JCR International School 2023

Dates: July 27 (Thu.) ‐ July 29 (Sat.), 2023
Place: Karuizawa Prince Hotel West, Nagano, Japan

 Contents

•  Organizing Committee
•  Timetable
•  Program

 Participants Voice

Hiroya Tamai

Japan

It was an excellent opportunity to attend the JCR International School 2023 in Karuizawa and to have discussions in English with participants from overseas and all over Japan.
I was impressed by the enthusiasm of the participants, asking so many questions during the 15-minute Q&A session. Meeting and discussing directly with colleagues of the same generation or experienced tutors was very motivating especially after COVID-19.
The location of the school in Karuizawa was wonderful, surrounded by nature. I spent a wonderful time walking through the nature in the morning and taking a hot spring bath at night. In the evening, participants and tutors joined together on the terrace in front of the fireplace to talk with each other.
I highly recommend young researchers to participate in this program. I would like to thank all the participants, tutors, and staff of the JCR International School 2023.
 

Takahiro Nishino

Japan

I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in this summer school. The three days in Karuizawa were an excellent opportunity for me to reflect on what I should do to grow. Also, I was stimulated by the other participants. This school started even before Karuizawa, and I was able to receive important advice on presentation from my tutor. On the day of school, I learned the basic concepts of a good presentation in the presentation skill improvement seminar with workshops. I also learned a lot from the comments given by many of the professors and tutors during the presentations. And I was able to make friends with other wonderful participants I might not have met without this opportunity. I sincerely thank the tutors, all the colleagues in this school, and my mentor who recommended participating in this school.
 

Arvind Ganapati

India

Attending Japan College of Rheumatology International School 2023 was an incredibly transformative, one-of-a-kind, unique experience. The international school had a diverse group of participants from various parts of the world, belonging to both rheumatology and allied specialties of clinical and basic streams. The rigorous curriculum covered all areas of rheumatology, and the original work presented was of the highest quality. The highlight of the school was the liberal amount of time allocated for discussion of the original work, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Throughout the program, we were encouraged to interact and collaborate with one another, fostering a sense of globally shared knowledge. The meeting also served as an opportunity to bond with fellow participants, forging lifelong friendships and connections. I am extremely thankful to guidance of the senior professors and faculty entrusted with the responsibility of mentoring the participants and facilitating discussions. I would like to extend my gratefulness to JCR for the excellent hospitality and travel arrangements. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this extraordinary event, and I am confident that the knowledge and skills I gained during my time there will shape my future career as a rheumatologist.
 

Junya Hasegawa

Japan

My name is Junya Hasegawa, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nagoya University. I participated in the JCR International Seminar held in Karuizawa from July 27 to 29 last year.
I was very nervous because this seminar was an international seminar and all presentations were given in English, and questions were also asked in English, and each presentation and question was 15 minutes long. I was also nervous about participating as an orthopedic surgeon, a minority in a group of internal medicine doctors.
However, I was impressed and inspired by the presentations and the attitude of the question-asking by the doctors of the same generation both in Japan and overseas.
At the dinner party after the presentations, I had many conversations with doctors of the same generation, and it was very helpful to hear their views on their work.
This seminar was the kind of meeting that I want to recommend junior doctors to attend.
I would like to thank all the doctors, my tutors, and the JCR for putting on such an informative seminar.
 

Yu-Hsiu Chen

Taiwan

I am honored to participate in the 2023 JCR International School. The participants included young scholars from Japan and countries worldwide and experienced Japanese tutors, who reviewed and provided feedback on the presentation content of participants.
This event holds significant educational and communicative value. The event began with instructional sessions on delivering presentations, focusing on creating concise and easily understandable PowerPoint content, and response skills. Subsequently, each young scholar gave a 15-minute presentation and a 15-minute discussion session. The research topics encompassed fundamental medical research, clinical medical trials, medical education, and telemedicine. Through this conference, I learned how to present my research effectively and had the opportunity to connect with outstanding scholars from other countries. I am grateful to the Japan College of Rheumatology for organizing this event.
 

Yusuke Ozaki

Japan

I participated in the JCR International School 2023 this time, so I will write about that experience. I belong to the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, and I am conducting clinical research on osteoarthritis of the knee and changes in the functional axis of the lower limb and hindfoot. Since all the participants in the seminar were physicians, except for me and one other person, I was worried about whether the content of the seminar was consistent with the purpose of the seminar presentation, there were many impressions that it was interesting. In this way, I was able to feel that even orthopedic surgeons had great significance in attending the seminar. Of course, presentations on basic research by other physicians were very stimulating, including lectures from preceptors, such as promotion of understanding of pathology and prospects for the future. It was interesting to see the variety of presentations from overseas, such as basic research and research on social networks. He also fostered exchanges with doctors from various departments and countries. The seminar itself was held in Karuizawa in summer, and I was able to participate in the three-day seminar in a very good environment. I thought it was a wonderful opportunity for a young rheumatologist, and I was grateful to be able to participate.
 

Yusuke Yoshida

Japan

JCR International School 2023 was great fun, and I learned a lot.
It consisted of special lectures and many interactive sessions. In the lectures, I got many tips to improve my presentation skills. In the sessions, young investigators presented their own research. My presentation was about the relationship between environmental factors and the onset of ANCA-associated vasculitis. Before the school, my tutor (Dr. Tsuchiya) sincerely taught me how to make an effective presentation. I was impressed by the informative presentations of participants with English proficiency. The discussion of each topic was also valuable. At the same time, Karuizawa, a calm place surrounded by lush greenery, seemed to be the best place to host this school.
This valuable experience motivated me for my future career. Tutors and collaborative participants kindly supported me, and I could spend comfortably through the three days.
I would like to appreciate tutors, attendees, and JCR international committees and staff.
 

Shotaro Kojima

Japan

Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to participate in the JCR International School 2023.
I was able not only to present my research findings but also to listen to a lot of interesting presentation.
To be honest, I was a little bit worried and nervous before the seminar because I had rarely experienced giving presentations in English. However, it was a great experience to have many discussions and exchange opinions with the tutors and other participants. Above all, I am very happy that I met new friends and deepened exchanges with them. I hope this seminar will continue to be held in future years so that many researchers can have this wonderful opportunity.
I would like to make the most of this valuable experience and work hard in international research activities.
 

Jacqueline Dekkers

The Netherlands

It was my great pleasure to have the opportunity to participate in JCR International School 2023 in Karuizawa, Japan. The JCR International School is an excellently organized scientific event for rheumatology research. During the 3 days there are multiple presentations and interactive discussions regarding different fields of rheumatology research. The mentors assigned to the participants are all top researchers in the field of rheumatology and immunology of the different universities in Japan. During the seminar I presented research data from my and it was really nice that I got so many positive comments and valuable questions which will help me with my future research. I find this program a great opportunity for young rheumatology researchers as myself. Through the varied evening program social exchange was possible, whereby close contacts and friendships could be made. In summary, the 2023 JCR International School in Karuizawa was an incredible success, for which I would like to explicitly thank the organizers and the mentors.
 

Chiharu Hidekawa

Japan

I want to express my deep appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the JCR International School 2023.
During the seminar, I was impressed by the enthusiasm of fellow participants, both from diverse international backgrounds and from across Japan, who eagerly lined up at the question microphone after each presentation. Interacting with participants from various regions, I learned about different healthcare systems and national characteristics, experiencing firsthand how the same disease can present unique challenges in different countries while also revealing shared concerns. The evening social events further facilitated meaningful connections, allowing us to engage in candid and diverse conversations with participants regardless of nationality or academic year. I also had the privilege of engaging in valuable discussions with the seminar’s tutors.
Despite the intensive three-day schedule, I successfully completed the schedule with the support of fellow participants’ enthusiasm. Should future opportunities arise, I would eagerly participate once more. I extend my heartfelt thanks to the academic society’s professors for creating this invaluable platform and to the secretariat staff for their efforts.
 

Yurie Satoh-Kanda

Japan

Gathering with many young researchers from various regions of Japan and abroad to discuss each other’s research face to face was an exciting and precious experience. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opportunities to make new connections were lost, especially with researchers outside of Japan thus days in Karuizawa was a lot to look forward to.
I presented my basic research and received many comments and ideas not only from young researchers but also from many professors including tutors, which was very fruitful. During the three days of intensive study, it was a little too much time for me to enjoy Karuizawa, but I had a great time connecting with many professors at the reception.
I would like to thank Dr. Nakajima, Prof. Tanaka, Prof. Kameda, all tutors for their mentorship, and all the YI professors for their excellent advices and comments. I would also like to thank the sponsors for their help in the preparation and management of the event.
 

Yuki Kudo

Japan

Thank you very much for the wonderful opportunity to attend the 2023 JCR International School. I am very grateful to all the tutors and participants who gave me a lot to learn and those who were involved in organizing the meeting.
All the participants were at a very high level, the Q&A sessions and the presentations were very active, and the atmosphere was so warm. I was very happy to be able to deepen the science with all of the participants. I was also very inspired to try to be as close to them as possible in the future.
I also had a great opportunity to talk with overseas researchers about various topics from basic and clinical research to daily life in each other. I had a valuable experience that was like a simulated study abroad.
Through this meeting, I learned not only how to present and answer the questions in English as a speaker, but also what to focus on when listening to a presentation as an audience and how to ask questions that are easier for the presenter to answer.
I really hope that many young rheumatologists will be interested in this meeting and have a wonderful experience at Karuizawa in the future.
 

Kohei Tsujimoto

Japan

My participation in JCR International School this year was truly remarkable. Among the workshops I’ve attended, JCR International School stood out as the most passionate and engaging. The structure included a 15-minute presentation followed by a 15-minute Q&A session, and there were so many eager participants forming lines to ask questions that the allotted time felt insufficient. This level of enthusiasm among attendees is truly unparalleled.
Furthermore, the tutors displayed incredible dedication to fostering discussions. This commitment allowed us to not only acquire knowledge but also to broaden our perspectives. In addition to academic pursuits, events like social gatherings provided ample opportunities to connect with fellow participants from around the world and our devoted tutors. This event not only enhanced my learning experience but also greatly expanded my social network.
I wholeheartedly recommend this exceptional event to anyone who hasn’t yet had the chance to participate. It offers an invaluable learning opportunity and serves as a fantastic means to broaden one’s horizons and connections in the field of rheumatology.
 

 Photographs

 JCR International School Committee