Collaborators Learning Together

It was in the "Introduction to Medical Sciences" class I took as a freshman. There aren't many opportunities to interact with professors from the School of Medicine starting from the first year, but Professor Tanaka was the one in charge of my class. I was impressed by the way he listened thoughtfully, trying to understand what the students were saying. His words were also frank, and he conveyed what he thought with sincerity. I was drawn to that attitude and felt that it would be interesting to follow this teacher.

In my Introduction to Medical Sciences class, we take walks. We stroll around the campus, and sometimes we go to the University of Tokyo or Research Centers and Institutes. It's a class where we learn while visiting various places, and when I talk to students, I make it a point to get to know each individual's interests and ways of thinking. My first impression of Watabe was, in a word, "serious" (laughs).

It's a student organization in the School of Medicine. Members are selected by seniors in the fall of their fourth year, and in the summer vacation of their sixth year, three students and one faculty supervisor go to South America. In Brazil, we traveled on a mobile clinic boat to villages along the Amazon River where medical care does not reach, and visited medical facilities for indigenous people. I had been interested in this activity since my first year. When we discussed who the members and the faculty supervisor should be, I wanted to learn with Professor Tanaka, so I conveyed those feelings to him directly.

There is a rule that each professor can only go as a supervisor once, so I was happy when Watabe told me he wanted to go with me. During the activity, there are many things to think about in advance, such as arrangements for accommodations and safety. Since it was my first time going there as well, I traveled with the same learning attitude as Watabe.

I really love studying and people, so I think the profession that allows me to make the most of that is being a doctor. That's why I felt the potential to grow as a doctor by having various experiences in an unfamiliar land.

It's the way the professor sees through to the essence of things when giving advice. Once, while I was on a bus trying to send an email to an alumnus, I was checking for typos and making sure my honorifics were appropriate. Then, the professor, who was behind me, said, "If you do that, the nuances and your own good qualities will disappear. The important thing isn't to write a text that won't get you scolded, but to convey what you want to say in your own words." It really clicked for me, and I was moved by how accurately he conveyed the balance between politeness and being oneself.

Watabe is a very reliable student. In the medical world he is about to enter, being trusted is important, so I want him to move forward while valuing his own individuality. I have two things I value when interacting with students. One is not to teach too much. Humans tend to want to know the answer, but I think what's truly important is the attitude of the student taking the initiative to have questions and continuing to search for the answers themselves. The second is to praise. Among Keio students, there are quite a few who lack confidence. Even though they are doing well enough, they think they are no good at all. That's why I make sure to say things like "Wonderful" or "You're doing something quite amazing."

It's a great learning experience not only to be taught knowledge by the professor but also to be exposed to his way of life. From the fact that his email replies are very fast, I felt his approach to work as a professional.

I have a lot of work, so I have to reply right away (laughs). I think university is an opportunity to be exposed not only to academics but also to how adults use their time and how they think. I don't see students as people to be taught unilaterally, but as peers to think and work with—in other words, "collaborators." There is much to learn from students, and it's precisely because we have different perspectives that something new is born. I believe it's important for those who teach to also keep learning.