Testimonials from Our Physicians

I graduated from Osaka University in 2011. I decided to pursue a career in cardiovascular medicine after clinical training during my student days, and I did my initial training at Kansai Rosai Hospital.
At Kansai Rosai Hospital, I was blessed with excellent supervisors in each department, including cardiology and gastroenterology, and had a very fulfilling training experience. In the second year of my initial training, I had a hard time deciding which department to specialize in until around summer, but I was strongly attracted to the atmosphere of the Department of Gastroenterology and the personalities of the supervisors, and I finally decided to go on to the Department of Gastroenterology. I then spent two years in the second semester of my residency training at Kansai Rosai Hospital.
From 2015, I worked as a ward physician at Osaka University Hospital, and from 2016, I entered graduate school to engage in basic research. In graduate school, I conducted research on the theme of "Hepatocellular carcinoma progression mechanism via autophagy enhancement in hepatic stellate cells," and received my degree in 2021. During my graduate school years, I was blessed to have many mentors who allowed me to work on various research topics and gave me opportunities to present my research at many international conferences.
After receiving my degree, I studied abroad at the National Cancer Institute in Maryland, USA from July 2021 to March 2025. During my study abroad, I conducted research under Dr. Greten, who is well known for his immunological research on liver cancer. Although my English was not very good, I was blessed with many excellent colleagues and PIs in the international laboratory, and although many things happened, I enjoyed every day and had a very productive time. It was also a very valuable experience for me to be exposed to the world's most advanced research and Phase 1 clinical trials.
In April 2025, I will return to the Department of Gastroenterology, Osaka University, where I will be involved in clinical work and conduct research with graduate student professors while utilizing the knowledge and experience I gained while studying abroad. Currently, I am working on balancing my daily medical practice and research with the motto of research that can be returned to clinical practice.

After deciding to specialize in gastroenterology, I joined the Department of Gastroenterology at Osaka University, partly because it was my home university, although I did not think much about it at the time. Looking back on it now, I feel that it was a very reassuring environment to know that the Department of Gastroenterology at Osaka University has many affiliated hospitals, mainly in Osaka and Hyogo, and that there are excellent doctors in the medical departments at all of these hospitals. I also feel that I was very fortunate to have a medical office that supported my diverse career development, including clinical practice, research, study abroad, and education, in accordance with my goals and life stage.

I think the appeal of gastroenterology lies in the fact that we can be involved with patients consistently from diagnosis to treatment. The target diseases range from inflammatory diseases to malignant tumors, and since the department covers many organs such as the digestive tract, liver, biliary tract, and pancreas, it is very difficult to update information, but it is very rewarding.
In addition to clinical practice, the field is also very expansive in terms of research. Research topics related to gastroenterology, such as cancer, immunology, intestinal bacteria, viral hepatitis, and metabolic liver diseases, are flourishing all over the world, and there are many options for teachers who are considering studying abroad for research in the future.
I think the great appeal of gastroenterology is the ability to treat a wide range of diseases while deepening one's expertise according to one's interests.

As I felt when I returned to the university hospital from an affiliated hospital, working with people who have different ways of thinking broadens my perspective greatly. During my study abroad, the experience of discussing and conducting research with researchers from different countries, cultures, and research backgrounds on a daily basis was extremely valuable. In addition, I was able to build a broad network by getting to know not only local researchers but also researchers studying abroad from other parts of Japan. I feel that these connections will be a great asset not only in terms of research, but also in my later career. Furthermore, my stay in the U.S. gave me the opportunity to travel around the U.S. with my family during vacations. I believe that this was an invaluable life experience, not only for my research, but also for the exposure to a different culture and land.

I believe that the department you had in mind when you were a student will often change as you experience clinical practice and initial training. There are many things that you will learn only after actually working in the field and through encounters with patients, supervisors, and colleagues. For this reason, I encourage you not to get too caught up in your current department of choice, but to value the experience you gain in each department. What you learn in each department will definitely be useful no matter which path you take in the future.
If you have even the slightest interest in gastroenterology, please come and see the training and the atmosphere of the medical office at Osaka University's Department of Gastroenterology. I believe that this is an environment in which you can pursue a diverse career in accordance with your goals, whether they be clinical, research, or study abroad. I look forward to working with you all.