LSMU Welcomes Students from Japan for Internship to Deepen their Clinical Knowledge and Become Familiar with the Lithuanian Health System

A delegation of Japanese students from the International University of Health and Welfare (IUHW) is visiting the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU).

The young people will be staying in Kaunas for a month as part of the exchange programme. They will have an individual learning plan to learn best medical practices, become familiar with the Lithuanian health system, and get to know the culture of our country.  

Return visit

This is not the first time that LSMU has collaborated with this Japanese university. Back in September, 10 LSMU students visited the university for surgical, therapeutic, paediatric and gynaecological practice. A few weeks ago, the partner warmly welcomed Prof. Rimantas Benetis, the Rector of LSMU. For some time now, Eglė Rumbinaitė, a cardiologist and associate professor at the Department of Cardiology at the Faculty of Medicine, has been doing her fellowship at the IUHW.

8 Japanese students have arrived in Lithuania for a return visit. During their induction on Monday, Prof. R. Benetis, the Rector of LSMU, welcomed the students, listened to their expectations, and shared his impressions of Japan, while Prof. Dr. Ingrida Janulevičienė, the Dean of the International Relations and Study Centre (IRSC), presented the University, its achievements, and future plans.

Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Andrius Macas, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, together with Asta Mačiulienė, lecturer of the Department of Anaesthesiology, told the students about Kaunas Clinics and gave them a tour of its territory and tunnels. It is in this hospital that the future Japanese doctors will deepen their clinical knowledge by practicing in different wards, interacting with patients, and performing simple procedures.

During their free time, the young people will visit the LSMU museums to broaden their knowledge, and visit the capital, the seaside and other significant destinations. At the end of the month, a farewell ceremony including the award of certificates will take place at the Emmanuel Levinas Centre.

Importance of Internationalisation Emphasised

According to Prof. Dr. I. Janulevičienė, Dean of the IRSC, who is responsible for hosting the Japanese students, long-term visits of this kind provide an opportunity for universities to share good medical practices and keep pace with global developments in the field of health.

“Western and Asian cultures have very different perceptions of traditional medicine, but both sides have much to learn from each other. In the context of globalisation, diseases are changing and the number of exotic diseases is increasing. It is therefore important to broaden our horizons and learn how to deal with such cases,” she said.

She added that in the future, it is anticipated to include the teachers in the exchange of best practices: “As a University, it is very important for us to get to know another culture and its customs, and to discover different treatment methods and methodologies than we are used to. Internationalisation is not just a whim, it is no longer a goal, it is a daily routine. With this idea of internationality, we are moving forward and striving for it in order to be better”, emphasised Prof. Dr. I. Janulevičienė when referring to the importance of cooperation with foreign countries.

Expect to Learn New Things and Enhance the Existing Knowledge

Taisuke Matsuura, one of the IUHW exchange students, says that during this stay he will have the chance to see how the treatment processes work in Lithuania and compare them with those in the Land of the Rising Sun. After his studies, he hopes to apply the innovations he will have learnt to his clinical practice.  

“Japanese medicine has a lot of strict rules, and a lot of things are different from Lithuania. We came here to learn about your health system and see how doctors interact with patients, perform surgeries and other procedures. This experience will allow us to learn many new things and enhance our medical knowledge,” said the future doctor.

When asked about his first impressions of Lithuania, Matsuura praised the landscape of our country. “The scenery here is beautiful, just as we expected. We don’t have the statues and churches like you do in Europe, so I am amazed every time I see them”, said the temporary student at LSMU.