Toward Educating Internationally Active Members of Society

　Tokyo Medical and Dental University is unique among medical and dental universities in Japan in that we have four divisions dedicated to graduate education and research: Medical and Dental Sciences, Health Care Sciences, the Biomedical Sciences Education Division, and the Biomedical Sciences Research Division. TMDU comprises four faculties (Medicine, Dentistry, Health Care Sciences and Oral Health Care Sciences), an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, two research institutes (the Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering and the Medical Research Institute), a university hospital attached to the Faculty of Medicine, a university hospital attached to the Faculty of Dentistry, and a dental technologist school.
　At TMDU we strive to produce scientists who expend every possible effort in seeking the truth, and who have the courage and ability to explore new areas, the tolerance and humility to respect diversity and accept new ideas, and the intellectual curiosity born of a broad education. These qualities are necessary for successfully engaging in clinical practice or research, and, indeed, are required for the future of mankind. Meeting the challenging standards expected of a TMDU student will lead you to a satisfying and fulfilling scientific career, one that will completely reward the hard work you will invest in your studies.
Our university aims not only to train you as a medical or dental doctor or other medical professional who can meet the critical needs of society, but to also enable you to become a researcher who can take a leadership role at the forefront of our increasingly internationalized world. At every opportunity we inculcate students with the understanding that the university is not a place to study, but is rather a place where one can learn how to study and how to think independently.
　In pursuit of the goal stated above, TMDU manifests three educational philosophies:

1) To provide students with a broad education and a rich sensibility
　In the Discourses of Confucius we can find the statement, "A scholar is not a vessel." In this context a "vessel" is a device with a single or specific purpose. In other words, a scholar is not merely a specialist who has been trained for one purpose. Instead, a scholar is one who has broad knowledge, wide experience, and rich sensibility. Health care providers should not impose artificial limits on themselves.
　As a further example, when one of Confucius's disciples asked, "Is there any single word which can be a guide to conduct throughout one's life?" the great thinker responded, "It is perhaps the word 'shu.' Do not impose on others what you do not desire for yourself." Confucius meant that one had to be true to oneself while, at the same time, having the intellectual sympathy to be considerate of other people. The concept of "intellectual sympathy" is very important here, as it means that the sympathy is not merely composed of kindness or pity, but is rather a refined sympathy that is based on a broad education. The ability to provide intellectual sympathy is the mark of a true health care professional.
　Certainly, as health care providers, we treat our patients to the utmost of our abilities. Our work, by itself, thus brings some sense of satisfaction. However, the satisfaction we get from our work itself may be nothing more than self-satisfaction. It is not possible for us to fulfill our responsibilities by merely doing our best. We can only experience a real sense of fulfillment when we hear appropriate words of appreciation, such as "Thank you very much," from a patient or a member of a patient's family.
　Thus, those who engage in the medical professions should continuously refine their philosophical nature by paying special attention to the concepts of aging and death, subjects which are conventionally explored by philosophers. As emerging trends in medicine such as regenerative treatment and genetic treatment attract the attention of practicing physicians and dentists, the making of ethical decisions is becoming increasingly important.
　To prepare our students to make such decisions, we thus offer a broad education in liberal arts with the aim of learning to think critically and the cultivation of a deep insight into human nature.

2) To educate creative people capable of diagnosing and solving problems independently
　Those in the health care professions must accumulate sufficient knowledge and techniques in order to have the ability to discover and solve problems. Our educational process is thus rigorous, as a well-prepared professional will always have knowledge and techniques in reserve. In addition, the ideal health care provider will always have health and energy in reserve so that continuous efforts in independent problem discovery and resolution are possible.
　The Master said, in the Discourses of Confucius, "If one learns from others but does not think, one will be bewildered. If, on the other hand, one thinks but does not learn from others, one will be in peril." When you pursue academic training, try to learn as many things as possible. Endeavor to thoroughly digest what you have learned, and then make efforts to apply what you have learned to solve problems around you. If you can do all these things, you will be able to understand the spirit of the Discourses. In short, as a person who pursues science, you must build your character to the point where you will be able to identify and solve problems independently.
　Regardless of how much knowledge and information you acquire, unless you think about how it can be utilized in your life, that hard-won knowledge and information may turn out to be useless. At the other extreme, if you base your judgment only on cold reasoning, you may become self-righteous and make mistakes due to hubris or narrowmindedness. The teachings of Confucius are echoed in the critical philosophy of kant, who said that knowledge can start with experience, but without the use of thoughtful reflection, knowledge may become blind. I thus expect you to appreciate the utility of each subject presented to you in class, to learn to identify problems and ask questions, and to then formulate your own thought process to discover and evaluate solutions to the problems.

3) To train medical professionals with a rich international quality
　Society expects graduates of our university to take international leadership in clinical work and research. We thus give our students the opportunity to acquire a broad education and the ability to produce work that is bound to Japanese spiritual culture and which has an international outlook.
　In the Faculty of Medicine, 40 students to date have had clinical clerkships at Harvard University. A similar curriculum is being implemented by the Faculty of Dentistry. These programs were not designed to rely on or duplicate overseas educational systems, but rather to help us enrich our own educational systems and contribute to the systems at our partner institutions.
　In addition, students who have acquired high grades and who have demonstrated an exemplary ability to learn are eligible for a scholarship to study overseas. I would hope that each TMDU student zealously pursues this opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in a different culture.
　In closing, I would like to note that in the Discourses of Confucius we find the saying, "Virtue never stands alone. It is bound to have neighbors." The virtuous person may feel isolated at times, but there will in fact always be another person close at hand who recognizes and understands virtue. While you are attending our university, please take every opportunity to get to know your senior students, your professors and your other teachers. The relationships you create and nurture at school will be of incalculable value to you in your professional career and your development as an internationally active member of society.

Reference: The Analects, by Confucius