Clinical Exchange in Japan

The opportunity to participate in the clinical exchange program at Nagoya University School of Medicine was an enlightening one both from an academic and personal perspective. From my first day in Japan the hospitality of not only the International Office staff and the Hospital Faculty, but the people of Japan overwhelmed me. Countless times strangers walked 10 minutes out of their way to ensure that my friends and I found our desired destination. This pervasive sense of hospitality was both surprising and greatly appreciated, especially as the language barrier can seem daunting at times.

As a fourth year medical student pursing Internal Medicine for residency I was very interested in understanding how hematology/oncology and nephrology were practiced in Japan. During my first two weeks on hematology/oncology I was impressed by the time and attention dedicated to each hospitalized patient despite the large census. Along with the relatively long hospital stays compared to the US, this dedication clearly engendered strong report between the physicians and patients. Some of the highlights of my time on the service were seeing all the wards patients on Professor rounds, reviewing bone marrow smears, participating in a bone marrow transplant, and learning about the many research endeavors by individuals in the department. I had a similarly rewarding experience on Nephrology where I had the opportunity to participate in both outpatient and inpatient care. I was impressed by the efficiency by which the physicians managed even higher outpatient censuses while maintaining strong physician-patient relationships. While on nephrology I had the opportunity to participate in reviewing kidney biopsies from all over Nagoya, observing a kidney biopsy, and trying out the peritoneal dialysis machines. All of these experiences furthered my medical knowledge as well as highlighted similarities and differences between the Japanese and American medical systems.

Not only did I learn a great deal in the hospital setting, but also in the evenings and weekends when I had the chance to travel around Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo, and Takayama, I was lucky enough to arrive in Japan in the middle of Sakura (cherry blossom) season which highlighted the beauty of many of the parks, temples, and shrines I visited. The many historical and cultural sites and museums that I visited enhanced my understanding of Japanese history, religion, and culture in a way that would not have been possible from the US. Furthermore, I greatly enjoyed trying many new foods, especially in Nagoya which has a large number of local delicacies. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to spend a month in Nagoya and would highly recommend the experience to any medical student looking to spend time abroad.