Students experience cultural exchange with Japanese sister institution (continued)

By Darla Brown

The UT group was picked up at the airport by Dean Saburo Sone and met with students and administrators during tours of the academic facilities, including the gross anatomy lab, Center of Enzyme, Institute of Genome Research, and Institute of Stress Sciences.

"We felt more than welcome by the students, faculty members, and administrators, and they were more than accommodating with all our questions and needs. Through their carefully constructed itinerary, we were exposed to almost all educational and clinical facets of the standard medical school system in Japan within a mere three days," explains third-year student Elizabeth Truong.

The UT students also were able to attend classes at the Japanese school and tour a hospital to gain a better understanding of their medical education system.

"The Japanese medical school system has a two-year general internship residency after graduation, for which they must apply at each individual hospital," Truong explains. "If the resident decides to specialize in a field, they are able to start their specialty training after their two-year internship at the same hospital without the need to reapply."

Outside of the academic exchange, another benefit is cultural exchange. "Our hosts took us sightseeing at the whirlpools in Naruto and to learn about the indigo dyeing process, for which this region is famous," Dr. Kulkarni explains.

The exchange goes both ways.

"The students were extremely interested in learning of our video streaming capabilities for watching classes, while we in turn were surprised by how so many of the students were also able to work part-time while in school," Bui says.

Several of Tokushima's faculty and staff have visited Houston and are planning to return.

"Their administrators have come to see how we manage relationships with our af- filiated hospitals and to view the academic and clinical portion of the Medical School," Dr. Kulkarni says. "In October, some of their faculty visited our school to learn more about e-learning, which we do very well by video recording all of the lectures, providing information via Blackboard, etc."

In the future, Dr. Kulkarni says he would like to make the program available to more students, graduate students, residents, and fellows in the form of electives.

"I'd also like to see their students come here for the Summer Research Program, which now accepts international students," he adds.

"With the air of globalization right now for everything, Tokushima is a good place to visit and we, in turn, have a lot to offer in Houston."