"Be Honest About What You Love..." The Unconventional Challenge of a School of Medicine Student

February 28, 2020

Many people probably think it's difficult to balance academics and club activities because studying at the School of Medicine is so demanding. In reality, with many required courses, it is a significant challenge to belong to and participate in a university-wide Athletic Association alongside students from other faculties with different schedules.

In 2019, for the first time in the over 100-year history of the Keio University Rugby Football Club, a School of Medicine student was appointed captain.

While many Keio University School of Medicine students, who embody the principle of "Bunbu Ryodo" (excelling in both academics and sports), belong to the School of Medicine's Athletic Association, it is extremely rare for one to join a university-wide Athletic Association with students from other faculties—let alone serve as captain—given the conventional wisdom and reality that balancing practice and academics is difficult.

In this feature, we introduce Kyo Furuta, a fifth-year School of Medicine student (fourth-year when he was captain) who served as the captain of the Keio Rugby Football Club, through an article by Kazuki Tanaka, a fourth-year student in the Faculty of Policy Management who has been covering him for the Keio Sports Press.

How many people in the world regret the cautious choices they've made? Trapped by conventional wisdom, they abandon their aspirations, thinking, "I probably can't do this," or "That's not realistic." Then, one day, they regret not having taken the challenge.

"Aren't you confining yourself to a box?"

This question embodies the belief that you should do what you truly want, regardless of convention. The person who posed it is Kyo Furuta, a fifth-year student at the Keio University School of Medicine.

Furuta is a man who thoroughly pursues what he wants to do. Until his fourth year, he studied at the School of Medicine while belonging to the Keio Rugby Football Club. Moreover, he served as the club's captain, demonstrated top-tier university-level skill, and even made headlines for his excellence in both academics and sports. By pursuing his passions without being confined by expectations, he became someone admired by those around him.

However, there was a time when even Furuta almost confined himself to a box. It was during his third year of high school, when he was considering his future path. He was thinking in terms of a binary choice: enter the School of Medicine or join the rugby team, believing in the proverb, "He who chases two rabbits catches neither." This was a natural way to think. Who would imagine that one could choose both and continue at a high level in each? The Keio Rugby Football Club is not so lenient that one can succeed at a high level while also attending the School of Medicine. Yet, he wanted to continue playing rugby in college. He was torn between reality and his ideals.

The person who gave Furuta a gentle push was Atsushi Kanazawa, then the head coach of the Keio Rugby Football Club.

"If you want to do it, just do it. If it doesn't work out, then it doesn't work out."

Encouraged by these words, he chose to take on the challenge of playing rugby while attending the School of Medicine.

What awaited him were demanding days. Continuing to play rugby while attending classes as a School of Medicine student was no easy task. It was particularly tough around the fall of his second year. As a medical student, he had anatomy classes, with exams just around the corner. And in rugby, he was expected to perform as a key player.

He had almost no personal time; his days were filled with rugby and studying. While others were out having fun, he was studying alone. There were times he felt lonely in this routine. It was the price he paid for chasing two rabbits. He was so exhausted that those around him worried, saying he looked "worn out."

Despite his grueling life, Furuta says he never once thought about quitting the rugby team.

"There will always be hardships in anything you do. I think the ability to take responsibility and see things through is crucial to achieving any level of success."

He must have known this even back then.

Even on a path you choose for yourself because you love it, not everything is enjoyable. But because he was playing the sport he loved, he wanted to win, and as long as he was on the field, he had a responsibility to see it through. This feeling drove Furuta forward. He continued to balance both pursuits, built his career, and in his final year, came to serve as captain.

The goal was clear: "Winning the All-Japan University Rugby Championship." To achieve this, reflecting on the previous year's narrow losses, the team thoroughly adopted three principles: "focus on the details," "commit to winning every match," and "give it your all every day." They were supposed to be seriously committed to becoming the best in Japan.

However, the result was a quarter-final exit from the university championship. After a tragic defeat to their rival, Waseda University, Furuta's university rugby career came to an end, his dream unfulfilled.

His dedication to becoming number one in Japan was so strong that he said, "There's almost no sense of accomplishment." He wanted to achieve results for himself, for the teammates he fought alongside, and for the fans who supported them. That's why the outcome was far from satisfactory, and he sometimes regrets that he could have prepared better.

But the time he spent chasing two rabbits was by no means a waste for Furuta.

"I wouldn't be who I am today if I hadn't done both."

By taking on challenges in both the world of medical sciences and the world of rugby, he was able to meet a great number of people. They were diverse, from those striving to master the path of medicine to those aiming for the top in rugby. He is who he is today because he was able to incorporate so many different ways of thinking. If he hadn't taken on that challenge back then, he might never have developed the desire to try various new things.

When thinking about sports and medicine, the path of orthopedic surgery comes to mind. But Furuta is eager to "take on a new challenge." That challenge is "to create something like a ballpark where everyone can connect through medicine and sports." It's a dream unique to the sports-loving Furuta, who is pioneering a new image of a doctor.

Now is the time to run full-speed toward his dream. First, he needs to level up as a doctor. As a fifth-year student, Furuta is currently in his clinical clerkship at a hospital. He is mindful of patients' feelings and the impact of treatments, and he asks those around him about anything he doesn't understand. He is learning with the same "focus on the details" attitude he cultivated during his time with the Rugby Football Club. After his clerkship, he has the national examination to prepare for, and he is climbing the steps toward becoming a doctor one by one.

Of course, his involvement with sports is essential. On weekday evenings, he coaches rugby for young players. This initiative stems from Furuta's own realization that "what I learned in elementary and junior high school is still useful in university," and his recognition of the importance of building a foundation for play. He hopes that "at an early stage, they can experience high-level rugby, find a style of play they love, and enjoy the game." In teaching, Furuta himself has found learning opportunities and has discovered coaching methods that are effective across all age groups.

In addition, concerned about the low student attendance at university sporting events, he founded the "K-project" while he was with the Rugby Football Club. To fill the stands with students, he meets about once a month with volunteer Keio students to discuss and implement various plans.

Supporting sports rather than playing them. This experience beyond being a player is steadily helping Furuta grow. Because he couldn't achieve the desired results in university rugby, his determination for his next goal is strong, feeling that "I have to work hard from now on." The birth of a new community mediated by medicine and sports is still in the distant future, but with Furuta, it is sure to be realized someday.

"Be honest about what you love, and once you've chosen, see it through to the end."

This is Furuta's way of life. He respects his passions and makes challenging choices. And then, he continues to strive in the path he has chosen.

It is by no means easy. It's not all fun, and there are many hardships.

But he overcomes even those difficult times without giving up.

Perhaps it is only by going to such lengths that the path one chooses becomes one of no regrets and one of confidence.