The Student Room Group

Working in Japan as a Doctor

Original post by mikay1408
Hello! I’ve previously done a lot of research into this topic but I’d love to hear from experts and people who have gone through this experience. It is tough to find the answers and I often feel alone, but I know there must be others in a similar situation to me.

I am a japanese citizen however I grew up in the British system, graduating with A levels (Biology, Chemistry, Maths). It seemed fit for me to to study in the UK even though I am Japanese, thus made the decision to study Medicine at the University of Birmingham in September 2020 after a gap year. I want to study in the UK because I believe the education there is of a high standard and it would’ve been difficult for me to learn everything I had learnt during A levels in Japanese or even get into a Japanese Medical School. I am fluent in Japanese but the medical terms required I am not familiar with.

I am aware that it is difficult to work as a foreign doctor in Japan. But I would like to one day work in my home country. What would that journey look like? Even with the required transferring of qualifications and medical/language examinations, would I only be able to treat foreign doctors?

I know it is difficult to predict what the world would be like in around 10 years time (when I graduate medical school). My father believed Japan would be more open to foreign doctors but with the recent coronavirus, countries seem to be leaning towards an internalised local focus.

Any advice is appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help.


Hi, I am starting medical school in the UK this September (2023) and I am also interested in going to Japan in the future to work as a doctor.

I am a Japanese citizen and grew up in the British system but I am also of native proficiency in Japanese. I understand that it has been 2 years since this post was made and you’re still in medical school, but do you have any advice/ have you found anything out since then? I think our backgrounds are quite similar so I’m interested in your thoughts.

I have been considering learning the Japanese vocabulary for medical terms alongside the university course but would this be too much work? I’m also not sure where I can get medical textbooks in Japanese..
(edited 1 year ago)

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