrongs that it has put up with for so long.

Failed females can marry male doctors, but not the other way around ...

And failed females can become nurses, but of course this is not an option for the men.

It's not rigging.  Private schools and even public schools can choose students they want.

This explains why some areas of healthcare in Japan are a joke. You want to look for doctors with extensive training overseas or at least work with other colleagues overseas. The "This is Japan" crowd are the ones you have to look out for.

Do alumnus donations help with disease and surgeries too? Do doctors only take patients from affiliated universities? Lots to investigate yet

Lol, so it's the schools who are cheating in the exams, not the students

Japanese schools padding entrance exam scores? Wheat huge revelation, NOT! This is SOP from junior high school upwards. I cannot count the amount of times I’ve been told to make easy tests or to give the students bonus points to get their averages up or for the university entrance. It’s a sham! It’s not teaching! It is creative accounting!

very backward society in japan, this will go unpunished and everyone will just shrug, pretty disgusting behaviour actually. The Japanese are incapable of change unless it is forced on them from the outside.

It's not rigging. Private schools and even public schools can choose students they want.

so Im a female who studies her butt off scores higher, has more talent than many of the males that passed the same exam but im failed becuse Im a woman!?, If thats not rigging then WTF is it!? compassionate discrimination ! life guidance! becuase universities know best what J women should be doing with their lives. Seriously some people have NFI much of what comes out of their mouths is an oxymoron

And failed females can become nurses, but of course this is not an option for the men.

"failed females?" Sexist remark if ever, even if it was in response to;

Failed females can marry male doctors, but not the other way around ...

You too...sexist! By the way, a "failed" female doctor is still a doctor! Male as well!

And it most definitely IS an option for males as well to become male nurses, they are on the increase all over the country, so I would suggest putting your sexist ideas in the bedpan where they belong!

@tinawatanabe : Read the article, they padded the entrance exam scores for the select elite not directly selected who can and cannot come.

so Im a female who studies her butt off scores higher, has more talent than many of the males that passed the same exam but im failed becuse Im a woman!?, If thats not rigging then WTF is it!?

The medical schools want more male students for surgeons, which is tough job for many females doctors.

Read the article, they padded the entrance exam scores for the select elite not directly selected who can and cannot come.

That kind of things happen in US too.  In Japan, foreigners take totally different exams that are much easier than regular exams even if they were born in Japan and enter the top univs and land in good jobs. I don't think other country univ give foreigners better oppotunities than natives.

The medical schools want more male students for surgeons, which is tough job for many females doctors.

women who pass the exam are adults they know what is required of a doctor otherwise they wouldn't apply. what is pure discrimination is not allowing women the choice to choose her career and/or family . Females can be just as talented as men as surgeons nobody has the right to dictate how they plan their lives, if Universities are worried there wont be enough doctors then they need to provide more positions for medical students, both male and female and reward them for their talent not their gender

Failed females can marry male doctors, but not the other way around ..

oh so being a doctors trophy bride is a good substitute for actually being a doctor. seriously some people are still living in the 1960s

It is very difficult for patients to judge whether the doctors who see us are good doctors or not.

If they don't like you asking questions or don't explain things to you walk out and find another doctor.

Their qualifications and training should be made available to the public by the authority responisble for licensing doctors. It happen in other countries. I am very concerned about the lack of oversight on the requirement of doctors to keep up to date with their medical practice. There seems to be no authority examining and quantifying this important issue. I've been to doctors here who stopped learning the day the passed their finals.

It's a private university, they can do whatever they want. Women should just boycott it.