Dear members,

Happy New Year, and I wish you all the best during the year of 2015.

Half a year has passed since I was appointed as the Chairman of the ORL Society of Japan. As you all know, we have reorganized and made great changes in both our business organization and our committee constitution. Six new committees have been founded: an international committee, an ethics committee, a committee for conflict of interest, a gender-equality committee, a committee for advanced research, and a committee for education before graduation. At the same time, six other titular committees were abolished to clarify the organization. After much discussion among the main council members, we have revised the memorandum and reviewed the constitution. I know for sure that still more discussions and innovations will be necessary in the future to create a better, organic society.

The Annual Meeting held every spring is one of the key projects of the ORL Society of Japan. We will continue to strive to make it a fulfilling group for all participants. Thanks to Prof. Kaoru Ogawa, the President of the ORL, an exciting project will be launched at the forthcoming meeting in May. This project is mentioned in the Journal of the ORL Society of Japan. I am looking forward to many members participating in this 116th Annual Meeting.

One of the most considerable projects that is presently ongoing is the “new training system” for medical specialists. We are asking for appropriate and prompt action, as this will be introduced to all departments in 2017. The main purpose of this system will be to train and produce specialists that are able to provide standard healthcare and will be trusted by all patients. Our principal tasks will be as follows: establish cooperation between main training hospitals and affiliated hospitals, assign instructors and president directors at each hospital, and finally create a new training program. These tasks will be assigned after receiving authorization from the Japanese Medical Specialty Board, and the recruiting and training of new specialists will then begin.

We had an interview with the Board last October, and the training program is now being drawn up according to the present standards for Otolaryngology. The process for the examination and the registration of medical specialists will also be settled in the near future. Hopefully, we will be able to start working on the new program leaded by prearranged president directors, beginning this coming April, and its examination and registration should be completed with the support of the Board before the end of this year. Next year, the new program will be released, the recruiting of medical specialists will begin, and finally the new training system will be implemented by 2017. I will continue to put all my effort into the numerous tasks remaining at the ORL Society of Japan, and your continued cooperation will be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely yours,

Yasuo Hisa, MD, PhD
Chairman, Board of Directors
The Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Society of Japan, Inc.

(January 5^th, 2015)