Hello, I’m DONG NGOC QUANG from Vietnam. I’m in the 4th year of the Ph.D. course at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 
   I am studying how to conduct research in medicine like other similar PhD programs. My professor is very active and has a lot of ideas so I have received a lot of advice and been able to publish a few papers. In addition, besides doing research, I am allowed to join and participate in the surgery operated by my department. This is very advantageous for me because when I go back to my country, I can apply the knowledge to offer better treatment to my patients.
   Izumo is a very calm and tranquil city with nice weather, although it is quite cold in winter, so the general atmosphere is very suitable to study in my opinion. The people of Izumo, whom I have met, are very polite, gentle and helpful. They also care a lot about foreigners, so my wife and I feel very grateful toward the people here. Before the spread of Covid-19, we were often invited by the elders of Izumo to join their parties and other social activities. The city even organized some disaster prevention programs specifically for foreigners. These kind treatments really affect the way we think and our attitude toward people. So we tell ourselves that we should behave more like them (Izumo people) in order to become better.
   If possible, I would like Shimane University to become more active internationally. The University has a lot of potential with many high-quality researchers and clinicians but very few people in my country know about it. I think the university may do some advertisement or  promotion to attract more students from neighboring countries and gain more international reputation.
   For those who are interested in studying here as a graduate student, the first thing I would like to say is you should be good at both English and Japanese. These language skills are essential to study abroad. Secondly, self-discipline is equally important. Everyone has their own business, so you need to push yourself to study. In other words, your success depends on you. The other thing is be nice and kind with everyone- the kindness will be returned sooner or later.

by DONG NGOC QUANG, October 2020