Clinical Exchange in Japan

Departments: Psychiatry
Period: 2014/5/12 - 2014/5/23

Initially the thought of a 12-hour flight on my own – a first for me – to an unfamiliar country for a medical elective was daunting. Daunting but exciting.

But it needn’t have been daunting: the staff I met – from the Office of International affairs and the psychiatry department - were very welcoming and helped me adjust to my new environment. On arrival, my tutor, Dr Aleksic, took me on a tour of the hospital which gave perspective on the sheer number of patients that staff have to deal with. Whilst I was aware that Nagoya had a population half that of Scotland, I could not anticipate the enormity of the hospital I was in!

Afterwards, I was introduced to staff members and students working in the psychiatry department. This really helped me to integrate and feel part of the team (in spite of my jet-lag!) Having my own desk in the department meant I was well placed to interact with my new colleagues who were all very personable, informative and hospitable. It was really nice to get to know some familiar faces in the city.

My experience was exciting: studying psychiatry in Nagoya was very interesting and dynamic. During my stay I participated in/observed outpatient clinics, departmental meetings, laboratory research and ward rounds to name but a few. As someone who has not long begun clinical teaching, it was interesting to observe medical students perform consultations – a freedom we are not normally allowed. I was definitely jealous! As someone who speaks little Japanese, I was concerned that I would not be able to understand what was happening during clinics. However, the doctors all spoke fluent English and this, combined with my rudimentary Japanese allowed me to understand the patients’ concerns.

During my time, I found that the appearance/mannerisms of Japanese psychiatric patients was similar to that of patients in the UK – interestingly, disease manifestation did not appear to be heavily influenced by cultural nuances. Furthermore I was surprised to discover a lot of similarities in the structure of healthcare provision between Japan and the UK. This contradicted my expectations and was a real eye-opener, from which I gleamed a lot.

Outside of class it was difficult to decide what to do: Nagoya is a vast and beautiful city and offers a lot of attractions to the visiting student. From food (sushi, takoyaki) to shopping (Sakae shopping centre), culture (the fantastic Osu Kannon temple and Nagoya Castle) to activities (karaoke and onsens), I found that there was plenty to keep me occupied after class! Fortunately help was at hand from my colleagues who showed me the best places to go.

I cannot stress enough the debt of gratitude I have to Prof. Ozaki, Prof. Aleksic, the staff at the office of international affairs and the staff and students of the psychiatry department, whom welcomed me into the medical school, imparted their knowledge, showed me around the city and – most importantly - kept me out of trouble!

Whilst my stay in Japan was brief, I feel that I have taken a lot away from the experience. Not just in terms of my understanding of medicine but also cultural enrichment and – crucially - valuable life experience. I would recommend this experience to any prospective student interested in visiting Nagoya.