Health-care classes in Japan
Humanitec Rehabilitation College students to receive LLU degrees
 From the campus of Loma Linda University, Diana Medal, instructor, department of health information management, School of Allied Health Professions, welcomes her class at the Humanitec Rehabilitation College in Japan using video-conferencing. The students appear on the television screen to Ms. Medal's left, as well as on a screen in front of her. |
For one student, it is a dream come true. For another, it's a chance to learn English and gain a long-awaited degree. For all the students, it's a journey to accomplishing goals, experiencing new teaching methods, and developing international friendships.
A year after the initial agreement was made, 19 students at Humanitec Rehabilitation College (HRC), Yokkaichi City, Japan, began classes leading to a healthscience degree from LLU.
Coordinated by Keiko Khoo, MS, chair, speech-language pathology & audiology, School of Allied Health Professions, this program gives occupational therapy and physical therapy students in Japan specialized professional training.
"There are many reasons why I chose to do the Loma Linda program," an occupational therapy student relates in the HRC student newsletter. "The curriculum contains things I never expected. Also, I had given up learning English, but wanted to try again."
Akira Tusima, head of physical therapy faculty at HRC, shares, "Our main
concern was the English ability of our HRC students. However, thanks to the
constant support of our teaching staff, we are now doing well and the students
are improving."
 At the conclusion of the world religion course, the students at Humanitec Rehabilitation College, Yokkaichi City, Japan, presented their instructor, Shigenobu Arakaki, with a traditional Japanese gift--a photograph and signed card expressing their enjoyment of the class. |
Despite the language barrier, Ms. Khoo concurs that the students have been performing well. To date, they have taken four classes: world religion, medical terminology, ethics, and an English-language series. Eventually, the students will spend a quarter on the Loma Linda University campus.
"The original reason I chose the Loma Linda program was because I dreamed about studying in the United States," a physical therapy student shares in the newsletter. "That is the country where rehabilitation practices and ideas came from originally."
The program started in March, 2001, when Shigenobu Arakaki--a retired educator whom Ms. Khoo contracted to teach the religion course--spent a quarter with the students in Japan. Because Mr. Arakaki could speak both English and Japanese, the students felt very comfortable with him, says Ms. Khoo.
"[The teachers] are very friendly, nice, and very professional," says Mr. Tusima, who is also taking the classes. "I initially felt a little pressure before starting each course myself, but their manner and teaching approach has left me no longer feeling any sense of worry or pressure, and I now look forward to meeting new teachers."
The religion class also opened the students' eyes to religion's role in health care.
"The religion class left me with a lot of things to think about in my heart," shares the occupational therapy student. "It must be an American way of teaching to arouse curiosity about new concepts."
In May, the HRC students began the second course, medical terminology, taught
by instructor Diana Medal, department of health information management, School
of Allied Health Professions. Using interactive video technology, Ms. Medal
remained on the campus of Loma Linda University and taught to a camera twice a
week.
 Sayoko Muto, Akira Tsushima, Takashi Maruyama, and Shinya Nishimori pose for a photo at the conclusion of the Christian ethics class taught by David L. Taylor Jr., DMin, associate dean, Faculty of Religion. |
"Other than personal contact, the experience is almost the same," Ms. Medal comments. "It's completely interactive."
The students faced a four-foot-tall television screen on which Ms. Medal appeared. Using a roaming microphone, they could ask questions and respond when Ms. Medal called on individual students. She was also able to view the HRC classroom on a monitor.
To maintain as much contact with the students as possible, Ms. Medal placed all assignments on the Internet using a teaching program called Blackboard. She was able to post announcements, conduct quizzes and timed exams, utilize class message boards, and place class-related links. She also used e-mail to communicate with the students.
"In the medical terminology class, we learned a surprising amount of words," shares the physical therapy student, "which will be helpful when we go to Loma Linda."
In July, the students began the Christian ethics course taught on site by David L. Taylor Jr., DMin, associate dean, Faculty of Religion. Dr. Taylor used lectures, videos, small-group formats, and skits to convey the concepts of ethical issues.
"It was interesting teaching Christian ethics to a class comprised of Buddhists, agnostics, and one Shinto," says Dr. Taylor. "Many of them said they learned quite a lot about having a world view."
Mr. Tusima shares that he was skeptical about the ethics class at first, but soon learned how the subject affects his life and work. "In Japan, there are mostly Buddhists, where in the United States there are many ethnic groups," he says. "The students entering the medical field must have a knowledge of religions and backgrounds to be able to successfully understand and treat their patients."
Dr. Taylor stressed the importance of whole-person care, as well as good decision making within the basic health-care principles. The students also learned the need for sensitivity when working with patients from other cultures.
The students admit there are many barriers to receiving a degree, including expenses and an acceptable TOEFL score. But it is evident they are dedicated to learning both about health care and other civilizations. "[The students] are enjoying the exposure to other cultures," comments Mr. Tusima, "and now have an opportunity to ask questions and learn much about other ways of life and beliefs.
"We learn about many cultures through the lectures and this is very interesting," he continues. "We discover a lot about ourselves, also."
[Top]