[Roundtable Discussion Part 2 BONUS TRACK] - Advice for Faculty of Pharmacy Students 2 - Is It Essential to Acquire English Skills Before Employment?
Alumni and faculty members answer questions from current students that couldn't be included in the main roundtable discussion.
A student struggling with English asked their globally active seniors about the best time and methods for studying the language.
The participants' affiliations and interview content are current as of the time of the interview (March 2024).
If you're considering working abroad, English proficiency is essential. My seniors who graduated and now work at pharmaceutical companies also say that English is very important. The thing is, I'm actually not very good at English. Do you have any advice on what kind of English studies I should focus on while I'm still a student?
I never imagined I would end up living in the United States—it was for my husband's job. I didn't particularly focus on studying English when I was a student, and I'm still not very good at it. However, I believe the most important thing for improving your English skills is to make studying a daily habit.
Actually, I'm not good at English either. I joined the development department of a pharmaceutical company without being proficient, and I was immediately assigned to a global project. Everyone uses English in our daily meetings, and of course, all our emails are in English. For the first year, I couldn't contribute in the English meetings; I just sat there.
Hearing your stories gives me some hope. I think it's very challenging to overcome a weakness, but it seems that if you put yourself in an environment where you have no other choice, you just have to push through.
It would be a shame to give up just because you think you can't do English.
It would be great if there were more opportunities within the Faculty of Pharmacy for current students to test their English skills on a daily basis.
An environment where you use English is really important for students.
Some labs use English for their presentations. You can either push yourself to join one of those labs or work hard on it after you start your career. I think both are good options. As long as you tackle it with some resolve, you will definitely improve your English proficiency.
Ms. Matsuura, has life in America become more enjoyable as you've gotten used to English?
I'm reminded daily that native English is different from the English I learned in school. My son is in kindergarten now, but I can't understand his teacher at all when she speaks quickly. It's been about a year since I came to the US, and I'm only just now starting to feel less resistant to authentic English. In terms of my own English skills, I still have a long way to go.
So, improving my English is something I just have to work on with a long-term perspective.
In the Department of Pharmacy, fifth- and sixth-year students have to spend their time on practical training and preparing for the national exam, so it's probably better to start studying English now while you have more free time.
I'm feeling motivated now. I'm going to do my best.