国際交流・留学

Name: Foo Ming Xian
Home Institution/ Country: Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya/ Malaysia
Year of university: 3rd Year Medical Student
Designated department at Shinshu University: Neurosurgical Department
Training Period: from Jul.10,2023 to Aug.18,2023
Training: Basic research

1.What made you come train at Shinshu University School of Medicine and how did you find the School through your stay?
I was in search of a Research Elective in Japan as I've heard lots of great medical advancements made in the country and I was very interested in the culturally rich nation. There were multiple Universities upon searching for exchange opportunities but only Shinshu provided research-based training. They were also very kind and understanding and was able to cater the program to my academic schedule back in my home institute.

I found the School of Medicine to be very kind and welcoming since the first day I arrive. It really speaks a lot when 3 different people of the university shows me around the same route in the hospital in fear that I would get lost on my first week. I'm often spoken to in English despite it not being the first language of many people here and many were more than happy to explain a surgical procedure or medical condition to me. Overall, I could only describe by experience here to be very included in the neurosurgical department despite being here only temporarily.

2.Please describe your training at host department/lab.
I was given a lot of flexibility in terms of my goals of training and which activity of the department I wish to participate. I normally start off the day by participating in the morning conference of the department at 8am and getting to observe the procedure of the day.

I usually shadow a neurophysicist or a neurosurgeon where they with incredible detail and patience explained to me about what was going on during the surgery and the monitoring process that was involved with it. As for the research aspect I was given an opportunity to write about a case report for a case related to Visual Evoked Potential and ample study material, guidance and support was offered to me so that I am able complete the necessary tasks satisfactorily.

I was genuinely amazed by the support the Doctors & Professors here have given me as they would go out of their way to explain things to me in a manner and language that I was able to understand, and they foster a work environment that made me feel included in the team.

3.Please list what you have gained from your experiences through the training at Shinshu University and the stay in Matsumoto, Japan.
The training here was nothing short of amazing. I was first able to observe various neurosurgical procedures, some which I don't think I had the opportunity to witness if it weren't for the program and the interesting field of Intraoperative Monitoring. I was fortunate to have been guided on the steps and interpretation of the monitoring process intraoperatively as it has shed some light in a crucial but often underappreciated aspect of such a complex multidisciplinary procedure.

I found the stay to be comforting and eye-opening. Before applying I had not heard a lot about Nagano let alone Matsumoto, but I soon fell in love to the warm community, the immense cultural and natural scenery imbedded in the prefecture and convenience of living without the crowded environment that you would usually expect in big cities like Tokyo or Osaka.

And finally, the community and the work environment, especially at Shinshu University. Everyone here is polite, humble, and willing to serve. Perhaps it's due to the nature of having a relatively smaller team but you can expect everyone has each other's back and would not hesitate to lend a helping hand when needed. I believe seeing this first in action really explains how the team can function so efficiently despite having a small team and inspires me to do the same once I join the healthcare workforce.

4.How do you think you can apply those experiences to your future career?
I've certainly gotten a lot more opportunities to observe various types of neurosurgical cases than I would have at my home institution. From Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors Resections to Endovascular procedures and even Glioma surgery, I've gained insights not only on how the procedure is done but the preparation steps, and especially the monitoring that goes with the procedures. I've gotten so much insight on how to prepare a patient for nerve monitoring, how to analyze the results and what to look out for should there be a suspicion of abnormality.

I'm really interested in the brain and the complex yet interesting anatomy and physiology that goes behind it. This program has given me the opportunity to improve my understanding of such topic, widened my perspective on how medicine and surgery in performed in another country and I am definitely going to be able to use this to my advantage for my future career plans.

5.Advice to those who are interested in studying at Shinshu University
Shinshu University is really a treasure box filled with limitless opportunities. I would advise any prospect students to just ask for guidance as everyone here are more than willing to lend a helping hand if you just ask.

Also, if language barrier is a fear, fret not. Even though I can understand some simple phrases of the language, the staffs here are kind enough to provide a translation for everything important during meetings, documents, and the surgical procedure. Of course, I would also advise to take up some simple Japanese language lessons to bridge the gap and it'll really help with fostering a deeper bond with everyone that you'd meet here.