University of North Carolina: Eriko Okamoto (6th Year, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy *at the time)

I participated in a four-week overseas advanced clinical clerkship at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the United States. In the future, I hope to contribute to the development of medical care as a researcher with a pharmacist license. Through practical training at hospitals and pharmacies in Japan, I have strongly felt the importance of appropriate drug therapy tailored to each individual patient. I believed that studying at the University of North Carolina, which provides top-level pharmaceutical education in the U.S., would be a valuable opportunity to clarify my future vision.

What was particularly impressive during my study abroad was the major difference between pharmaceutical education in Japan and the U.S. In contrast to Japan, which is lecture-centered, the U.S. emphasizes case studies and discussions, providing many opportunities for students to proactively express their opinions and deepen their clinical judgment. The attitude of students actively asking questions during class and faculty expanding the discussion accordingly was very different from the Japanese lecture format, and I felt it strongly encouraged independence in learning. By placing myself in such an environment, I reaffirmed the importance of the ability to think logically, rather than just memorizing knowledge.

During my hospital rotation, I experienced advanced team medicine based on a clear division of roles between pharmacists and technicians. Because technicians handle dispensing and the delivery of medications, pharmacists were able to focus on highly specialized tasks such as optimizing drug therapy, making prescription recommendations, and providing patient consultations. What was especially impressive was that at a family care clinic, pharmacists conducted one-on-one interviews with patients with chronic diseases, carefully listening to their lifestyles and changes in symptoms, and then adjusted prescriptions based on protocols. Seeing pharmacists proactively engage with patients and collaborate with physicians to guide optimal drug therapy was a major difference from Japan, and I felt that the expertise of pharmacists was being utilized more strongly.

Furthermore, interacting with local students greatly supported my life abroad. I was helped many times by their warm support, such as showing me around town on weekends and giving me advice on daily life. The experience of talking about differences in culture and healthcare and learning from each other made my study abroad experience even richer. The lessons I learned through this training and the connections I made with friends have become precious assets that will lead to my future growth.