Kyoto University – Kyoto, Japan
Founded in 1897 by imperial ordinance, Kyoto University was the second university to be established in Japan. With a mission to cultivate world-leading medical researchers and healthcare practitioners, the Graduate School of Medicine boasts numerous winners of prestigious awards such as the Imperial Prize, the Japan Academy Prize, the Lasker Award, and the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Students participating in the Kyoto elective gain hands-on clinical experience working alongside renowned physicians at Kyoto University Hospital. Made up of several interdisciplinary medical centers, Kyoto University Hospital offers students the opportunity to view medicine from a new innovative scope.
Past Participants
Leslie Seeley Donoghue – Class of 2028
“Most of all, I left with a deeper understanding of how medicine reflects the society it serves. The lessons of Kyoto—about preparedness, restraint, longevity, and cultural humility—will continue to shape how I view my role as a future physician.”
Shamar Elliott – Class of 2028
“The RDGH program provided me with the opportunity not just to witness another healthcare system, but to live within it, to adapt to it, and to grow because of it. The kindness of the Japanese people, the intellectual rigor of Kyoto University Hospital, and the friendships I formed with Japanese medical students have left a lasting imprint on my development as both a physician-in-training and as a person.”
Jared deGuzman – Class of 2028
“My experiences in the hospital were far different than I could have ever expected, both in procedure and administration. There were so many vastly unique and subtle differences that shaped my idea of what healthcare could, and should, be. Overall, I took away from Kyoto exactly what I set out to. New friends, new knowledge, and a new perspective.”