Cross-Cultural Elective
For Visiting Residents and Medical Students At Kameda Medical Center
Teaching specialties: (As of Oct 2009)Your time at KMC can be spent in any one or two of the following departments offering you a broad exposure to the Japanese medical education system.
- General Internal Medicine: Various Attendings & Dr. David Gremillion (American Professor)
Medical Education at Kameda medical Center Training for a Lifetime
A good education in medicine involves not only acquiring new skills and knowledge, but also must be accompanied by careful attention to the less tangible aspects of growth into a practicing physician; compassion, cultural sensitivity, self-awareness, ethical and moral grounding, and a sense of service to fellow human beings. Kameda Medical Center is an ideal setting to nurture these aspects of professionalism. It is a unique Health care organization, with "Love" in the mission statement. At Kameda this is a practical reality, not just an ideal.
American visitors to Kameda are immediately aware of a "difference" in the mood and setting. Teamwork is a big factor. The friendliness of nurses and physicians and all support personnel is evident. The high quality and cost-effective care are a passion here and not just a pastime. But there is more. Kameda has become synonymous with innovation, and this is evident in all aspects of patient care. In the areas of home health, infection control, medical education, pharmacy services, to name a few, Kameda Medical Center is willing to selectively import ideas that work elsewhere and try new methods all with a goal of improving quality and efficiency.
This is the framework within which Medical Education flourishes at Kameda. The faculty and leadership have committed themselves to the highest quality educational programs with the understanding that tomorrow's physicians must embrace change, indeed, produce change. This is accomplished with an emphasis on EBM "evidence based medicine", comprehensive care and compassion. Residents have a continuing opportunity to practice their medical English skills and learn Western approaches to common as well as complex problems. Preparation for the OSCE, clinical skills exam and USMLE are incorporated into the daily routine. Visiting faculty, residents and students from abroad add to the experience. Overseas rotations are encouraged and facilitated by our faculty. Patient care and education are culturally sensitive and, where possible and appropriate, traditional therapies are incorporated as part of the regimen.
The workday is long and the workload can at times seem overwhelming, a necessary part of the process of becoming a professional. The benefit however, is a lifetime of enhanced professionalism. Kameda training prepares residents for overseas experiences, rotations abroad and specialty training programs. Many continue in senior residencies here or move on to export the Kameda ideal to other hospitals. Wherever their professional careers take them, graduates reflect on their Kameda experience with pride.
David H. Gremillion, MD, FACP - Family Medicine: Attending - Dr.Okada
- Pediatrics: Attending - Dr.Kawamura, Dr.Takanashi, Dr.Uehara
- Neurology: Attending - Dr.Fukutake
- Emergency Room: Attending - Dr.Kasai
- Surgery: Attending - Dr.Kano
- Cardiology: Attending - Dr.Hashimoto
- Gastroenterology: Attending - Dr.Hirata
- Radiology: Attending - Dr.O'uchi
- Anesthesiology: Attending - Dr.Takahashi
- OB/GYN: Attending - Dr.Shimizu
- Home Health Care: Attending - Dr.Onozawa
Open to: Upper level international medical students.
Duration: 2-4 weeks.
Number of resident/medical students at one time: 1-2.
Approximate time commitment: Full-time.
GOALS:
The goal of this rotation is to allow a resident or medical student to experience Japanese medical education.
OBJECTIVES:
- Learn how to practice in a different culture from your country of origin. The resident/medical student will have an experience in patient care and medical education to include clinic, hospital and public health practice.
- Experience life in a cross-cultural practice. Be part of the community.
- Learn skills allowing him/her to practice in a different health system.
- Enhance Japanese speaking ability.
- Exchange information and medical abilities (i.e., teach and carry ideas to and from Kameda and country of origin).
- Be respectful, sensitive to cultural issues and enhance the visiting country and our lives.
- See how ideals central to medicine in your country of origin are used in Japan. For instance, the physician-patient relationship and ethical principles such as confidentiality, autonomy and beneficence likely have developed much differently in Japan.
- Interact with medical students, residents and staff and offer different perspectives on medical care.
- The resident/medical student will act as part of the medical team at Kameda. During this time s/he will be in clinic, make hospital rounds and contribute to group discussions. The resident/medical student will be involved in medical center educational activities. Visiting residents/medical students do not write orders or write in the medical record.
- The on site physicians will provide staffing as needed. These preceptors facilitate the resident/medical student's entrance into the medical education system and work with the resident/medical student to solve problems as they arise. We encourage informal meetings one time per week as a time to sit down and review the rotation. An active, informal interchange of information is as important as structured didactic time.
- We encourage the active sharing of patient education materials, procedural technique or other clinical and practice systems.
- Each participant is responsible for molding these methods to his/her experience.
- Clinical Project - optional: The student will examine an aspect of clinical care at Kameda and compare it to current U.S. practices or other hospital in Japan (assistance is available in obtaining information from other "benchmarking" hospitals. If feasible, this project will be the basis for a presentation or conference toward the end of the rotation.
- Organizational:
Rotations often work best when a Kameda resident who is interested in English language is serving on that service. This resident acts as a host for the rotation.
Travel to and from Kamogawa is the resident/medical student's responsibility. Plane, train, and bus schedules as well as other transportation details are available on request.
Housing privileges at reduced rates can be arranged by Kameda.
- Both the clinical faculty and the resident/medical student will evaluate the rotation at the end of the rotation period.
- Oral evaluations should be discussed every 1-2 weeks with the Preceptor and/or the Director of Medical Education.
| ▲ Return to Top |
Large
Small
