M.D., Ph.D. Professor Hitomi Kataoka
Medical education examines the processes of learning and development among both students and healthcare providers, including instructors. In addition to the internal factors that influence learning, our research also considers the relationships between learners and their environment. Specifically, our laboratory focuses on learner-centered and patient-centered healthcare as well as diversity and inclusion. The University and medical field are the key settings in which we conducted our research.
Research and Education
In the realm of medical education research, we have conducted extensive studies on a variety of topics, including the empathy of medical students and doctors toward patients, the burnout of medical students and young doctors in the COVID-19 pandemic, and the careers of medical students in the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Professor Kataoka’s research on empathy, which is her life work, is considered one of the leading studies in Japan. Recently, we expanded our research to include topics such as medical student motivation, mindfulness-based learner support, the effects of Kampo education, and the trustworthiness of the patient-physician relationship.
In terms of medical education, we are committed to supporting female doctors, enhancing medical students’ careers, introducing humanities to Japan, providing exercises for dealing with patients in distress, using effective reflection models, developing a medical interview AI chatbot, creating virtual training for medical practice, and collaborating with undergraduate students to develop a BOT for medical interview practice.
Our ultimate goal is to contribute to patients and society by advancing the research and practice of medical students and professional medical education.
Classroom Scene: Professionalism
Research meeting
Recent Publications
- Effectiveness of professional-identity-formation and clinical communication-skills programs on medical students’ empathy in the COVID-19 context: comparison between pre-pandemic in-person classes and during-pandemic online classes. Hitomi Kataoka, Akiko Tokinobu, Chikako Fujii, Mayu Watanabe, Mikako Obika. BMC medical education 25(1) 39, 2025年1月9日
- Influence of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the post-graduate career paths of medical students: a cross-sectional study
Ayumu Nishimura, Tomoko Miyoshi, Fumio Otsuka & Akihiro Matsukawa BMC Medical Education 24(1) 55 2024 - Eleven years of data on the Jefferson Scale of Empathy – medical student version: Japanese norm data and tentative cutoff scores
Hitomi U. Kataoka, Akiko Tokinobu, Chikako Fujii, Mayu Watanabe, Mikako Obika BMC Medical Education 23(1) 81-81 2023 - Differences in Stress Perception of Medical Students Depending on In-Person Communication and Online Communication during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Japanese Cross-Sectional Survey.
Kazuki Tokumasu, Yoshito Nishimura, Yoko Sakamoto, Mikako Obika, Hitomi Kataoka, Fumio Otsuka
International journal of environmental research and public health 20(2) 2023 - Representation of Gender and Postgraduate Experience Among Professional Medical Society Boards in Japan.
Takashi Watari, Ashwin Gupta, Hitomi Kataoka
JAMA network open 5(12) e2247548 2022
Laboratory
Professor: Hitomi Kataoka
Associate Professor：Tomoko Miyoshi
Junior Associate Professor: Masashi Ikuno
Assistant Professor: Akiko Tokinobu
Professor Emeritus: Yasuhiko Konishi
TEL：+81-75-753-9454
FAX：+81-75-753-9339
URL：http://cme.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp/