The main role of our office is to run a short-course of tropical medicine, Training Cource of Tropical Medicine(TTM). This course aims to support medical and co-medical personnel who plan to work in the tropics, by providing opportunities to learn a broad range of skills and knowledge relevant to practicing medicine, implementing disease control programs and conducting medical research in tropical and developing countries. The course began in 1978 and since 2016, it opens to the researchers who pursue technology for global health. Over 15 participants are accepted to attend the course in each year. As of the 44th course in 2021, 621 participants in total (including 210 medical doctors, and 393 co-medical such as veterinarian, nurses, community health nurses, midwives, pharmacists) from all over Japan have completed the course. The course is run by the steering committee, which consists of members from both inside and outside the Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN).
During the thirteen weeks (April to June), the full-time staff members of NEKKEN and a substantial number of visiting professors and lecturers provide lectures, laboratory practical and field work, in the fields of virology, bacteriology, protozoology, parasitology, medical entomology, pathology, immunogenetics, epidemiology, human ecology, social medicine, clinical medicine and also geography and culture in tropics. Participants who successfully completed the course are awarded the Diploma in Tropical Medicine.
Online courses were also started in 2022.