Thomas Jefferson University Study Report

My five days in Thomas Jefferson University were really fulfilling. I watched some differences of medicine from Japan and gained precious experience I couldn’t do in Japan. I introduce three of them.

First, the system of education for medical students in America.
The medical students in America have high motivation and their own thoughts about medicine and consider about their future compared with in Japan. In America, people who want to be doctor enter general university for four years after high school, and after that they enter medical school for four years and they get to be resident. They clearly decide their futures during general university and make effort for them. To support them, there are many kinds of specialists in university and the system of support is improved. I feel the learning environment is also good, for example the doctors and the students can enjoy studying through morning report and noon conference.

Second, the doctors take a lot of time to examine patients.
In the rounds, the doctors take about 20 minutes for each patient, they examine each outpatient for about thirty minutes. It is impressive for me to stop writing the medical record while the patient is talking and to see his or her eyes. And in America, doctors visit the room the patients wait in and examine them. The patients are relaxed and talkative because they can have their private space.

Third, JeffHOPE.
This is an act practiced by the doctors and students in Thomas Jefferson as a volunteer work. Every weekday, they visit several shelters of homelessness and medical students mainly examine them. They take some medicine and prescribe people who have fever and cough. I went to ACT which is a shelter for women and their children. I was surprised there are many young homeless women in America. During examining the women, students play with their children and read books for them. Many homelessness cannot go to hospital because of economic reasons, so it is great to do this volunteer work. This is also great for the medical students because they can directly understand the social problem and practice examination. JeffHOPE is very popular for Thomas Jefferson medical students, so I appreciate the opportunity to attend JeffHOPE.

To see the medical setting, medical students and society in America directly was very stimulating and interesting for me. I am grateful for all staffs involved with this program. I work on the practice in japan, making use of this experience.