In September 2024, the University of Washington Global Rehabilitation Organization (GROW) visited Japan, where they were able to observe how rehabilitation services are delivered in Japanese healthcare.
Randy Woychuk, a Master of Occupational Therapy student, has shared some highlights from the trip:
9/10 - Wakayama Medical University
We met two of Dr. Soshi Samejima's mentors here (Kouda sensei and Koike sensei), who graciously received our jetlagged crew and fed us bento lunch boxes! I was paired with a 17-year occupational therapy (OT) veteran by the name of Kenzo Teramura. I was able to observe him in the ICU as well as a general rehab room that had equipment he had designed and built himself.
9/11 - P&O factory + Kobe General Hospital - Acute
We toured a prosthetics and orthotics factory which was a first for me. At Kobe Hospital, our primary host was an OT and PhD student by the name of Yu Shimode. We were able to observe different discipline-specific areas. I saw an IADL training session, and the physical therapists (PTs) saw a gym rehab session for cardiac patients, the ICU and stroke patients.
9/12 - Hyogo Prefecture Rehabilitation Centre
This center was expansive and housed everything from a showroom (with the latest durable medical equipment, adaptive equipment and wheelchairs), to small training apartments for people to live semi independently in preparation for returning home, a huge rehab gym, an occupational therapy workshop, and a driver training station - where people could learn on an adapted vehicle or bring their own vehicle to have it assessed for needed adaptations.
9/14 - Kyoto University
We met primarily with PTs involved in research, including one of Soshi's future postdocs Ryo Nakahara, watched a presentation on current research at KU, then shared a bit of what's happening at UW too. The icebreaker games were hilarious, with my hyper fit PT classmates dreaming up a challenging but fun activity. We also got to tour the physical lab research spaces.
We spent the next one and half days touring Kyoto which was exceptionally beautiful.
9/16 - Respect for the Elderly Day (public holiday) - Hiroshima
At Nate's suggestion, we spent the public holiday visiting the atomic bomb museum in Hiroshima. We also visited Miyajima and the Itsukushima Shrine during our time in the Hiroshima area.
9/17 - Himeji Red Cross Hospital - NICU unit
There was a two-person limit for this site due to it being a NICU so just Nate (third year DPT) and Kendra (our clinical instructor and pediatric PT) visited this unit.
9/18 - Fukuoka Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Centre
Another phenomenal facility. People generally stay here for six-12 months post-discharge from an acute center following a SCI. The structural adaptations to allow independence in showering, bathing and toileting really stood out to me. We got to see a neurological exam as typically performed by MDs and PTs when people are admitted to the facility.
9/19 - Taiyo no le Museum and Honda Taiyo
On our final day of visits, we went to see a beautifully curated museum highlighting the contributions of people with disabilities to sport and industry, thanks in large part to the advocacy and initiatives of a doctor in the 1960s. The Honda factory we toured largely employs people with disabilities, and we got to observe how they adapt equipment and workflows to meet the needs of the individuals working there.
About GROW
GROW is a club for Doctor of Physical Therapy, Master of Occupational Therapy and Master of Prosthetics & Orthotics students focused on ethical global health education and service-learning opportunities. For more highlights from the trip, visit GROW on Instagram @globalrehabuw.
