【KUSPH①】Accepted to Postgraduate School!

On 10 September 2021, I was accepted to the Clinical Biostatistics Course, School of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University (KUSPH) (Japan). This course is a Professional Degree Course: Master of Public Health, which was established with the aim of improving the quality of clinical research in Japan by fostering clinical biostatisticians, which are currently lacking in Japan. From now on, I would like to contribute to medicine from the viewpoint of clinical biostatistics.

Logo of KUSPH.

From the beginning of May, when I started studying, to the 25th and 26th of August, the days of the entrance exam, I had less than four months, but I managed to pass the exam. It was a reckless challenge to change my career path from my current postgraduate school, which is mainly in experimental science, to a postgraduate school in clinical biostatistics, but it seems that I have been able to make my way step by step. I would like to thank my parents for having allowed me to make this decision and for having encouraged me throughout my exam studies. I would like to thank my undergraduate supervisor and my current supervisor for their advice. I would like to thank my friend at university and my part-time colleagues for their warm support. During the four months of studying for the exam, I started a part-time job, repeatedly submitted an article, my maternal grandfather passed away, and I received the COVID-19 vaccinations, but I think that the lack of time enabled me to concentrate on studying for the exam.

Due to the pandemic of COVID-19, the written exam was held on 25 August and the oral exam on 26 August online. As an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person), the fact that I was able to take the exam at home was probably a big factor in my passing. Also, the fact that I had experienced the online entrance exam for my current postgraduate school last year may have come in handy. However, in the written exam on the 25th, I couldn't answer the question of statistics so much, and in the oral exam on the 26th, I gave a presentation that lacked logic and was unclear on the point when I was asked to give a brief presentation on 'what I was passionate about'. Therefore, I thought I had failed, and the day of the announcement of the application results arrived. When I found my number, I thought it was a miracle. 

In 2024, when I am expected to complete my postgraduate degree, my father will have reached the age of sixty. I feel that I should not change my career path anymore so as not to worry my family. I will continue my studies and research to contribute to medicine in the field of clinical biostatistics. I will cherish every day from now on so that I can be glad that I changed the postgraduate school.

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On 6 October 2021, I was again approved to receive the Master 21 Postgraduate Scholarship from the Yoshida Scholarship Foundation. I would like to thank the Yoshida Scholarship Foundation for their generous decision to allow me to change my postgraduate school and research area. I am determined to work hard on my studies and research so that I can achieve results worthy of this scholarship.

Kenta Kevee Kisaï, #17