Hajime Senjo, a final year medical student,  engaged in one month hospital training in England in the spring 2014.  Let’s learn about his inspiring experience. ……………………………………………………………………………..

This is the essay on my one month hospital training in England. I attended hospital training as a visiting student in Southampton General Hospital in March 2014, with a program provided by Japanese Medical Educational Foundation (JMEF). Through this precious experience, I am now confident that my motivation and determination I had obtained in England will enable me to be what I want to be in the future.

In England, I attended Oncology, Cardiology, and Dermatology department. I was required to behave as same as English medical students do. I joined morning conference, ward round, outward clinics, lectures for students, and so on. I was surprised that patients in England are so much generous. Though I failed many times to make myself understood by my poor English, patients tried to understand what I wanted to tell and always accepted my physical examination.

In Oncology, all doctors have to establish confidential relationships with patients because doctors have to have patients take chemical treatments with severe adverse effects. I thought it much differed from Japan that English patients remain steadfast about how they would spend the rest of their time, and well prepared to hear from doctors how much time is left for them. It was so surprising that they talked about such serious topics in cordial conversations. Prof. Ottensmeier told me that, it’s not true that doctors encourage patients, but patients always encourage doctors. I became much interested in Oncology where doctors have heartwarming relationships with patients.

In the Cardiology department, Dr. Cowburn and Dr. Frett made a lot of lectures for me and let me do anything I wanted to do. Especially I hoped to do physical examinations as many as possible and it was in Coronary Care Unit where I could do most of physical examinations I did in England. I really thank both doctors for their favorable consideration of organizing my timetable.

In the Dermatology department, Professor Eugene and Dr.Lai showed me not only their wonderful surgery and outpatient clinic but also the latest research laboratory. Both Prof.Eugene and Dr.Lai are great doctors who improved dermatological scenes all over the world. I passionately want to be a doctor like them in the future.

In England, I learned British physical examinations, what is necessary for a patient, and how to tell information to a patient correctly in English.

I cannot express how sad I was to leave but I will definitely go back to England in the near future!