Preliminary Exam

This examination is for those who meet certain conditions to be eligible to take the national examination for medical practitioners. Those who meet the certification criteria through document screening will be certified as eligible to take the National Medical Practitioner Preliminary Examination. Those certified to take the National Medical Practitioner preliminary examination will then take this examination. In addition, those who pass both steps must complete one year of public health and medical practice formation before passing the national examination.

Eligibility for examination

①	A person who has graduated from a medical school in a foreign country or has obtained a doctor’s license in a foreign country and who has been deemed appropriate by the Minister of Health, Labor, and Welfare. The candidate must graduate from 5 years of medical school and follow at least 3500 hours of teaching.
②	Graduates of a secondary school under the former Secondary School Ordinance or those certified as eligible for admission to a vocational school under the former vocational school entrance examination regulations. Those who have graduated from the target school
③	Before August 15, 1945, obtained a medical license from the Governor-General of Korea, the Governor-General of Taiwan, the Director-General of the Karafuto Agency, the Director-General of the South Pacific Agency, or the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Manchukuo, or the medical license of a consular officer. Japanese people
④	A person who has passed the first part of the medical examination conducted by the Governor-General of Korea or the first part of the medical examination conducted by Manchukuo before August 15, 1945.
⑤	A person who is deemed to have obtained a doctor’s license under the Medical Practitioners Act according to a cabinet order concerning special measures for the application of laws and ordinances related to the Ministry of Health and Welfare associated with the reversion of Okinawa and who has been certified by the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Examination Dates and Locations (Fiscal Year 2024)

(1) First part examination: Tokyo Metropolis
Written examination June 17, 2024 (Monday)
(2) Part 2 Examination: Tokyo Metropolis
A. Written Examination: September 26, 2024 (Thursday)
B. Practical Examination: November 12, 2024 (Tuesday) or November 8, 2023 (Wednesday)

Subject of the exam

Exam Part 1	Exam Part 2
〇 Writing Exam	〇 Writing Exam	〇 Practical Exam
〇 Exam Subjects Anatomy (including histology), physiology, biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, pathology, forensic science, microbiology (including parasitology), hygiene (including public health).	〇 Exam Subjects Internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, surgery, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatology, urology, otorhinolaryngology, ophthalmology, radiology, emergency medicine (including anesthesiology)	〇 Exam Subjects Internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, emergency medicine (including anesthesiology)
A total of 90 questions will be asked in the exam, with 10 questions for each of the 9 subjects.	Pass with over 60%.	Each subject is assessed individually in an oral examination format.
A pass is an absolute evaluation format with over 60% (54 points or more).	Absolute evaluation format	A total of 15 points with 3 points for each subject, passing requires at least 10 points.
The exam schedule is conducted around mid-June every year.	The exam schedule is conducted around mid-September every year.	If there is a subject with a score of 0, even a total score of 10 or more will result in a failure.

Method of examination

1. Only those who have passed the first part of the exam can take the written exam of the second part.
2. Only those who have passed the written exam of the second part can take the practical exam of the second part.

Contact information

1-2-2 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8916, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Medical Affairs Bureau, Examination and License Division
TEL.03(5253)1111（ext.2575） FAX.03(3503)3559