Report of Oversea Clerkship Program in Osaka City University

Introduction

Japan had always been a dream country for me. The culture and traditions of Japan had never ceased to fascinate me since childhood as I grew up watching anime and reading manga. The moment I was informed by our university (GMU) that Osaka City University was one of our options for the summer training program 2016, I filled in my application without a second thought as I was very much excited and eager to do my elective program in Japan. The four weeks training that I had undergone in the Pharmaceutical Department of Osaka City University Hospital was truly a very enriching experience. The staff treated us with respect and were very much affectionate towards us. I had my postings in 4 different departments namely:

• Cardiology
• Neurology and Psychiatry
• Gynecology

I enjoyed my postings in Cardiology the most followed by Neurology and Psychiatry. Gynecology was interesting as well but since I was most interested in the above mentioned 3 subjects, I was able to learn a lot of new information relating to Cardiology, Psychiatry and Neurology that I hadn't known in the past. The clinical pharmacists of these departments were very helpful, informative and extremely willing to assist me with my doubts and questions.

WEEK 1

I had landed in Kansai International Airport on the night of 24th July 2016 along with 2 other students from Gulf Medical University. Dr. Eiji Ishimura and Ms. Yuko Sakamoto had received us at the airport and accompanied us to our dormitory rooms near Osaka City University and hospital. The next day morning (25th July 2016), we met with Ms. Aki Sakurai from the Educational Affairs Department, who registered us for the STP, showed us the locker room and gave us our identity card. The following day (26th July 2016), my training at the department of pharmacy had commenced. I went in the morning at 9am to meet Ms Sakurai, who took me to the pharmaceutical department where I had met with Dr. Katsuya Nagayama, the chief pharmacist of the OCUH pharmaceutical department. Dr. Katsuya escorted us on rounds around the different areas of the pharmaceutical department and the dispensary. He also gave us a brief orientation of the 4 weeks training program.

On 27th July 2016, Ms Noriko Kawakami taught us how to prepare zinc chloride paste for skin cancer and burn patients. Later that day, Mr. Katsayuki Takahashi escorted us to the cancer chemotherapy center where we had a brief orientation about the OCUH chemotherapy center and the different types of cancer patients who are being treated in the center. We were later taken to the conference room where a small meeting about the case of a patient in Stage 4 thyroid and esophageal cancer was being discussed amidst physicians, nurses, clinical pharmacists and radiologists of OCUH. The case was a very interesting one and I learnt new information about various cancer therapeutic strategies from the input of the staffs involved in the discussion. The next day, 28th July 2016, I was taken to the Neurology Department of OCUH by Mr. Takashi Sugimoto who was the clinical pharmacist responsible for the neurology department. I accompanied him on the ward rounds and observed how the patient medication and medical history was being undertaken in OCUH. We also discussed a few patient cases and the drug of choice suitable for their medical condition. On 29th July 2016, I was taken on an educational tour to Takeda's Botanical gardens of medicinal plants in Kyoto by the chief pharmacist, Dr. Katsuya Nagayama and Ms. Noriko Kawakami.

WEEK 2

From 1st August 2016 to 4th August 2016, I was posted in the department of Cardiology and the Critical Care Unit (CCU). My instructor and supervisor for this department was Mr. Kazuki Ogawa. I was given daily assignments on various cardiology related topics and as soon as I completed those assignments, I was assessed on the topic by Mr. Kazuki who asked me questions based on my assignments. Some of the questions were meant to assess my critical thinking skills and to test my prior knowledge on the field of cardiology. We had also discussed many patient cases from the CCU, on which Mr. Kazuki had asked me to add in my inputs on the patient's prescription medications and to check if the prescribed medications were appropriate or not. On being able to answer those questions, I was able to self-evaluate myself on my pharmacology knowledge, patient risk assessment skills, critical care thinking and on spot decision making regarding patient care. The learning experience on this field was highly enriching and I absolutely enjoyed my postings and ward rounds in the department of cardiology and the CCU.

WEEK 3 and WEEK 4

The following 2 weeks, I had postings in the departments of Gynecology, Neurology and Psychiatry on alternate days. My supervisors for these subjects were Ms. Mami Sotoma, Ms. Noriko Kawakami (Gynecology and Obstetrics), Mr. Takashi Sugimoto (Neurology) and Mr. Hiromasa Matsuura (Psychiatry). I also had a one day posting in the Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Care Unit. My instructor for these departments was Mr. Hiroshi Kawaguchi.

My Experience at Osaka City University Hospital

Overall, it was a very unique experience and I shall always cherish the memories I have gathered from my training in the pharmaceutical department of Osaka City University Hospital. I have learnt new information on different aspects of pharmaceutical care, right from how a hospital dispensary works till the multiple roles of a clinical pharmacist in the hospital wards. Over those 4 weeks of my training, I have developed the confidence and courage to be able to face patients in the hospital wards and to make critical therapeutic decisions relating to the patient needs. I am thoroughly convinced that the skills that I gathered from my summer training program in OCUH Japan would help me in a great way after I graduate and start practicing the profession. I thank Ms. Aki Sakurai, Dr, Eiji Ishimura, Dr.Katsuya Nagayama and all the other pharmaceutical faculty of OCUH who were involved in my training. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the staffs of Student Affairs Department of Gulf Medical University, Ajman, U.A.E, who facilitated this summer training program and made it possible for me to undergo and successfully complete the training to my fullest satisfaction. Japan as a whole, along with its rich cultural background and traditions was very much fascinating. I would treasure every single moment I spent in Japan as long as I live and the memories from Osaka City University would always hold a special place in my heart.