[Roundtable Part 1 BONUS TRACK] Advice for Faculty of Pharmacy Students 1: How to Interact with People Who Have Different Values and When to Take on a Challenge

I think it's reassuring to have people around you who share the same values. But what about when someone with slightly different values gives you advice with good intentions? How did you all react to their words?

My father didn't seem to have the image of a woman working hard and making a living, but my mother was of the mind that women should work more and more, that they didn't necessarily have to get married, and that they should save money to be able to live on their own for their entire lives. Between these conflicting opinions, I chose my mother's, and I've followed that path in my career. I just let opinions that I felt were different from my own slide by. I don't think arguing solves anything, and I believe you can't change other people's opinions. If you, Ms. Go, can show that you are living your life properly and that you are doing your best, I think the people around you will be reassured.

I was never really opposed by those around me, but my grandmother was the only one who said that women don't need to have a professional skill and that it's better to become a homemaker. I don't think her way of thinking is wrong, and it's fine to decide to be a homemaker. The world has changed so much now, and we should be free to choose from a variety of lifestyles. The important thing is what you want to do. As long as you don't waver on that, I think you'll be fine.

Actually, after the birth of my second child, I returned to work immediately after my maternity leave without taking childcare leave, and I received a lot of opinions from people around me about it. Every time I heard things like, "Shouldn't you stay with your children until they're one year old?" or "Is it okay to put them in daycare so early?" I would agree by saying, "That's true," but inside I felt a little frustrated. I had considered my own career and concluded that I didn't want to take a break at that time and wanted to focus on my work instead, which is why I returned without taking childcare leave. When I explained my thoughts, my husband understood and took childcare leave himself. I'm very grateful for that. Believing in my own decisions and making choices I won't regret is something I've always tried to do.

I think I've probably been fortunate, but I haven't had many clashes of opinion with people, and I feel I've always been able to do what I want. In my line of work, research and development, it's common for team members to have different values and for various opinions to emerge. It's actually better to have many ideas, so it's something to be welcomed. I take a positive view of the fact that people's ideas differ from my own, and after acknowledging that, we discuss how to move forward.

I haven't been able to just let the opinions of those close to me slide by. In fact, I might be quite influenced by them. However, I also believe that if I find something I truly want to do, I should stick with it. But to be honest, I won't know if I can actually follow through until the time comes.

The case where you try and it doesn't work out, and the case where you regret not trying. I'd like you to think about these two scenarios. I'm the type of person who tries things, thinking it's okay even if it doesn't work out. Even if it fails, accepting that result brings me peace of mind. If you, Ms. Go, are ever struggling with what you want to do in the future, think carefully, "Is this something I can give up on?" See if you can let it go and say, "Oh well," or if you feel, "I still really want to try." I think it's good to make a decision after determining which it is.

Thank you.

The six years of university might be determined by the system, but after graduation, you get to decide for yourself, so I think you should just proceed as you like.

When I hear women say they want to get married by 30, I used to think, "If I graduate at 24, does that mean I have to decide in the remaining six years? If I go on to the Doctoral Programs, will I only have two years left?" But today, I learned that's not necessarily the case. You don't have to get married by 30, and you don't need those kinds of restrictions. It was a huge discovery for me to realize that there's a world where you can do what you want to do, the way you want to do it.

However, as someone involved in women's healthcare, I want you to be aware that childbirth does have a time limit. Even though medicine is advancing, the physical burden increases with age, so I do think there's an appropriate age for childbirth. Being healthy is incredibly important. When the perfect opportunity arises, you can't respond if you're not in good physical and mental condition. I hope that our students will take care of their health from a young age.

In terms of getting into good condition, Assistant Professor Jibiki, you participated in the mentoring program for female faculty members hosted by Keio University, didn't you?

This program was started with the aim of promoting the empowerment and leadership of female faculty members. When you work only within the Faculty of Pharmacy, you inevitably have fewer opportunities to talk at length with other female professors. But having an opportunity like this to consult with others allows us to open up about uniquely female concerns, such as daily life, work, and children. It was very encouraging and a great experience to learn that I'm not alone, that other professors are struggling with the same things and managing to find solutions.

So it's not just female students, but female professors have their worries too. Earlier, you mentioned that we should be aware of the time limit for childbirth. Do you think there are any other time limits to consider when thinking about career advancement?

Generally, the ability to memorize declines with age, so it might be better to get certifications early on. If you think it's necessary, don't think "someday," just start right away. In your 40s, something you could have memorized in a week when you were younger might take more than half a month.

I feel that changing careers to a different industry or field also becomes more difficult with age. It's been about 10 years since I got my pharmacist license and graduated from university, but if I were to try to work as a pharmacist in a hospital or pharmacy now, I would have to do a lot of studying all over again.

Studying abroad or changing jobs overseas might also have to be given up depending on the situation once you have a family. If you want to go, I think it's easier to make a move sooner rather than later.

So, it's about "taking on new challenges as early as possible," is that right? It's difficult for students to imagine what comes after getting a job, even if they can think that far ahead. What kind of work will I do at my job? What kind of life do I want to lead? Hearing from all of you who are working professionals has been incredibly helpful in envisioning those things.

Ultimately, it all comes down to thinking deeply about "what is it that I want to do?" Even in job interviews, I think it's hard to get hired if you can't convey what you want to do. Companies are looking for people who can express in their own words, "This is what I want to do." From that perspective, please take some time to think carefully about what it is you want to do.