On Friday, April 3, we organized a hospital visit to the National Hospital Organization Kyushu Medical Center for students interested in pursuing careers in the medical field. A total of five students from Grades 8 to 10 participated.

During the visit, students toured various facilities, including the surgical support robot da Vinci, the Department of Pharmacy, and the Clinical Research Center. They also had the opportunity to engage in discussions with healthcare professionals.

Dr. Okamoto, a respiratory physician, gave a talk on the medical profession, focusing in particular on clinical research conducted by doctors - such as new drug development and the importance of English for academic conferences and publications - as well as career pathways for medical students, including the medical residency matching system.

After graduating from medical school, one of the doctors currently working at Kyushu Medical Center as a resident shared insights into how they chose their specialty, what their life was like during their junior and senior high school years, and what a typical daily schedule looks like as a physician.

In the Department of Pharmacy, a pharmacist explained how infection control measures are implemented and how the appropriate use of medications is managed. At the Clinical Research Center, students heard in detail from a representative of a medical company involved in clinical trials about the process through which new drugs are developed and brought to market. In addition, students were offered a hands-on experience in physical therapy at the Rehabilitation Department.

For the students, this was a valuable opportunity to hear directly from healthcare professionals working on the front lines at a national hospital—an environment they would not normally have access to—about their specialized roles and career paths. We believe this experience has given them a clearer vision of their future aspirations.

We hope that they will build on this experience in their future studies and continue to nurture their individual ambitions.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Okamoto and all the staff at Kyushu Medical Center for their kind support and cooperation.