OKUYAMA Ryuhei, M.D., Ph.D.
The highest seat of learning in the school system in Japan is no longer college but graduate school. Graduate students are expected not only to learn current knowledge but also to produce new knowledge by conducting high quality research.
To create new knowledge certainly entails many difficulties. To make it happen, it takes strong motivation to pursue the truth, ability to organize various kinds of information and it takes meeting with good leaders.
Our graduate school at both the master's and doctoral levels offers various kinds of courses, and an environment that will never diminish your strong motivation to learn and pursue the truth.
Generally it is assumed that more information is better, but that is not always true.
Uniqueness and originality are essential to successful research; yet, too early an exposure to too broad a spectrum of information may cause the originality of initial research to fade.
Strategically distanced from the hustle and bustle of metropolitan areas, Shinshu, Nagano, is ideally located for conducting unique, thought-provoking research.
In the Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine, a good number of internationally acclaimed researchers are carrying out creative research. Thus, there are ample opportunities to meet with life-long mentors.
Lastly, it goes without saying that for scientific research, products always matter, but over concern with producing practical applications of research could prove to be a big pitfall to pure research, from which original discoveries often develop.
Eventually, biomedical research, which deals with human beings, must always deal with bioethical issues that have to be resolved. Therefore, bio-medical ethics courses are compulsory in our graduate school. Our students shall learn sufficiently about the ethical screening methods, management of conflicts of interest and research malpractice conduct to be highly qualified scientists.
Without question, the creation of new knowledge is not a simple matter; nevertheless, when it is achieved, the deep satisfaction from having done so is beyond measure.
My hope is that many enthusiastic and motivated young people will join us here at Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine and together experience this immense joy!
