Welcome to Health Sciences

I am Takayuki Ishida, the Dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, and the Division of Health Sciences of the Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University. Thank you for visiting our website.

The School of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine at Osaka University consists of three majors: Nursing, Medical Physics and Engineering, and Laboratory Sciences, each dedicated to education and research to cultivate specialists in their respective fields. The Division of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine offers both a master’s program and a doctoral program, including distinctive graduate courses such as the Next-Generation Cancer Professional Training Plan (the 4th phase of cancer professionals), Genetic Counseling (expanding to cover lifestyle-related diseases as well as cancer), Clinical Engineering Instructors Training Program, Advanced Medical Physics Training Course, and Nurse Practitioner Program for autonomous therapeutic and preventive interventions. With these programs and courses, we are committed to developing professionals with a research mindset who will play a leading role in healthcare and research.

The origin of Osaka University’s Faculty of Medicine can be traced back to Tekijuku, a school founded by a scholar of Western studies and physician, Ogata Koan, in the Edo period. The Osaka Provisional Hospital and Osaka Prefectural Medical School established by Koan’s disciples later became the Faculty of Medicine at Osaka University. In the Meiji era, Japan’s first midwifery school was established at the Osaka Prefectural Medical School, soon followed by the establishment of a nursing school, marking a history of nearly 150 years. Shortly after World War II, the Osaka University Nursing School opened on the Toyonaka campus, which developed into Japan’s first national College of Bio-Medical Technology in 1967 with three departments: Nursing, Radiological Technology, and Clinical Laboratory Technology. In 1993, the School of Allied Health Sciences with a four-year undergraduate program was established, followed by the master’s program in 1998 and the doctoral program in 2000. In 2023, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the School of Allied Health Sciences, which has educated over 4,700 undergraduate students and more than 2,200 master’s and doctoral students to date. Our graduates excel not only in health and medical fields but also in research and business. This long history and the achievements of our numerous graduates are evidence that Osaka University’s School of Allied Health Sciences is a pioneer and leader among health sciences universities in Japan.

Health sciences education plays an important role in protecting and improving people’s health with objectives such as preventing diseases, extending healthy life expectancy, and enhancing quality of life (QOL). Studies in health sciences require interdisciplinary knowledge beyond medicine and healthcare. At the School of Allied Health Sciences and the Division of Health Sciences at Osaka University, therefore, internationally recognized faculty members with diverse backgrounds in medicine, nursing, medical technology science, engineering, pharmacy, and science provide comprehensive education and research while respecting students’ interests and values. To fulfill the mission of the Division of Health Sciences to “cultivate medical professionals who contribute to people’s happiness from a health perspective,” and to enable the School of Allied Health Sciences’ original technologies and research achievements to contribute to global health and help nurture professionals, we are promoting open innovation, enhancing educational and research foundations through information technology, advancing internationalization, developing leadership talents, and working on diversity and inclusion.

Regarding internationalization, the Division of Health Sciences has academic agreements with 16 universities in 11 countries across North America, Europe, and Asia, engaging in active academic exchanges such as training and study abroad programs. We also have numerous globally recognized research projects that contribute to developing global talents through research. We hope that you will join us at the School of Allied Health Sciences of the Faculty of Medicine and the Division of Health Sciences of the Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, to pursue your goals and become a professional who can contribute to the future of health sciences for the benefit of society and humanity.
Our faculty and staff look forward to welcoming you as a student.

Takayuki Ishida, Ph.D.
Dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, and the Division of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University