Tales from student days

Communicating the enjoyment of science through extracurricular circles

You can obtain a firm grounding in the pharmaceutical sciences, from the basics to specialist areas, over six years of lectures in the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The content of university lectures is, of course, very different from what you learn in high school, being more specialized and difficult, but whenever I asked the lecturers about anything I didn’t understand in the lectures, they taught me very carefully. Also, whenever there was something I didn’t understand in the basic specialist subjects, such as chemistry, physics, biology, and mathematics, there were places I could go to for more individual help, such as the “kakikomidera.” Because I was not very good at physics and math, I made use of those services very frequently. Ritsumeikan University also has many extracurricular clubs. When I was at university, I belonged to the Life Sciences Research Society. The Life Sciences Research Society is a club that is active in teaching children the enjoyment of science, through science that they can find in familiar surroundings. Through the Society, I was able to make friends from other colleges and meet students in different year levels, and I was also able to interact with people in the local community, particularly the children. Being able to meet and interact with many people through the Society was one of the most valuable experiences of my university life. *Kakikomidera...A “refuge” where students can come for extra help with their studies in basic science subjects such as chemistry, mathematics, and physics. It is held every week. Graduate students and other teachers provide careful instruction and advice that is easy to understand.

Tales from after graduation

Putting smiles on patients’ faces with appropriate support

At Aikoka Pharmacy where I work, we receive prescriptions from various clinical departments, so I am able to learn about a wide range of prescribed medications. As a first-year pharmacist, I think that being able to learn about prescriptions from so many different departments is an excellent environment for my growth as a pharmacist. Aikoka Pharmacy has a self-playing piano, drink service, and other ways to make patients feel relaxed, so I find it very stimulating to work among facilities and services that are so different from the normal image of a pharmacy. In particular, one service that we have introduced that you do not really see at other pharmacies is what we call Seated Dispensary, where the patient sits at a table and we pharmacists teach them how to take their medication. This way, we can take time to talk to the patients about their lifestyle habits, the medications they are taking, and their side effects in a way that does not place a physical burden on the patients. It also helps us to use the information we receive to give our patients more appropriate support and to build relationships of trust with them. When patients ask me questions or seek advice from me about their illness and medication, there are still times when I can’t answer them straightaway, but I look things up myself, think about them and answer their questions. When they smile back and say “Thank you’ and “I hope you’ll teach me again,” it makes me really happy. It also makes me want to keep working hard to be of even better service to patients as a pharmacist.