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November 2023

What is VIS ?
The International Relations Division of the Faculty of Medicine issues VIS to send out the live messages from International Studentsof Graduate School of Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Science, and School of Medicine, and to promote the exchange ofintercultural information. We hope VIS helps to cultivate intercultural communications and boost international exchanges.
VIS の発行の目的は、医学院・医理工学院・医学部医学科の留学生の生の声を発信することと、異文化間の情報交換を促進することです。
VIS が異文化間のコミュニケーションを養い、国際交流を実行していくうえで役立つことを望みます。

CONGRATULATIONS ON GRADUATION
Hokkaido university, a journey in my second homeT

here is a saying that university is the second home, and that it should be a true for everyone
who studies at the Hokkaido University. Time flies so fast, since I entered the university

as master course student. It was amazing experience for me and a lovely study life, enjoyment,freedom, and friendship. I am graduating from the university with a lot of sweet memories thatcan not be forgotten.
I would like to thank everyone in the university for warm welcoming I got since the beginningof my study journey in Hokkaido university. This journey started in October 2016 when Iwas accepted as a master student at the at Graduate School of Medicine, the Department ofOrthopedic Surgery. With great support of my supervisor, advisor and students, I completed mymaster course in two years and decided to continue my study and to enter PhD course. Although
it was very challenging for me, the environment in our laboratory due to the management of ourprofessor encouraged me to accept this challenge and to proceed with this journey. I am always
grateful to my professor and advisor for their support and help that make the students very
confident and productive in excellent environment for research and study.
In this journey, I could make a lot of friends from different nationalities who are students
studying in this university and we keep meeting each other when we have time. I also could

Hend Terukawa (Japan)
Completion: Master & Ph.D. in 2022
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Period: October 2018－September 2022

make friends of these who are working in the university, and they helped me a lot in thepreparation of Japanese documents I needed tosubmit to administrative office during my study. I remember when I was presenting my results in the final
exam, friends who attend told me that you are not alone we are supporting you and standing as a team toreach your own goal. I appreciate them and I won’t forget the memories with my friends.
This journey granted me experiences that I cannot forget. After four years I spent in my PhD course, I havepublished my research in high impact factor journal (Nature Communications) and I had a great honor toreceive the 18th Otowa Hirotsugu Scholarship award. Moreover, I have been selected as a representative
student to receive my PhD certificate at the stage during the graduation ceremony of our university. I amproud that I was selected as a valedictorian of the doctoral course of the Graduate School of Medicine.
These make me confident to build my resume and start a job hunting for my future. Thank you everyone in
our university for warmth and hospitality, you make me feel strong and safe as home.

Voice of the International Students130

November 2023

CONGRATULATIONS ON GRADUATION
Boys, be ambitious!

F

inally, I got relief because everyone said that the Ph.D. is a purgatory, and today I can graduate! I am very
grateful to my lab members, family, and friends who have helped me during this period, my success is

inseparable from your spiritual and material support.
I have dreamed of being a great doctor since I was a child, who can cure various diseases through superb
medical knowledge and skills. During my undergraduate clinical internship, I witnessed that many cancer
patients still cannot receive effective treatments, and the options are still very limited. Therefore, in order tolearn cutting-edge knowledge and explore novel molecular mechanisms in the cancer immunotherapy field, I
decided to study abroad at the Kobayashi Lab of Hokkaido University in 2018 October.
In the first two years, I always failed and felt lost due to a lack of experience in experiments. Failure was caused
by various aspects: misunderstandings with my supervisor because of the language barrier, different thinking
and expressing styles; lack of knowledge of the project; operation not accurate enough, and so on, which mademe feel anxious and doubt myself every day. Later, through chatting with seniors, I gradually realized thatthe supervisor's job is just general guidance of macro-control, Ph.D. students should read more literature toAn Ning (China)

generate new ideas, and optimize experimental conditions step by step by themselves. Ph.D. is like a monk,

Completion : Ph.D. in 2023
Department of Immunology
Period: October 2018－March 2023

a solution or answer if you continuously search deep enough. From the third year onwards, my project has

who needs to pursue a goal and have to get used to being alone. Research means "re-search", there will be
gradually been on the right track, and meaningful data started to accumulate, this made me feel I've grown up,
solid, and excited.

Looking back at these extraordinary years, all the efforts are worthwhile; these will become the medals in your twilight years. The purpose of studying
abroad is not only about obtaining a degree but more about the impact on the diversification of a young person's values from different directions, which
in turn affects the judgment of the future. Undoubtedly, every Ph.D. has bitter tears, but no pain no gain. At the best age, brave guys should be like Dr.
Clark said, "Boys, be ambitious."

Congratulations to graduation － we did it!

W

hen I knew that I was nominated as representative of graduate students in commencement ceremony,
I was filled with a mix of emotions － pride, joy, excitement, and perhaps a touch of sadness as we bid

farewell to this chapter of our lives.
Graduation is a momentous occasion, one that marks the end of a journey and the beginning of a new one.
Looking back on the past few years, I am overwhelmed by the lessons I have learned, the friendships I have
made, and the experiences that have shaped me into the person I am today.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to the faculty and staff of my department,
who have dedicated themselves to providing us with an excellent education and the tools we need to succeed
in life. Your passion, wisdom, and guidance have been invaluable, and I feel privileged to have had theopportunity to learn from you.
To my fellow graduates, I am humbled by your talent, your ambition, and your determination to succeed. It
has been an honor to share this journey with you, and I look forward to seeing the incredible things you willachieve in the years to come.
As we prepare to embark on the next chapter of our lives, I would like to leave you with a quote that has
inspired me throughout my time here: "Success is not final, failure
is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." (WinstonChurchill)

Jin Zhiping (China)
Completion : Ph.D. in 2023
Department of Neurosurgery
Period: April 2019－March 2023

Let us approach the future with courage, resilience, and acommitment to excellence. I have no doubt that we will continue to achieve great things and make apositive impact on the world around us.
Thank you for the memories, the friendships, and the knowledge that will stay with us for a lifetime.
Congratulations to graduation － we did it!

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Voice of the International Students

WELCOME EXCHANGE STUDENTS
From Mahidol University, ThailandDuring my two-week exchange program, I am glad I decided to visit Hokkaido University Hospital. The medical personnels here welcomed me withopen arms and took good care of me. They would drop by to chat when I was alone and sometimes would invite me to lunch.

The schedule at the Cardiovascular Medicine department included visiting the Catheter and Electrophysiology lab, Echocardiology, and OPD clinic. I
have the opportunity to enter the catheter room. Since I mentioned that I am
interested in cardiovascular medicine, the staff walked me through how to do PCI
and how to read intraoperative imaging and CAG.
I also received a mini-lecture on how to interpret basic echocardiography images,
along with performing Echocardiography firsthand. On OPD day, I observed normal
clinics that treat common diseases such as heart failure as well as specialized clinics
like the LVAD clinic whose patients were in-queue for heart transplantation.
At Gastroenterological Surgery Ⅱ, I spent the majority of time staying in the OR.
The procedures I observed in the OR consisted of SSPPD, esophagectomy whichwere performed by exploratory, laparoscopically or robotic-assisted.
Some days after work, staff would take me to the nearby restaurant and have dinner
together. They are friendly and fun to talk to. However, there will be some extent ofa language barrier but they will help you as much as they can to communicate with

Phuris Tangjitpakorn

you!

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine
Department of Gastroenterological Surgery Ⅱ
Period: April 10－May 2, 2023

Finally, I want to express my gratitude to Cardiovascular Medicine, GastroenterologicalF

Surgery Ⅱ, and all the staff that help make this possible. I consider this as an unforgettable
experience and a priceless opportunity!

irst of all, I would like to thank all of the staff at the Hokkaido University Hospitalfor such warm welcomes and excellent experiences in Hokkaido University

Hospital.
I had chosen to participate and observe in the Department of Gastroenterological
Surgery, both the 1st and 2nd. It was an unforgettable experience since theprofessors and staffs were very kind and generous. Despite my low proficiency inunderstanding Japanese, the staff was dedicating large amounts of time explaining
the cases and operations in Japanese and English. They even wrote illustrations
explaining how operations work to get a better picture. During elective periods, theoperations focused on the Digestive and Hepatopancreatobiliary systems gave mea basic idea to approach and manage the diseases in the mentioned system. Some
operation was unique and in-detailed that only a few surgeons could perform. My
favorite operation is Robot-assisted distal Esophagectomy because this operationneeds three teams of surgeons to conduct, which shows how much talent each teamThanannop Woonwiriyakit

has in common.

Department of Gastroenterological Surgery Ⅰ & Ⅱ
Period: April 10－May 2, 2023

Furthermore, the workplace and environment in the Hokkaido University Hospitalare very welcoming. The convenience store and vending machine are located near

the hospital, which gives easy access to healthcare workers and patients. The environment and surroundings around the hospital were beyond myexpectation, which gave me many positive feelings toward Sapporo and Hokkaido prefecture.
Lastly, I enjoyed the time during my elective courses in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Overall, I am very fond of Hokkaido prefecture's places and its people; if I
have the opportunity like this in the future, I will not hesitate to come and visit here for even more experiences from all of the professors, staff, and fellow
medical students.

Voice of the International Students3

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November 2023

WELCOME EXCHANGE STUDENTS
From Mahidol University, ThailandMy medical exchange program at Department of Radiology and Department of Obstetrics andGynecology, Hokkaido University in Japan during April 9th - May 2nd, 2023 was marvelous forme. It not only provided me valuable academic knowledge but also impressive cultural experience I
have never forgot.
Hokkaido University was my first choice for elective studies as I had been in Hokkaido two years ago
and had been impressed with scenery and cultural environment here.
First of all, the assistance of staff at the office of international affairs was very helpful to make myelective so smooth from the beginning till the end of my placement. In academic aspect, I was very
well taken care of during my actual rotation. Right from the start of my placement, I was impressedwith the kindness and hospitality given to me. In addition, English interpretation throughout my period
was also most highly appreciated. Without assistance in this aspect, my elective program may not beworthwhile. I have to say thank you for their efforts.
The placements were very well organized. I was given suitable timetables both for Department ofRadiology and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Nevertheless, if something very interestingin particular, the professors and teams were willing to introduce me to the areas. One of the highlights

Saranrut Phetkong
Department of Diagnostic Imaging
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Period: April 10－May 2, 2023

beyond my schedule was my visit to the Medical AI Research and Development Center of the Hokkaido
University Hospital. The Center has been performed on international standard and recognized globally. Views and ideas on future AI developments wereexchanged. They were topics of my interest.
During about two week time, highlights in Radiology involved reading lecture, catheter insertion stimulation, student reading files, interventional
radiology observation and nuclear radiology observation. Moreover, some highlights in Obstetrics and Gynecology included in-patient ward round,morning conference, ultrasound performance, suture technique, out-patient examination and observation, caesarian
section observation, gynecological surgeries, robotic surgery stimulation and vaginal delivery stimulation.
It was a precious opportunity for me to observe gynecological and obstetrical operations to gain better knowledge andunderstanding on operation procedure for my future endeavors.
In conclusion I can say that my exchange program at Hokkaido University gives me amazing experience and makeme strongly intend to come back again on my further clinical studies. I recommend everyone to come. You will be
impressed and appreciate to be here.
Finally, I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to every doctors and residents for the memorable
welcome and support. Thank you so much for your kindness and great assistance in giving impressive knowledge. Itruly appreciate everything all of you have done for me over this 4 weeks. My experience here is the best time of my lifethat I enjoy every minute. Thank you with deepest thanks and gratitude.

From Taipei Medical University, TaiwanI

t's been such an unforgettable experience here in Gastroenterological Surgery Ⅰ in Hokkaido
University!

Although I couldn't understand Japanese, all the doctors, students, and staff were willing to help me sothat I didn't feel confused. I learned about several diseases, such as Hirschsprung's, triploid syndrome,and Behget's, in terms of meetings, ward rounds, and outpatient clinics.
Last but not least, it's great to have the opportunity to experience the beauty of the campus.
I would like to thank the friendly and hospitable atmosphere in the medical school, which made myone-month stay so enjoyable!

Kuo Chuan-Ying
Department of Gastroenterological SurgeryⅠ
Period: May 8－June 2, 2023

Voice of the International Students 医学研究院 国際連携部門だより Vol. 30
Issued by the International Relations Division, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido UniversityCorrespondence to : relation@med.hokudai.ac.jp
Website URL : https://edu.med.hokudai.ac.jp/international-relations/4

Voice of the International Students