2025 Student from University of Trieste: Clinical training at Dept of Radiology etc.
Name: Alberto Soravia
Home Institution/ Country: University of Trieste, Italy
Year of university: 5th
Designated department at Shinshu University: Department of Radiology; Dept of Ophthalmology
Training Period: from 6 October 2025 to 19 March 2026
Training: Clinical training
1. What made you come train at Shinshu University School of Medicine and how did you find the School through your stay?
I came to Shinshu University through the Erasmus exchange program of the University of Trieste. One of the main reasons was my long-standing interest in Japan. Since I was younger I have always been interested in Japanese culture, entertainment, and also in the Japanese language, which I had already started studying before coming here. Because of this, I wanted to take the opportunity to combine my academic training with the possibility of living in Japan and experiencing the culture more directly.
At the same time, I was very interested in seeing how medicine and the healthcare system work in a different country, and in spending some time in a new academic and clinical environment.
During my stay I found Shinshu University School of Medicine to be very well organized and welcoming. The faculty members and staff were always very supportive and willing to help, explain cases, and answer questions. This made it much easier to learn and to adapt to the new environment.
2. Please describe your training at host department/lab.
Most of my training was carried out in the Department of Radiology. During this period I had the opportunity to observe the daily clinical activities of the department and see different imaging techniques such as CT and MRI.
I was particularly interested in MRCP examinations, and I had the opportunity to observe several of them during my stay. Seeing these examinations in a clinical setting and discussing some cases with the radiologists helped me better understand the role of imaging in the evaluation of biliary and pancreatic diseases.
In addition to radiology, I also spent two weeks in the Department of Ophthalmology. During that time I observed the outpatient clinic and some surgical procedures. It was interesting to see a different medical field and to experience another clinical environment within the hospital.
3. Please list what you have gained from your experiences through the training at Shinshu University and the stay in Matsumoto, Japan.
Academically, this experience allowed me to deepen my knowledge in radiology and also gain some exposure to ophthalmology. Spending several months in the hospital environment here was very valuable for my medical training.
At the same time, living in Matsumoto was an important part of the experience. Living abroad for several months, far from home, allowed me to grow a lot on a personal level as well. I had the opportunity to meet many new people, experience daily life in Japan, and adapt to a completely different environment. Overall, I feel that this experience helped me grow both academically and personally.
4. How do you think you can apply those experiences to your future career?
This experience was very useful for my medical training, especially because I am interested in radiology for my future career. Being able to observe clinical imaging in another healthcare system helped me better understand how radiology is used in daily medical practice.
Beyond the academic aspect, living and studying abroad also helped me develop skills that will be important in my future career, such as adapting to new environments, communicating with people from different backgrounds, and being open to new experiences.
This period also helped me improve my English and practice Japanese, which I believe will be useful for future international collaborations.
5. Advice to those who are interested in studying at Shinshu University
I would definitely recommend Shinshu University to students who are interested in studying medicine in Japan or in having an international experience during their medical training.
My advice would be to be curious and proactive during the training, ask questions, and take the opportunity to interact with other students and the hospital staff. I would also recommend spending time exploring Matsumoto and the surrounding area, which are very beautiful and make the whole experience even more memorable.
