By Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr. 

Five physical therapy students of the Seirei Christopher University in Japan are undergoing clinical externship at the Mariano Marcos State University starting today, February 20, as part of the international exchange program between the two universities.

These students, along with Dr. Daiki Takahashi and Dr. Natsumi Tanaka of the SCU-Department of Physical Therapy, paid a courtesy call to Dr. Prima Fe R. Franco, vice president for academic affairs, this morning. They were joined by Prof. Ryan Dean Sucgang, officer-in-charge dean of MMSU College of Health Sciences, and Dr. Mee Jay Domingo, director of university internationalization, linkages and partnerships office. 

Dr. Franco said the university is honored to welcome the Japanese visitors, assuring that MMSU will provide a worthwhile educational experience to the foreign students.  

Facilitated by the CHS Department of Physical Therapy, the trainees will be deployed to the University Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Center, Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, Black Nazarene Hospital Institute, and the Laoag Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy Center in Ilocos Norte. They will also go to the Florentino Camaquin Integrated School in Vintar, Ilocos Norte to experience the university’s community-based rehabilitation project for differently-abled children. Their externship will run until March 3. 

In December last year, Dr. Shinichi Arizono, chairperson of the SCU physical therapy department, and Dr. Takahashi visited MMSU to discuss the implementation of the collaborative activities between the two universities.

In 2021, MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis and SCU President Shohei Ohgi signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance health sciences programs of both schools through exchange of faculty and scholars, academic information and materials, and periodic academic publications. 

Founded in 2002, SCU is institutionally accredited by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. Its ultimate goal is to “develop students who will go on to become healthcare professionals, and in turn, provide care through the lens of "Neighborly Love.” (HLY/JVBT, StratCom)