This announcement is about an opportunity for medical students to participate in a clinical experience at Hyogo Medical University in Hyogo, Japan. MS2s will be able to participate in limited clinical work (histories and physicals). MS3 and MS4s may assist the team with diagnosis and treatment. Students will be paired with English speaking students and faculty who will assist with translation.
Tuition, housing and meal coupons for a daily lunch set meal during the weekdays at the student cafeteria are provided. A room in a guest house will be provided for any 4 weeks in the months of May and June 2026. MS4s are eligible to participate prior to their graduation date.
Students would need to purchase their own airfare and health insurance (travel insurance).
This could be a good opportunity for those interested in learning more about the Japanese (socialized) healthcare system.
This course is not for credit. To inquire about eligibility please contact:
Tomoka Shimada
Administrative Assistant
Center for International Programs
Hyogo Medical University
Prior to application, you will be asked to send in a letter of interest (no longer than one page). The information should include your department of choice (up to three), rotation block that you can participate, and a list of your clinical experiences.
Testimonials:
“During the summer of 2017, I had the pleasure of completing an elective at the Hyogo College of Medicine. I worked with a team of doctors in the hospital’s diabetes and endocrinology departments. On a normal day, we would visit inpatients, evaluate their current health, and discuss treatment options. In addition to seeing patients, I got the opportunity to view multiple procedures including adrenal venous sampling and fine needle aspirations of the thyroid. While the majority of my time was with the physicians, I did get to meet and socialize with the medical students at the college. They organized dinners and outings, and I gained better insight into Japanese culture, healthcare, and medical education from them. Overall, the program was very accommodating to an international student. Despite my inability to speak Japanese, the doctors would take the time to translate charts and patient encounters. Not only did the housing provide for my living needs, but it was also just a couple minutes away from the hospital. Because I had the weekends off, I got the chance to do some independent traveling to nearby cities as well. I thoroughly enjoyed by time in Japan, and I would highly recommend this experience to anyone interested in learning about healthcare abroad!”
- MS1, 2017
“I had such a wonderful time at Hyogo this last Spring. The students and the International exchange program were so incredibly hospitable to me! They made me feel so welcome to the pediatrics team. Any area of medicine that I was interested in, they helped me to explore those interests. Students took time out of their own busy schedules to show me around the area and take me to new restaurants. Although it was challenging to not speak the language, everyone was very accommodating and they went above and beyond to make sure that I was learning, not just about pediatrics but about Japanese culture. I would highly recommend the program for anyone interested in learning about universal health care.”
- MS3, 2015