PEME in Brief

Twelve Myanmar Ph.D Candidates in the Japanese Six Universities

Through the PEME, 12 Myanmar MBBS

lecturers have been accepted as Ph.D

candidates in the 6 universities of the

Med-SUN since April 2015 for 4 years.

This long-term training of the Ph.D pro-

gram in Japan aims to enhance research

capacity of basic medicine such as anat-

omy, biochemistry, physiology, microbiol-

ogy, pathology and pharmacology by

strengthening the capabilities of young

faculty members of the 4 universities.

In order to ensure quality Ph.D re-

search contributing to the Myanmar

health sector, 12 Japanese supervisors of

these Ph.D candidates are visiting their

Myanmar professors and its relevant

health facilities from Sept to Dec 2015.

The Myanmar candidates, upon their

return to Myanmar with a Ph.D degree,

are expected to share their achievements

and continue their research towards im-

provement of medical services.

PEME QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

The PEME is a JICA technical cooperation

project which aims at enhancement of

capacities in research, clinical skills and

education of the medical universities in

Myanmar. It is implemented in close

collaboration between the Myanmar

Ministry of Health (Department of Health

Professional Resource Development and

Management: DHPRDM) and Japan Inter-

national Cooperation Agency (JICA) with

Six National Universities Network (Med-

SUN) in Japan.

2015 July — Sept

Vol. 1

Table of Contents:

PEME in Brief 1

Twelve Myanmar Ph.D Candi-

dates in the Japanese Six

Universities

1

Japanese Professors’ Visit to

Myanmar for Ph.D Candidates 2

Visual Updates of Myanmar

Ph.D Candidates at Med-SUN

Universities

2

FY2015 Short-term Clinical

Training in Japan 2

Japanese Professors’ Visit to

Myanmar for Short-term

Training Preparation

3

Other Visitors to Yangon PEME

Office in this Quarter 3

Forthcoming Key Activity

Plans of PEME 3

Project for Enhancement of Medical Education (PEME)

The “Med-SUN” Universities

This newsletter will share quar-

terly updates of the PEME with

relevant professionals.

Japanese Professors’ Visit to Myanmar for Ph.D Candidates

Visual Updates of Myanmar Ph.D Candidates at Med-SUN Universities

Page 2

PEME QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

The First Batch of Clinical Training Partici-

pants, departed for Japan in Late Aug

Dr. Niino (Center Left) with UM2 Rector

Dr. Aye Aung (Center Right)

Prof. Dr. Matsushita (Center) with UM1

Rector Dr. Zaw Wai Soe (Right)

For another Ph.D candidate., Dr. Win

Thida, her supervisor Dr. Shuzo Matsushita,

Prof. and Director of the Center for AIDS

Research, Kumamoto University visited the

University of Medicine 1 (UM1). To intro-

duce Ph.D students’ research environ-

ments and the latest research findings

through the Center, Dr. Matsushita present-

ed “Strategy for Prevention and Long-term

Treatment of HIV Infection” to Prof. Dr. Zaw

Wai Soe, the UM1 Rector, Emeritus Prof.

Dr. Kyi Kyi Thinn, and UM1 Department of

Microbiology Prof. Dr. Wah Win Htike, and

its postgraduate students. The presenta-

tion truly inspired the Myanmar audience,

and has reconfirmed relevance and bene-

fits of Ph.D studies in Japan. Dr. Matsushi-

ta was also able to discuss with a promi-

nent AIDS specialist, Prof. Dr. Htin Aung

Saw at the Waibargi Specialist Hospital.

In September 2015, there were visits by

2 Japanese supervisors of 2 Myanmar

Ph.D candidates studying in Japan.

Dr. Daisuke Niino, Associate Prof. of

Department of Pathology, Nagasaki Uni-

versity Graduate School of Biomedical

Science was the first supervisor among

12 professors visiting Myanmar in this

year. Since his student, Dr. Aung Myo

Hlaing, is a faculty member of the Univer-

sity of Medicine 2 (UM2) as well, Dr. Niino

had a meeting with the UM2 Rector, Prof.

Dr. Aye Aung along with the UM2 Depart-

ment of Pathology Prof. Dr. Myint Myint

Nyein. As for Myanmar pathologist devel-

opment, while general pathology is still

considered important, they discussed

what specialty Dr. Aung Myo Hlaing

would pursue as a Ph.D pathologist.

4 persons including 2 technologists at Kan-

azawa University (Radiology). As will be

trained for emergency care, 2 persons are

accepted each at Okayama University

(Emergency) and Kumamoto University

(Anesthesiology).

As the first batch, 4 female profession-

als departed Myanmar for Niigata Universi-

ty (Dr. Win Win Aye), Nagasaki University

(Dr. Tin Nwe Oo), and Kanazawa University

(Dr. Yamin Yupar Tun, Ms. Myat Thinzar

Win) in late Aug 2015. After their return to

Myanmar in Nov, dissemination seminars

will be organized for each specialty by the

ex-participants and their faculty. They are

also expected to develop their educational

capacity as faculty members, utilizing quali-

ty teaching materials.

The PEME organizes 11-week trainings on

clinical medicine at the Med-SUN universi-

ties in Japan. The short-term clinical train-

ings focus on cross-cutting technologies

related to 1) diagnostic imaging and 2)

emergency care. In fact, these two areas

urgently require further technical improve-

ments in various clinical fields in Myanmar.

In the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015-2018 coop-

eration term, annually 14 Myanmar profes-

sionals are invited to Japan as short-term

trainees. For details in the FY2015 under

the diagnostic imaging training, respectively

2 persons are going to study at Nagasaki

University (Clinical Pathology), Niigata Uni-

versity (Obstetrics & Gynecology), Chiba

University (Gastroenterology), and a total of

FY2015 Short-term Clinical Training in Japan

Okayama University: Pharmacology Dept. Prof. Dr.

Nishibori (Left) and Dr. Soe Soe Htwe (Center)

Chiba University: Microbiology Dept. Prof. Dr. Shira-

sawa (Left), Dr. Nakamoto, Dr. Nan Nwe Win

Kanazawa University: Comprehensive Metabology

Dept. Prof. Dr. Takamura and Dr. Swe Mar Oo

Nagasaki University (Clinical Pathology)

Short-term Training Scene

In order to enrich the short-term training

program based on the current situation

of Myanmar, responsible Japanese pro-

fessors of the Med-SUN visited their coun-

terpart professors and relevant health

facilities in Myanmar in May 2015. As

part of this preparation of the clinical

training, Chiba University professors also

came to Yangon on 3-6 August, 2015 for

the gastroenterology training with regard

to diagnostic imaging.

Chiba University Prof. Dr. Osamu

Yokosuka and Assist. Prof. Dr. Harutoshi

Sugiyama met with the University of Medi-

cine 1 (UM1) Gastroenterology Prof. Dr.

Thein Myint and his team of the National

Endoscopy Center at the Yangon General

Hospital.

This visit indeed facilitated better

training preparation of both sides: the

training conductor of Chiba University as

well as the participants from the UM1

through intensive discussions on training

contents and goals.

December

Visit by Japanese Professors for Ph.D

Candidates: from NIIGATA, KUMAMOTO,

NAGASAKI, KANAZAWA, OKAYAMA

University

January 2016

Departure of Short-term Clinical Train-

ing Participants to NAGASAKI, NIIGATA,

KANAZAWA, KUMAMOTO, CHIBA Univer-

sity (7 persons in total)

TENTATIVE: 1st Meeting of the PEME

Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC)

October

Visit by a Japanese Professor for Ph.D

Candidates: from CHIBA University

November

Visit by Japanese Professors for Ph.D

Candidates: from KANAZAWA, OKAYA-

MA, CHIBA University

Departure of Short-term Clinical Train-

ing Participants to OKAYAMA University

(2 persons in total)

* Myanmar general election on 8 Nov.

Japanese Professors’ Visit to Myanmar for Short-term Training Preparation

Forthcoming Key Activity Plans of PEME: 2015-2016

Other Visitors to Yangon PEME Office in this Quarter

Page 3 PEME QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

PEME Office

4th Floor (Medical Education Section), Four Story Building, Campus of University of Medicine 1, Myoma Kyaung Road, Lanmadaw Township, Yangon, Myanmar Tel/Fax: +95-(0)1-1222-325

Okayama University: Headed by Prof. Dr. Okada

(Right) with Prof. Dr. Kimata (2nd Right) Niigata University: Headed by Prof. Dr. Saito (Left)

with Prof. Dr. Watanabe (Center)

Prof. Dr. Yokosuka (Left) and Prof. Dr.

Thein Myint at Yangon General Hospital

Upon the dispatch of 2 long-term JICA

Experts (Ms. Akiko Tomita, Chief Advisor,

and Ms. Naoko Ito, Project Coordinator)

in early July, the DHPRDM has provided

for the PEME a project office under the

Medical Education Section, which is lo-

cated on the campus of the University of

Medicine 1.

Since this new PEME Office is situat-

ed at the prime location in Yangon down-

town, there are many visitors in addition

to official visits by the Med-Sun profes-

sors.

For instance, the teams of Okayama

University (Prof. Dr. Shigeru Okada, Prof.

Dr. Yoshihiro Kimata), Niigata University

(Prof. Dr. Reiko Saito, Prof. Dr. Masami

Watanabe) and Nagasaki University (Prof.

Dr. Takehiko Koji) had their own missions

to Myanmar in this quarter, and these

professors also stopped at the PEME Of-

fice and discussed the PEME progress.

New PEME Office in Yangon, Located at

4-story Building inside UM1 Campus

Nagasaki University: Prof. Dr. Koji with

Dept. of Medical Research Counterpart