2022 German student from Technische Universit?t Dresden:Clinical training at Dept of Surgery

Name: Belinda Marquardt Home institution：Technische Universit?t Dresden, Germany Year of university: 6th year Period：Nov.21,2022-Mar.12,2023 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? Please also mention your host department/lab. The training at Shinshu University was advertised on the eportal website of our university. A friend of mine went there as well and recommended me to go. Throughout my stay, I didn't see much of the university, but spend my time primarily in the hospital working in the surgical departments. I learned a lot in the department of cardiovascular surgery and was able to join interesting procedures. 2.Please describe your training at host department/lab. The mornings started with a meeting of all colleagues discussing the operations of the day. Usually I joined the operation room and was able to watch different procedures. Sometimes we went to the ward to take care of wound management or to the outpatient clinic to check on and talk to future patients. 3.What are your memorable experiences at Shinshu University and Japan? I was really surprised, when I saw that the german hospital and the japanese hospital are quite similiar. Japanese doctors have been learning German in old times and are sometimes using German terms even nowadays! The operation techniques are quite modern and they always try to stay up-to-date reading the newest medical studies, trying new procedures and technologies. At the same time, Japanese worklife is still traditional - big hierachical differences and differences between the genders. I really enjoyed talking to my coworkers and learning about their thoughts and experiences. I met interesting people and enjoyed the nature of Nagano. The old towns and mountains are amazingly beautiful, the food is delicious and the famous cities Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka are not so far away.Not only did I expierence the colour change of the leaves in late autumn, but also the snow touched mountain hills in winter times. The nature is one of the most beautiful in the country with the Japanese Alps, which invite to hiking in summer and skiing in winter times. One can visit the Snow Monkey Park and Onsen, hot springs, that help you relax and enjoy your time. Matsumoto is a city in the middle of Japan and has everything you need: beautiful temples, a river side, an old town, some museums, shopping malls, a cinema, many nice cafés and restaurants. One doesn't get bored here. 4.How do you think you can apply your training/experiences gained at Shinshu to your future career? Getting to know other cultures and people is always worth doing. It broadens the understanding of each other, opening new ways of thinking. I learned about a health system and a work ethic which is similar and different to the German one. This I can include in my future working life. 5.Advice to those who are interested in studying at Shinshu University I advise to give Shinshu University a try and being open minded about the different culture. The japanese people are really warm and friendly. They try to make you feel welcome and help you in every possible way. You will experience cultural differences and language barriers, but showing an effort, you will be rewarded. If possible, I recommend to join a student club. This is where Japanese get together and enjoy most of their time. The Japanese health system and hospitals are quite similiar to the Germans. Here you will find the mixture of traditional thinking as well as modern and inovative science. I also recommend learning at least some Japanese beforehand in order to make your stay more comfortable. If you are interested in expierencing another culture and not only want to visit as a tourist, I can recommend Shinshu University wholeheartedly