Best Japan experience yet

Author: Hans Jesper Del Mundo

Editors: Motoi Miura, Akihiko Ozaki

(This essay was written when the author stayed in Japan in summer 2017.)

I am a 22 year old incoming fourth year medical student at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine. I am also a registered medical technologist and graduated from BS Public Health prior to taking medicine. My father is a marine engineer while my mother is a businesswoman. I have three siblings with me being the eldest one. I came from Maddela, Quirino, Philippines, which is a small town found to the north of Manila.

I am currently taking an elective program in vascular surgery in Jikei University School of Medicine for a month. I chose to do my elective here in Japan because I wanted to learn how hospitals are operated and how doctors, nurses and other medical staff work together in this country. Most importantly, I was mesmerized by Japan’s cleanliness and efficiency especially in transportation and by how disciplined, honest and kind the people are when I first came here. I also admire how they preserved their culture despite modernization and technological advances.

I also met Asaka Higuchi, who was introduce