The National Defense Medical College (防衛医科大学校, Bōei Ika Daigakkō) is Japan's six-year university-level military academy under control of the Ministry of Defense whose objectives are to train future military officers who are also medical doctors and current military doctors.

[1] Students graduate with an advanced level of theory and application of medical sciences required to conduct the missions of the Japan Self-Defense Forces and acquisition of research capability of the related fields as well as to offer training of clinical medicine.

After passing the examination they take a two-year internship and are posted to Self-Defense Force hospitals and the battalions.

If a graduate quits the force before nine years of service they are required to refund their training cost to the national government.

The National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation, an independent administrative institution affiliated with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has accredited the mainstream courses and offers the degrees to the graduates.