This program was a very fulfilling and inspiring experience, filled with much to learn.

現地の人との交流について印象に残ったことは？
How was your experience interacting with local people? 

First of all, I felt that the barrier to talking to strangers was lower than in Japan. People chatted with people they had just met as if they were acquaintances, and I also greeted and spoke with many different people, which made me feel that there were deep connections between people. On the other hand, the way the store staff spoke and responded varied from person to person, which was very refreshing. Their friendliness and natural smiles gave me a real sense of the warmth and openness of the local people.

Also, as I worked on the program with the local teachers and students, I was very impressed by how they listened carefully to my poor English and made an effort to understand me. This has motivated me to further improve my English skills.

プログラム期間中の活動で特に印象に残ったこと
Please write about what left a strong impression on you during the program period. 

When I visited the local medical school, I was particularly impressed by the difference between the educational environment there and that in Japan. The system and curriculum are completely different from those of Japanese medical schools, and the practical facilities, such as anatomy labs and simulation centers, are very well-equipped, which was very stimulating.

The research facilities were also equipped with a variety of equipment, and the clinical simulation center in particular was impressive.

Although there were some difficult parts of the professor’s English explanations, such as not understanding the technical terms or the way they were expressed, it was very educational for me as a medical student to visit a medical facility equipped with the latest equipment, and it gave me an opportunity to think about my own way of learning from a broader perspective.

I was also impressed by a visit to a mobile clinic that provides services to people in rural areas who have difficulty accessing medical care. It truly embodies interprofessional collaboration, and while it is equipped with some fantastic features for a mobile clinic, I was impressed by how it demonstrated teamwork in a limited environment and provided patient-centered medical care.

プログラム中の経験で将来のキャリアのために役立つと思うこと
What was a useful experience for your future career among your experiences during the program?

Throughout the program, I think the psychological barrier to communicating in English has been significantly lowered by having conversations with a variety of people. Because of this, I was able to proactively speak to people despite my poor English and ask questions about things that interested me, so I think I learned a lot. However, I feel that I still have room to improve my English, so I would like to continue to study further and increase the opportunities and quality of communication.

At the same time, I feel that my knowledge has deepened through interactions with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, something that is rarely experienced in Japan. I thought I already had an understanding of cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity, but by interacting with a variety of people through this program and experiencing diversity firsthand, my understanding has grown even more and I found it very interesting.

I also heard from a Japanese person working as a doctor in the United States, and felt like my vision for my future broadened. Compared to the past, there has been a significant increase in the number of Japanese people working as doctors overseas, and I think the barriers to doing so have become smaller, but the option of working as a doctor overseas never really seemed concrete to me in my own vision for the future. But after hearing their talk today, it feels a little more real, and I think it has increased my motivation.

次年度以降、同じプログラムに参加する学生に伝えたいこと
Comments for students who will participate in the same program next year.

Although this program is short, I believe it will be a very meaningful opportunity to learn a lot. I had a wealth of valuable medical experiences as well as interesting non-medical events, and was able to fully experience the benefits of studying abroad that you can’t get on a trip. It was a very stimulating and fulfilling time.

渡航前・渡航後のCOILを含め、プログラム全体を通しての感想
Feedback on the program, including COILs before and after trips to the US/Japan.

This program was a very fulfilling and inspiring experience, filled with much to learn. I have always had a strong desire to go abroad, and I feel happy that I have finally been able to make that dream come true. Furthermore, the program provided me with a great opportunity to learn in a way that I would not have been able to learn through travel. By actually coming into contact with a different culture, I feel that my horizons have broadened and my communication skills have improved through interactions with local people.

I also believe that the experience of being able to proactively ask questions and speak in English without hesitation contributed to my great growth. Visiting the medical school and mobile clinic was a particularly fascinating and valuable experience for me as a medical student, but because we participated together with students from other departments, it was also very interesting to be able to interact with people from a variety of backgrounds and have a wide range of experiences.

I would like to continue learning with a more global perspective, making use of this experience.