US Navy Medical Meeting

Last week was our first combined meeting with the Yokosuka US Navy doctors and their Japanese residents.

The meeting was well attended and there was a long and short case presented by the two Third year residents from this hospital.



The first case was a work-up for Fever of Unknown Origin which, in the end, was diagnosed as a lymphoma. The short case was for work-up of non-specific symptoms such as myalgia, mild fever and raised inflammatory markers which was diagnosed as a vasculitis.


The two third year residents spoke completely in English and were able to answer the excellent and direct questions from the US Navy doctors and residents, which generated very good and informative discussion.

The Third year residents did extremely well especially as it was their first time to present in another language!!

After the meeting we had a party, and for one new member of the US team who has recently come to Japan, it was his first time to see live sashimi.... unfortunately, he was not inclined to eat it, but it was delicious !! :)


These combined meetings are planned to occur on a monthly basis and I see this as a great opportunity for learning English presentation skills, how to answer medical questions in English under pressure and to discuss similarities and differences in disease presentation, investigation and treatment in an Evidenced Based Environment.

This hospital's Internal Medicine department is now probably one of the most unique facilities in Japan and it not only offers daily teaching in English from me, but it now offers a monthly American addition and it is a most exciting time to be at this institution !

Photos courtesy of Dr Shin Fukuda