University of North Carolina, Ayami Takeda (6th year, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy *at the time)

I participated in a four-week overseas advanced practicum at the University of North Carolina in the United States. After graduating from university, I plan to advance to the Doctoral Programs and hope to contribute to expanding treatment options for patients in clinical settings. To achieve this, I focused not only on Japan but also on what kinds of pharmaceuticals are needed in clinical settings overseas, and I decided to study abroad to learn about the actual conditions and medical systems of overseas clinical sites.

Through the practicum, I was surprised every day by the differences between the Japanese medical care I experienced in my practical training and the American medical system and the problems faced by patients. What surprised me most was the difference in the social insurance system. Even before studying abroad, I knew that the American medical system is very complex and that medical costs are extremely high. However, it was only by doing a practicum at an overseas medical site that I was able to see firsthand and deeply understand for the first time the problem of patients who cannot get the treatment they should because they cannot enroll in medical insurance due to various backgrounds stemming from this complexity, and what kind of support systems exist for such problems.

These many differences in the clinical setting also sparked my interest in what local Faculty of Pharmacy students learn at the university. The study abroad program at the University of North Carolina this time was a program where all four weeks, from the first to the fourth, were spent in hospital practicums. However, when I told a local friend I made through this overseas advanced practicum that I wanted to attend a class, my friend made many arrangements for me, and I was able to participate in a class during a time that did not interfere with my hospital practicum. In the class, I learned about the American social insurance system, and I was able to learn about the actual state and problems of the American medical system, and what kind of community medicine and medical system America is aiming for to overcome them.

On the other hand, before studying abroad, I also had the idea that the duties of pharmacists in America are very advanced compared to Japan. However, this was not necessarily the case in reality, and I felt that apart from the differences in job content arising from the differences in the social medical system as mentioned above, many of the duties were similar to those we experienced in our practical training. I also heard the local pharmacists say several times, "I'm sure that medical care and medical equipment are more developed in Japan." In this way, I think it was also a very good experience to have my preconceived notions of American medicine shattered in a good way.

One month seemed long but passed by in a flash. A practicum at an overseas hospital allows you to learn about that country's medical care and systems, and also leads to an understanding of its culture. This is a learning experience that can never be gained from book knowledge alone. I believe the overseas advanced practicum is a very rare opportunity, so please be proactive in trying what you want to learn on-site. The instructors will also gladly accept such requests. Also, the interactions with friends I met there are irreplaceable memories. I strongly encourage you to participate in the overseas advanced practicum and broaden your knowledge in various ways.