What is VIS ?
The International Relations Division of the Faculty of Medicine issues VIS to send out the live messages from International Students of Graduate School of Medicine, GraduateSchool of Biomedical Science and School of Medicine,and to promote the exchange of intercultural 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。
WELCOME EXCHANGE STUDENTS
From National Taiwan University, Taiwan
y name is Wen Wei Lun. I’m from National Taiwan University. In this January, I had an elective program for 4 weeks in Hokkaido university hospital. During this period, I have been to the plastic surgery and diagnostic image department as an exchange student. The faculty there are very nice and enthusiastic about teaching. If I have any questions, they will try to explain it patiently. Even though there are still some language gap, they are still willing to communicate with the help of translation application. In diagnostic image department, I have visited the reading room and took the training in reading CT, MRI or PET/CT. They use some program like quiz bank to let us learn how to finish a form medical image report. It was quite interesting for me because in our hospital, we don't have a quiz bank to let us practice. After finishing the report, I can check the answer and compare it with the report I wrote. I think the quiz bank is very helpful in learning how to write the formal report. Wen Wei Lun After 2 weeks of diagnostic image department, I rotate to the plastic surgery Department of Diagnostic Imaging department. Everything was fantastic there. There were passionate professors who Department of Plastic and Reconstrucitve Surgery Period: January 9 – February 2, 2024 were willing to teach me in out-patient department. Because the medical record is written in Japanese, professor explain the conditions of every patient. Most important of all, the professor was willing to let me be the assistance during the operation. This made me engage in the operation more instead of just standing and watching. In the last week, I have the chance to practice microsurgery. Dr. Maeda spend some time teach me and another medical student in using the microscope to suture. It was my first time practicing microsurgery and I felt really challenging. Thanks to the professor and residence, I was able to finish suturing the tiny plastic tube together under their instructions. To sum up, I really enjoy the time in Hokkaido university. I have watched some disease that is quite rare in our hospital. It was an unforgettable memory. Hopefully I can visit Hokkaido university in the future again!
fter the 3-year-pandemic of COVID-19, exchange-student program of NTU School of Medicine was finally reopened in 2023, and I am very glad that I chose Hokkaido University as my first choice. Hokkaido University was not only famous for beautiful campus, but also had historic building and many foreign students. Even though my Japanese is poor, all the doctors, students, and faculty in Radiation Oncology and Diagnostic Imaging were willing to speak in English and teach me that I was not confused. The first 2 weeks of courses was in the department of Radiation Oncology. I learned the basic concept of Radiation therapy and tried to make some treatment plan. I spent most of time in treatment because the procedure was interesting for me. Department of Radiation Oncology Department of Diagnostic Imaging Period: January 9 – February 2, 2024 irst of all, I had to read the medical record and the imaging data of the patient. After that, according to the imaging data, I will draw the contour of tumor, important organ, and the places where the tumor may metastasize. After that, I had to design the suitable beams which had enough treatment effect with the least side effect. Besides, proton therapy was also another highlight of the course. It needed a huge machine but it also provided the accuracy to millimeter level with outstanding treatment effect. s for the last 2 weeks, my internship was in the department of Diagnostic Imaging. I learned many skills of reading imaging and differential diagnosis. In neuroimaging and body- imaging group, I used the teaching system or profile and tried to write image finding and correct diagnosis. Nevertheless, some of the cases were difficult, I still learned lots of knowledge from the enthusiastic doctors. Moreover, I enjoyed the one to one tutoring section because l can ask any questions and had satisfying answer form knowledgeable doctors. I also went to the nuclear medicine group and visited their ward. It was an unforgettable experience to visit isolation ward. After that, I join the IVR group in the last few days and observed several different procedures, such as TAE and TACE. It was amazing that the TACE procedures could be used in many kinds of tumor. The skills of the doctors were also astonishing that could complete difficult procedures in tiny vessels without any complications. n conclusion, the one-month exchange program in Hokkaido University was excellent and impressive. I learned lots of knowledge and enjoyed the beauty of campus in the 4 weeks. Finally, I would like to thank all of the friendly and knowledgeable doctors and faculty of medical school, which made my 1-month stay become the best time of my life!

From Kyungpook National University, South Korea
uring the Korean winter break, I participated in a four-week internship at Hokkaido University. I chose Hokkaido University because Japan is geographically close to Korea and has a similar socio-cultural environment, including the medical insurance system, and I have fond memories of my trip to Sapporo five years ago. I thought that the four-week practicum at Hokkaido University Hospital was important to experience a different medical environment from Korea and to supplement the subjects that I lacked in Korea, so I applied for two weeks each of neurosurgery, which I was personally interested in, and emergency medicine, which I heard was very different from Korea. In my first two weeks in neurosurgery, I was able to experience a variety of surgeries and procedures. Some angiogram cases, bypass surgery for Moyamoya disease, and awake surgery for brain tumor were interesting because I hadn't experienced them during my training in Korea. Although it was my first clinic at Hokkaido University and I was unfamiliar with the operating room, ward, etc., I was able to proceed with the clinic without any major problems because all the teachers in the Department of Neurosurgery, including my supervisor, Prof. Kurisu, were very caring and helpful. For the subsequent emergency medicine practicum, I stayed in the emergency room and experienced various cases. I was particularly impressed by the different medical environment from Korea, where only very serious patients are allowed to visit the emergency room of a tertiary hospital, and the medical staff focuses on only a few patients, which I felt was more advanced than the emergency room environment in Korea. I was able to experience cases that are common in Hokkaido, such as hypothermia and wildlife bites, but also cases that I have not experienced in Korea, such as severe burns and cervical spine fractures. It was especially interesting to experience many cardiac arrest patients. The emergency medicine clerkship was also enriched by the support and guidance of many teachers, including my supervisor. My four-week experience at Hokkaido University was informative and helpful. I am sure that it will be an enjoyable experience during my medical school career, and the clinical Chan Woo KIM training in a foreign hospital will remain a special memory for me even after I graduate and Department of Neurosurgery become a doctor. Finally, I would like to end this article by thanking Prof. Kurisu from the Department of Emergency Medicine Department of Neurosurgery and Prof. Wada from the Department of Emergency Medicine Period: January 9 – February 2, 2024 for their support during my clinical training. ... had always been to Japan on short trips, but I had never traveled there for a longer period. I was interested in Japanese culture and the life of Japanese people, and as a medical student, I was curious about the system of other countries. Therefore, I applied for a four-week practice in a Japanese hospital to experience it. I chose Hokkaido University because Hokkaido is famous for its snow in winter. In diagnostic imaging department, I realized that many things are similar to Korea. It was an opportunity to study about various diseases other than the ones I learned about in my class. In the nuclear medicine, I learned about the differences between Japan and Korea, such as what radionuclides are used in Japan and what diseases they are used for. I also visited the IVR, which I was interested in, and I understood it better. In neurosurgery department, I was able to experience a wide variety of surgeries, including meningioma, glioblastoma, lipoma, and DBS that are not easily seen, and I was able to understand them through explanations. I was able to see the bypass of cerebral blood vessels in the most interesting surgery of Moyamoya disease, and I was able to experience it through bypass training. During the conference, the patient's medical history, surgical plan, and surgical process were explained in an easy-to-understand manner. DongHyung Lee I understood about Japanese hospitals and medical schools and how they are different from Korea. It was good to experience Japanese Department of Diagnostic Imaging Department of  Neurosurgery culture and Japanese people's life from the side. Thank you for giving Period: January 9 – February 2, 2024 me the opportunity to have such a valuable experience.

From Gyeongsang National University, South Korea
n my first day of exchange program, I could know intuitively that it must be valuable experience for a month. All the professors, doctors, and staffs were so kind to me. They were willing to explain the patient's history, diagnostic procedures, and treatment plans in English. It was helpful for me to understand how medical care is provided in Japan. Also, it was interesting to compare it with Korean medical care. The most impressive experience was hands-on training. The reason why I want to be a surgeon is that I like to do something with my hands. Hands-on training made me more motivated. I could experience laparoscopic cholecystectomy, partial hepatectomy with pig's liver and gall bladder as well as microscope-assisted STA-MCA bypass. I think hands- on training would be helpful for students to decide whether to become a surgeon or a physician. So I hope this hands-on training exists in my university, too. And my favorite part of exchange program was to communicate with Japanese students. I think it was more special since I can't speak Japanese. To talk to each other in clumsy English was so funny. We can have a talk about the differences and similarities between Korean and Japanese culture. LEE YEJIN Department of Gastroenterological Surgery   I Department of Neurosurgery Period: January 22 – February 16, 2024 The exchange program at Hokkaido university provided invaluable experiences and prepared me for future medical practice. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn from experienced mentors at HU. The skills and knowledge grained during this practice will undoubtedly contribute to developing my capacity as a doctor. The four-week internship at Hokkaido University Hospital can be considered the most impressive experience of my medical school life. It was fortunate to have the opportunity to observe their medical care, academic activities, and daily life in hospitals in different regions and countries. Since half a year before participating in the internship, we have been in constant contact with the International Relations Division. Thanks to their meticulous care and guidance tailored to our students, we were able to prepare smoothly while juggling a busy fifth-year life in medical school. ... he first two weeks at Hokkaido University Hospital were spent in the Hematology department. The internship included morning ward rounds, observing procedures, seminars, departmental conferences, OSCEs, and case presentations. During the internship, I was able to observe bone marrow examinations and a cord blood stem cell transplantation. Even on days without procedures, professors made efforts to teach as much as possible, showing PBS and bone marrow biopsy samples under the microscope or explaining ward patients. Thanks to the consideration of the professors and students, I was able to learn a lot about hematology during my first internship in Japan. In the Pediatrics department, I rounded four parts over two weeks; hemato-oncology, immunology, endocrinology, and neonatalogy. As Hokkaido University Hospital has been assigned patients from all over Hokkaido, there were many unusual cases to study. And I realized that there is still much to learn to become a doctor who treats actual patients. Many lessons were learned from the professors' explanations about the patients during outpatient visits. When participating clincal practice in NICU, I had the opportunity to experience procedures I hadn't tried during my fifth-year clinical practice, such as observing deliveries, conducting newborn examinations, and assisting in removing PCDs from pediatric patients. JEON ChangH While taking an elective at Hokkaido University, I was able to gain new perspectives on life Department of Hematology as a medical student. Hospitality and kindness shown by all the members in HU towards Department of Pediatrics patients and colleagues were impressive. They made my one-month stay enjoyable and will Period: January 22 – February 16, 2024 be remembered for a long time. te of the International Students 医学研究院国際連携部門だ。 lssued by the International Relations Division, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University Correspondence to : relation@med.hokudai.ac.jp Website URL : https://edu.med.hokudai.ac.jp/international-relations/