Clinical Exchange in Japan

The experience at the Department of the Ophthalmology

During my two weeks in Ophthalmology, I observed a variety of surgeries, including cataract, glaucoma, nasolacrimal duct obstruction, vitrectomy for retinal detachment, strabismus surgery, and cornea transplantation, which was a rare opportunity. An escort was present in every surgery I attended and explained what was happening throughout the procedure in English, making it much easier to understand. Not only was I able to observe how the surgeries were performed, but I also had the chance to practice at the Medical xR center, where a mentor taught me how to perform cataract surgery twice during my two-week clerkship. After performing the surgery myself, I realized that it was not as easy as it seemed when I was just observing. I also had the opportunity to attend the outpatient clinic, where I learned how patients were managed before surgery and during post-surgery follow-up. It was a valuable experience to go abroad and witness a different healthcare system, doctor-patient relationships, and medical knowledge firsthand.

The experience at the Department of the Cardiology

In the first week of the Cardiology clerkship, I had plenty of time to learn in the catheterization room. I observed pulmonary hypertension evaluation, percutaneous coronary intervention, and radiofrequency catheter ablation for various types of arrhythmias. The doctors would introduce the patient's history and explain their future plans for treatment. One particularly memorable experience was when a complication, cardiac tamponade, occurred during an ablation for atrial fibrillation. The doctors did their best to avoid more serious complications and calmly reassured the patient's family, which left a strong impression on me in terms of how they handled the emergency. In the second week, I participated in a lesson with fourth-year students. The instructor taught us how to correctly implant a catheter at the Medical xR center. On the last day, we had a discussion class with the professor, where we reviewed three cases. Through this session, I learned more about the diagnosis and management of heart failure, myocardial infarction, and pulmonary embolism.

Tourism of Nagoya

Besides learning medical knowledge, I also had the chance to immerse myself in Japanese culture. I visited many places in Nagoya, including Nagoya Castle, Nagoya Aquarium, Mirai Tower, and the Nagoya Science Museum. In addition to the attractions in Nagoya, Jipuri Park in Nagakute Shi, which can be reached by the Linimo, is also well-known. Other attractions at the nearby prefectures of Aichi Ken were also captivating, including Shirakawa-go, Gifu Castle, and Ise Jingu.

(left) Nagoya Castle   (right) Shirakawa Go