Internship promotes international relationship

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. A.C. Eggman
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) --  A medical summer internship program between Japan and Misawa Air Base builds bridges between nations, develops professional relationships and improves international health care.

"Instead of flying to the states (to experience American medicine), they come to Misawa," said Paul Sayles, 35th Medical Group patient safety data analyst. "Hirosaki University only sends the best of the best."

A working knowledge of English is a must, so students can understand procedures and processes while shadowing specialists in all departments. The interns study the American style of practicing medicine, see basic care and physical techniques, learn how to perform procedures and spend time with surgeons in the operating room.

"They learn a little bit about orthopedics, general surgery and anesthesia," said Capt. (Dr.) Shayne Stokes, 35th MDG pediatrician, who oversees the four interns at the hospital this summer. "The program is two-fold. It promotes host-nation relations and develops physician-to-physician relationships."

Developing those relationships allows Misawa doctors access to hospitals and emergency support care at hospitals in Aomori and Hachinohe, said Dr. Stokes.

"It has been a huge benefit in helping us give patients better care. It also gives us opportunities as physicians to be part of continual medical education. It allows us to teach our skills to students."

Japanese medical students must compete for four internships, which last for 10 days to two weeks and coincides with students' summer break days. They expand their culture experience by staying with an American family.

The program is competitive, said Chihiro Nakazawa, a fifth-year medical student at Hirosaki University School of Medicine in Aomori prefecture.

"We apply and have to go through an interview at Hirosaki University," she said. "They ask us why we want to do the internship. I'm interested in American medicine."

Ms. Nakazawa applied for the program based on the recommendation of a friend who attended the program last year.

"I am interested in the American way of medicine," said Ms. Nakazawa, who speaks near-flawless English. She credited her parents who insisted she take private English lessons every Saturday during her brief stay in Toronto.

Several medical terms and equipment are similar, while others are different, she said. Some differences between American and Japanese medicine she noticed is Japan doesn't have family practitioners and most women go through natural childbirth, while American doctors and nurses take more time with their patients.

"In Japan, we don't have practitioners. Everyone is a specialist," she said. "We don't have epidurals or anesthesia. We have very few anesthesiologists."

American doctors and nurses are more attentive to their patients as well because they have more time to spend with their patients, she said.

"Japanese doctors are so busy with paperwork and other kinds of things they have no time to be attentive to patients," Ms. Nakazawa said. "In Japan, the doctors seem so exhausted."

On the other hand, every doctor and nurse here seems very happy, she said. Although Ms. Nakazawa has until the end of her two-year internship after graduation to decide what area she would like to specialize in, she already has a pretty good idea.

She is considering practicing medicine outside of Japan in the area of psychiatry, an interest that has grown since her experience at Misawa.

"I'm thinking about applying to the United Nations," said the 30-year-old, who must be accepted before age 35. "I'm very interested in providing mental care to children who lost their parents in war or disaster; who were treated badly or abused. I have to decide after my (internship) after graduation from medical school."

At the end of the internship, each student selects a modern medicine topic, researches it and puts together a presentation, said Dr. Stokes. They present their lecture to the medical staff on the last day of their rotation.

"I'm glad I was here," Ms. Nakazawa said. "It has been really wonderful."