Greetings from the president
Since its establishment in Ami-machi, Ibaraki prefecture 25 years ago in 1995, Ibaraki Prefectural University of Health Sciences has built up a quarter-century of tradition.
To date over 4,000 students have graduated from the university, and as nationally qualified allied health workers they continue to make their contribution in the fields of nursing, public health nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and radiological sciences.
In addition to the undergraduate school the university supports training in a wide variety of medical disciplines. The Graduate Course in Midwifery nurtures specialists in childbirth and early child care. Specialist Nursing License courses in pediatric nursing and geriatric nursing, and the Certification Program for Dysphagia Nursing, one of only four in the country, provide advanced-level training in other essential areas. Additionally, since 2013 the university has run a year-long Certification Seminar for Vocational Teachers for professionals wishing to work as full-time staff at nursing training centers.
In the area of graduate studies, the university provides both master and doctorate courses for those planning careers in research or education. The Master’s Course in Radiological Sciences has pioneered a course in the internationally-recognized qualification of Medical Physicist, and is actively engaged in training specialists adept in the continually advancing technologies and techniques of this increasingly important area of radiation therapy.
The university also stands out in being the only medical sciences educational institution in Japan without a faculty of medicine to have a university hospital. The hospital functions as a core facility in providing rehabilitation services in Ibaraki prefecture, while at the same time being a place of education, research and intern training for nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy and radiological sciences.
The most important keywords in modern society are medical care and health. The university is actively engaged in the various social tasks of advancement of medical science, healthy longevity, tackling the low birth rate, task-shifting and task-sharing for tackling doctor shortages, and maintaining health in schools and workplaces. It can be said that the medical staff who confront these tasks will become increasingly important in future society, and consequently the role of this university in training the specialists who address them will increase in its importance.
With its strategies of problem based learning, inter-professional team-based medical education, acquisition of fundamental practical skills through simulation lab learning, and development of an international outlook through collaboration with overseas universities, the university strives to develop highly competent, versatile and resilient-minded professionals.
The university’s active engagement in research is underpinned by extensive facilities and a high rate of success in securing research funds. Supported by our industry–academia partnerships, research results that are in line with the needs of society have already given rise to many practical applications.
We look forward to your continued support, cooperation and guidance.
MATSUMURA Akira
President of Ibaraki Prefectural University of Health Sciences