It has given me a picture of the gap between companies and clinical/scientific fields, and I am now able to estimate “what we don’t know” more adequately than before.

I have been interested in basic epidemiology, medical data, and health economics since I was in charge of investment in digital health ventures at a major company, and I was looking for a graduate school of public health where I could study these subjects systematically. I decided to enroll in this school because I thought it would fit my lifestyle in that I could attend while working in Japan. Since the timing of my enrollment coincided with the establishment of a medical device start-up, I chose the 3-year course, which allowed me to carefully shape the course schedule around my working life. I also wanted to take a little extra time to learn because I did not have a background in medicine or pharmaceuticals.
I attended in-class courses as much as possible (once or twice a week) in the first year, but from the second semester of the second year onward, I took the course entirely through e-learning courses only. My supervisor for the Capstone Project was very attentive and practical, and I managed to complete the course. Also, I was able to learn about the history of debate in the medical field through Public Health Ethics which was very illuminating.
I am currently running a start-up company developing Digital Therapeutics. The knowledge of research methods and clinical trial design that I learned from the systematic review has been very useful in my current work. I also think that learning how to write a paper (systematic review) has deepened my knowledge of how to read research papers. From the standpoint of a company, the wide range of public health knowledge I acquired through the program and communication with my classmates have given me a picture of the gap between companies and clinical/scientific fields, and I am now able to estimate "what we don’t know" more adequately than before. I would like to continue my activities in the field of medical IT, which will be useful for both patients and medical professionals.

◇Advice to those who are considering enrollment
SLGSPH is not only a place to learn public health, but also a place where you can come into contact with a diverse network of faculty and classmates. The fact that all classes are conducted in English will be increasingly important in the future. I hope that as many people as possible will consider enrolling.

July 2022