The medical field?

[Serial]

I'm just relaying this question for a friend. He's currently studying nursing in the Philippines (Junior or Senior equivalent in college I believe?) and is I think planning on furthering his education on it in the United States. Although I thought he was only half-joking, but what are his chances on finding work in Japan?

My mother who's also currently half-studying and working as a nurse in the States mentioned that nursing is so much in demand in most nations that it wouldn't be much of a problem aside from the language barrier. However I did once read about a year ago that due to Japan's negative (?) view on Filipino nurses, very very few were allowed to work in. Is this also the same for other common medical fields such as pharmacology, doctors, dentists, radiologists, etc.? I've always wondered why being an English Teacher was the majority of foreigners' job in Japan. (And translators/interpreters too.)

Just a little curious.

 

[Mike Cash]

I'm just relaying this question for a friend. He's currently studying nursing in the Philippines (Junior or Senior equivalent in college I believe?) and is I think planning on furthering his education on it in the United States. Although I thought he was only half-joking, but what are his chances on finding work in Japan?

As a nurse? I would think they are very close to zero.

However, the question did lead me to do a little googling and I learned something that sheds at least a glimmer of hope on the scene.

看護師 - Wikipedia

看護師 フィリピン - Google 検索

My mother who's also currently half-studying and working as a nurse in the States mentioned that nursing is so much in demand in most nations that it wouldn't be much of a problem aside from the language barrier.

"Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the show?"

I've always wondered why being an English Teacher was the majority of foreigners' job in Japan.

Because a multitude of positions exist, employee turnover rates are astoundingly high, professional expectations are astoundingly low, and it's inside work with no heavy lifting.

 

[Mars Man]

Hello there Serial san. Yes, pretty much as Mike said, I'd have to agree. The chances of landing a job at anything other than some specialty medical institution that is trying to get the 'foreigner' market, is very close to nothing.

I have family here in the medical professon--my brother-in-law is middle management at one of the medium-sized hospitals in Matsumoto--and have been teaching English to workers there for 10 years. I have also taught at another larger university hospital, and have a few friends in that field as well.

I feel, therefore, that I can at least say something, and feel a little sure about it. At the same time, however, I wouldn't want to put too much of a damperner on it. . . because it's not zero; only very close to it. And, other factors may come into play as well.

 

[Mike Cash]

There is a somewhat active effort to broaden opportunities for Filipinas (note, I did not say "FilipinOs") to work in nursing homes, not as nurses, but as more generalized caregivers. The ladies are having to overcome a huge image problem, based on the fact that when Japanese think "Filipina" there is a very strong tendency to think "Filipina pub hostess" (or "*****").

 

[Minty]

I've always wondered why being an English Teacher was the majority of foreigners' job in Japan. (And translators/interpreters too.)

I would say that's because many Japanese don't speak Engilsh very well, hence the demand for native English teachers.

I think I read it somewhere the Japan's nurses' union productively pressured lawmakers to deflect the entrance of doctors and nurses abroad. I also read that they prefer robots rather than having a caring Filipina drop by for a chat.

 

[GaijinPunch]

Wasn't nursing one of the main occupations that got a huge visa-boost a few years ago, b/c there wasn't enough people to take over the growing elderly population?

 

[lu_bu1977]

So, folks, is there demand for foreign(Western)-trained health professionals in Japan? E.g. pharmacists, optometrists, etc..?

 

[Mike Cash]

So, folks, is there demand for foreign(Western)-trained health professionals in Japan? E.g. pharmacists, optometrists, etc..?

Not really, no.

And there's no such thing as an optometrist in Japan. Nor a podiatrist. Nor a doctor of chiropracty.

 

[lu_bu1977]

Not really, no.

And there's no such thing as an optometrist in Japan. Nor a podiatrist. Nor a doctor of chiropracty.

Hi Mike,
Actually I think chiropractic exists there. In fact, a certain Japanese Chiropractic school offers its accredited course through a major university in Perth. Nevertheless, I really won't be surprised if Chiropractic is not considered a mainstream or orthodox health profession in Japan. As for podiatry, I don't know much about the profession, so I will take your word for it.

Concerning optometry, I thought Japan has such practitioners? What are you basing your claims on? Please refer me to the site. I am surprised because a high-school acquaintance supposedly studied Optometry in Australia and went over to Tokyo to practice.

Is there a demand for other types of Western trained health practitioners in Japan?

 

[Hachiro]

Nor a doctor of chiropracty.

Mike they do exist, they are called "seitaishi".

And there's no such thing as an optometrist in Japan.

Actually there are opthamologists, "ganka" and many of the people that work at the local "megane- ya- san" have credentials similar to a optometrist as well.

 

[Mike Cash]

I knew some people would think my post in error.

In Japan neither chiropractors nor seitaishi are doctors. That isn't to say that a person might not obtain a doctor of chiropracty license abroad and practice in Japan, though.

Seitaishi:
ﾂ青ｮ窶佚娯?堙??堙債、ﾂ最毒?i窶堙娯?堙､窶堋ｪ窶堙昶?堙ｰ窶卍ｼ窶堋ｵﾂ、ﾂ身窶佚娯?堙娯?ｹﾃ渉青ｮ窶堙ｰ窶堙??堙ｩ窶堋ｱ窶堙??堙俄?堙ｦ窶堙≫?堙?、ﾅ停?卍康窶伉敖進窶堙遺?堙??堙ｰ窶堙坂?堋ｩ窶堙ｩ窶ｹZﾂ術窶堙??堋ｷﾂ。ﾅ?ﾂｳﾅｽﾃ停?堙俄?佚寂?堋ｵﾂ、ﾅｽﾃｨ窶堙俄?堙ｦ窶堙ｩﾆ筑ﾆ鍛ﾆ探ﾂーﾆ淡窶堙ｰ窶吮??ﾂ心窶堙可、窶堋ｸ窶堙ｪ窶堙??堋ｵ窶堙懌?堙≫?堋ｽ窶掫ﾂ最凪?堙｢ﾂ最凪?敕補?堙遺?堙??堙ｰ窶ｹﾂｸﾂ青ｳ窶堋ｵﾂ、ﾂ神ﾅ弛窶堙娯?板ｬ窶堙ｪ窶堙ｰ窶ｰﾃｼ窶榔窶堋ｳ窶堋ｹﾂ、窶佚娯?卍ｲ窶堙ｰ窶ｰﾃｼ窶榔窶堋ｷ窶堙ｩ窶堋ｱ窶堙??堋ｪ窶禿壺?廬窶堙??堋ｷﾂ。ﾂ針窶ｹ窶｡ﾅｽt窶堙｢ﾅｽwﾋ?ｳﾅｽt窶堙??吮?堙遺?堙ｨﾂ、ﾂ青ｮ窶佚固ｽt窶堙俄?堙最ｽ窶佛?i窶堙遺?堙??堙坂?堙遺?堋｢窶堙娯?堙?、窶慊ｯ窶堋ｶﾆ筑ﾆ鍛ﾆ探ﾂーﾆ淡ﾅ?ﾃ滅淡窶堙固ｽ窶佛?i窶堙ｰﾅｽﾃｦ窶慊ｾ窶堋ｵ窶堋ｽ窶堙ｨﾂ、窶愿ｺﾂ々窶忤窶氾坂?堋ｵ窶堙?ｽﾂｩ窶｢ﾂｪ窶堙娯?ｹZﾂ術窶堙ｰ窶督≫?堋｢窶堙?行窶堋ｭﾅｽ窶凪?堋ｪ窶佚･ﾂ静倪?堙??堋ｷﾂ。

Same goes for chiropractors:
http://www.ccv.ne.jp/home/hcc/7faqshikaku.html#anchorseitai3

A person may obtain optometry training in Australia and work in Japan. But the same could be said for a person who hasn't obtained the training anywhere. There is no special educational or licensing requirement equivalent to "Doctor of Optometry".

http://tinyurl.com/l54x7

 

[lu_bu1977]

I knew some people would think my post in error.
...

In Japan neither chiropractors nor seitaishi are doctors. That isn't to say that a person might not obtain a doctor of chiropracty license abroad and practice in Japan, though.
Same goes for chiropractors:
http://www.ccv.ne.jp/home/hcc/7faqshikaku.html#anchorseitai3

A person may obtain optometry training in Australia and work in Japan. But the same could be said for a person who hasn't obtained the training anywhere. There is no special educational or licensing requirement equivalent to "Doctor of Optometry".

http://tinyurl.com/l54x7

Mike, your previous statement, "And there's no such thing as an optometrist in Japan. Nor a podiatrist. Nor a doctor of chiropracty." could have been better framed.

The original question was not whether chiropractors, podiatrists or optometrists were doctors, (medical or otherwise) in Japan. These occupations are called allied health here in Australia and are not doctors of any sort. Unlike in the US, you can't legally attach a Dr. title to these professions. (except maybe the recalcitrant chiros)

As for the optometry, I see it now - registration/licensing is not required to practice in Japan. Thank you for the URL. It is clear that Japan does not consider that a real health "profession".

What about Western-trained medical practitioners? Are they welcome or even in demand?

 

[Mike Cash]

Mike, your previous statement, "And there's no such thing as an optometrist in Japan. Nor a podiatrist. Nor a doctor of chiropracty." could have been better framed.

Or you could have read what it said and not inferred what was not there.

What about Western-trained medical practitioners? Are they welcome or even in demand?

I know of one American doctor of chiropracty who came to Japan and worked with a chain of chiropractic centers in Kansai. Reportedly he was pulling in some very good money. He was primarily used for training the chiropractors they already had. Since the field is unregulated in Japan (other than licensure by a self-regulating industry body), the nature of the professional education they receive can be quite spotty. It's sort of like becoming a barber. You can either go to school for it, or you can pick it up via OJT (on-the-job training).

If one can get around the licensure/visa requirements (which would be easier for those practicing in fields unregulated in Japan), then one might try to affiliate with an existing practice in Japan or set up an independent practice, I suppose. How well it would go is anybody's guess. I won't insult your intelligence with an additional paragraph on how Japanese language ability may figure into things.

 

[lu_bu1977]

Or you could have read what it said and not inferred what was not there.

I see. I only read what was actually typed. Yes, I have yet to get used to this new kind of semantics.

If one can get around the licensure/visa requirements (which would be easier for those practicing in fields unregulated in Japan), then one might try to affiliate with an existing practice in Japan or set up an independent practice, I suppose. How well it would go is anybody's guess. I won't insult your intelligence with an additional paragraph on how Japanese language ability may figure into things.

Why yes, I have started learning the Japanese language. Thankfully, Chinese characters are quite widely used and the meanings appear to be similar. With graduation being quite far away, time is aplenty I hope. Thanks for the info.