A Desire for More Excitement: Why I Decided to Go to Thailand.

I've had a fulfilling time up to my current fifth year at the Keio Faculty of Pharmacy.

Feeling that classes and club activities alone weren't stimulating enough,

I participated in an international program in Thailand.

I also served as the vice representative of the public relations section for the school festival.

I feel that with every new experience, my future options expand.

As of November 2021

In the spring of my second year at the Keio University Faculty of Pharmacy, I suddenly realized I hadn't challenged myself with anything new yet. In my daily routine of attending classes and participating in club activities, I started to think that I wanted to give myself some kind of stimulus. Just around that time, I heard an explanation about an international program in Thailand (the 2018 Thai Pharmacy Experience) at an orientation session, but my desire to go was so strong that I decided to go to Thailand before hearing the full details. Actually, there was no need to rush, as I could have gone in my third year, but I knew I would be busy as a third-year student, so I made an immediate decision.

The experience in Thailand was more stimulating than I had imagined. During my clinical training at local hospitals and pharmacies, I was first surprised by how strictly medications were handled. Medications requiring careful handling could not be taken out without fingerprint authentication. In some cases, there was also a double-check with a password. I had assumed that medication management was stricter in Japan. I was also surprised that medication was not used for cancer pain. I believe it was Thai traditional medicine, or perhaps Oriental medicine, but to my eyes, it looked like a kind of charm or spell. But seeing patients actually improve after receiving that treatment, I was shocked to realize that there isn't just one way to practice medicine and that there can be such significant differences between countries.

There was a party with training participants from various countries and local instructors, and I was inspired here as well. The participants wore their home countries' traditional clothing, and I joined them wearing a yukata. Dressed like that, we all danced and talked about various things. Everyone else's dances were traditional, but we danced to a song by AKB48. Then, the Thai students danced along with us. Apparently, there is a 48 Group in Bangkok, and they knew the dance. I was happy to feel that everyone knew about Japan. One of the effects the experience in Thailand had on me was that I became able to state my opinions clearly. I wasn't originally good at expressing my opinions to others, but seeing students from other countries debating without hesitation made me realize, "It's okay to speak this freely."

After returning to Japan, I served as the captain of the Faculty of Pharmacy's dance club, and I became better at expressing my opinions than before. Going to Thailand and having various experiences was a great stimulus, and I believe it has become an invaluable asset for me now.

I can enjoy dancing in front of people now, but before entering university, I was a complete beginner with no background in dance. I joined the Faculty of Pharmacy's dance club, amitié, because during the trial period, they patiently taught me, a total novice, from scratch. I felt that I could have fun and continue here. When I started, I had no stamina at all, so I built up the necessary muscles by repeatedly doing basic practice. I got sore muscles many times and it was tough, but I was able to get through it because the training involved chatting and having fun with friends while music was playing. On the other hand, after becoming the captain, I struggled to coordinate the members' opinions. Since many people expressed their own opinions, when conflicts arose, I dedicated myself to "summarizing opinions from a neutral, middle-ground perspective while also communicating my own." During the year I served as captain, although we had conflicts, I am very happy that the members came together as one to make our performance a success.

When I decided to participate in the international program in Thailand, I thought my second year would be my last chance. This was because I knew I would have to devote even more time to the Faculty of Pharmacy's school festival, the Shiba-Kyoyaku Festival, than to the dance club. As the head of public relations for the Shiba-Kyoyaku Festival, I created pamphlets and websites, while also joining the executive committee as a vice representative and getting involved in various decisions. As we were preparing, a major typhoon hit Tokyo on the originally scheduled date in October... Cancellation was considered, but thanks to the efforts of the professors and staff in rescheduling, it was postponed to December. I was very happy, but because the date changed, I had to call all of the dozens of nearby Juku and high schools where we had distributed festival posters to negotiate things like, "Could you please correct the date?" I was on the verge of tears while handling it. But, figuring out how to let as many high school students as possible know about it was where the public relations section could really show its skills. In the end, the number of attendees far exceeded our initial expectations.

Participating in a work experience program for pharmacists when I was in high school was what made me want to enter the Department of Pharmacy. Seeing pharmacists stay close to their patients and offer them empathetic advice made me think, "I want to be like that," and I decided to aim to become a pharmacist. However, after enrolling and having various experiences, my future options expanded beyond just being a pharmacist. In the fall of my fourth year, my perspective broadened even further after joining the Division of Pharmacotherapeutics. My current research theme is the repurposing of existing drugs for cancer treatment; specifically, I am searching for a drug effective against intractable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. I hope that even a small step forward in my research will lead to even a slight increase in treatment options. Now that I feel a sense of purpose in my research, I have three main options for my future: a research position in therapeutic drugs, a development position related to clinical trials, and a pharmacist. My desire to be involved in the treatment of many patients is in conflict with my desire for a job closer to the patients, but I want to continue to challenge myself so that I can make the best choice for me.