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Read Part 1

My path to LSHTM began with medical school in Japan. I graduated from Gunma University in 2022 and immediately enrolled in the MSc Public Health at LSHTM.

Life after LSHTM: Bridging clinical medicine and research

After completing my MSc Public Health in 2023, I returned to Japan and completed my clinical training. I currently work as an internal medicine physician in a rural hospital, where I care for patients in outpatient clinics, hospital wards, and through home visits. I also oversee services at a geriatric health facility and a long-term care centre. It's a deeply fulfilling role that connects me to people’s lives in very immediate and tangible ways.

At the same time, I work as a researcher and PhD candidate, focusing on antimicrobial resistance (AMR)—a critical issue that impacts clinical and global health. AMR is a growing threat that undermines our ability to treat infections effectively. What makes it particularly challenging is how complex and underexplored it still is, especially across different healthcare systems and regions. Even the WHO has listed it as a key indicator within the Sustainable Development Goals.

This September, I will start the NU-LSHTM Joint PhD for Global Health Programme, a unique collaboration between Nagasaki University and LSHTM. I will work with data from both Japan and the UK to identify the key risk factors of AMR, with the goal of informing policies that can be used globally, including in LMICs, where surveillance systems are often limited.

Why a PhD?

Some might ask: Why not stop at the MSc Public Health?

Public health is incredibly broad, encompassing health economics, health policy, biostatistics, health promotion, and more. One year is not enough to become a professional in all of them, but it is enough to build a foundation and awaken intellectual curiosity. I came to see the MSc Public Health as a starting point, not a destination.

I’ve always wanted to participate in international medical volunteer work, and through conversations with professionals in the field, I discovered that it’s possible to join organisations like Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) as an infectious disease expert or epidemiologist. That dream, combined with my interest in infections and my clinical background, made the next step clear: pursuing a PhD that would allow me to develop the technical skills needed to contribute at the highest level.

What Public Health means to me now

Before starting my MSc, “Public Health” felt like a vague term. Now, I see it as a comprehensive framework - a way of understanding the world that accounts for everything from molecular pathogens to global policy, from individual behaviour to social systems.

It has become a mindset, not just a field of study. Public Health is how I now view, question, and attempt to improve the world around me.

Looking ahead with gratitude and purpose

Studying at LSHTM was one of the most formative experiences of my life. 

It taught me how to think more critically, how to ask bigger questions, and how to approach complex problems with humility and rigour. As I prepare to return for my PhD, I do so with deeper respect for the field of public health and a clearer sense of mission.

Whether you’re just starting your journey or deciding your next step, I hope my story reminds you that public health is not just a profession—it’s a perspective, a way of understanding and shaping the world for the better.

• Discover the Joint PhD Programme for Global Health.
• You may be interested in: PhD application guidance from a doctoral researcher.
• Watch Hide's interview at