University of North Carolina, Saori Shiba (6th year, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, at the time)

I participated in a four-week hospital practicum at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the United States. Through my practical training in Japan during my fifth year, I became interested in the challenges of the Japanese healthcare system. I joined this program with the belief that by learning about the duties of pharmacists and the healthcare system in the United States and gaining an international perspective, I could identify new areas for improvement.

Through the practicum, I was surprised by the significant differences between Japan and the United States in the scope of pharmacists' duties and the health insurance system. In the United States, pharmacy technicians and automated dispensing systems handle most of the dispensing tasks, allowing pharmacists to spend their time on dispensing audits and prescription reviews. This prompted me to consider the necessary initiatives in Japan to enhance patient-centered services. With private health insurance being the mainstream, there were patients who could not receive optimal treatment because their insurance did not cover the best therapeutic drugs. While learning that pharmacists need to collaborate with other professionals to make proposals that consider the financial burden, I also reaffirmed the strength of Japan's universal health insurance system, which allows everyone to receive optimal treatment equally. Additionally, I frequently witnessed scenes where cases that prevented medical errors, known as "Great Catches," were shared within the hospital to praise healthcare professionals. I felt this leads to the proactive identification of mistakes and the building of trust among pharmacists, and I resolved to value the attitude of learning from the good practices of my colleagues.

After the practicum and on weekends, I went to American football games, shopping, and concerts with pharmacy students from the University of North Carolina and exchange students from other countries. Through these interactions, I realized that students from every country had entered the Faculty of Pharmacy with a strong will and were working hard. I came to feel that although the education systems in each country differ, the aspirations of pharmacy students are universal.

Motivated by questions that arose during my practical training in Japan, I joined this program and was able to enter a medical facility as a healthcare professional to learn pharmaceutical knowledge. I believe such a valuable experience is unique to this program, so I encourage anyone who is interested to take on the challenge without hesitation!