| Name | Kamolnut Mahitthiroch | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home University | Mahidol University | |||
| Faculty/School | Siriraj hospital faculty of medicine Mahidol university | |||
| Program Dates | From | February 24, 2026 | To | March 19, 2026 |
I had a great opportunity to attend a student exchange program at Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University (OMPU) between February 24 and March 19, 2026. During this program, I rotated through three departments: Orthopaedic Surgery, Gastroenterology, and General and Gastrointestinal Surgery. This experience really helped me understand how the Japanese healthcare system works in real life.
While observing in these departments, I noticed some interesting differences between the healthcare systems in Japan and Thailand. I had the chance to see many procedures, such as lumbar disc herniation removal, colonoscopy, EGD, Whipple procedure, colonectomy, and mastectomy. Although the surgical steps are very similar to those in Thailand, the instruments and technology they use are quite different. Because Japan does a lot of its own medical research, most of their surgical tools are made and developed locally. As a result, their medical devices and treatment guidelines are perfectly suited for the patients in their country.
Not only did I gain medical knowledge from this trip, but I also met wonderful professors and made many new friends at OMPU. The Japanese medical students were incredibly friendly and taught me so much about their culture, language, and food. They warmly welcomed me and took me to beautiful places like Uji and the Fushimi Inari temple, and a local Yakiniku restaurant. I feel so grateful to meet all of them, and I will cherish these memories and friendships forever.
In summary, attending this exchange program was a very valuable experience. Seeing their healthcare system inspired my future career in the medical field, and spending time with my new friends made me fall in love with Japanese culture more and more.
