Study Abroad 2026 for a Nursing Student from the Institute of Science Tokyo
Sayaka Suzuki, a 4th-year undergraduate nursing student from the Institute of Science Tokyo, visited the University of Washington (UW) as part of her study abroad program from February to March 2026. She experienced what it is like to study in a university in the United States by joining classes, including BHLTH497/597: Stress, Resilience, and Mental Health in Healthcare, which Dr. Kosuke Niitsu, Associate Professor in the School of Nursing & Health Studies at UW Bothell, taught in the Winter 2026 quarter (Photo 1). In this class, Sayaka delivered a presentation on her graduation thesis: Factors related to Fatigue and Satisfaction among Nurses and Nursing Students, and UW Bothell students in BHLTH497/597 worked on an assignment created based on her presentation. She also joined other classes, such as nursing research, social justice, and culture, and studied together with undergraduate nursing students enrolled in the RN-to-BSN program and students in other majors at UW Bothell (Photo 2).
Sayaka had the opportunity to meet not only nursing students enrolled at UW Bothell but also nursing students enrolled at the Chang Gung University of Science & Technology (CGUST) as well. CGUST students prepared a list of questions and asked them to Sayaka in a press-conference style (Photo 3). Sayaka and CGUST students discussed a variety of issues, including the differences and similarities of nursing education and healthcare systems between Japan and Taiwan.
On Friday, February 27th, the 2026 UW Healthy Aging forum took place at UW Seattle. Sayaka joined this conference and learned about healthy aging from interdisciplinary experts. It served as an excellent opportunity for her to develop a professional network, including meeting with Dr. Hilaire Thompson, Dean of the School of Nursing at UW Seattle, and Dr. Basia Belza, Director of the de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging and Professor in the School of Nursing at UW Seattle (Photo 4). While visiting UW, Sayaka also met Dr. Vanessa Lopez-Littleton, Dean of the School of Nursing & Health Studies at UW Bothell (Photo 5).
In addition to higher education and conference experiences, Sayaka visited hospitals, such as UW Medicine (Photo 6) and Harborview Medical Center (Photo 7), and observed nurses’ roles in clinical settings.
The current and former graduate nursing students in the Master of Nursing (MN) program at UW Bothell served as role models for Sayaka by showing their units, describing their nursing roles, demonstrating interdisciplinary teamwork, and so on. (Photos 8, 9, & 10).
Sayaka participated in additional activities, including the UW Seattle campus tour, the UW Bothell campus tour, visiting Nikkei Manor, shadowing nurse practitioners at UW Medicine and Harborview Medical Center, watching the basketball game at UW Seattle, and more.
Sayaka reflected on her experience through the UW study abroad program and stated, “This opportunity provided me with valuable learning experiences and the encouragement to step into a new world. I learned not only about the impact of nursing on people, but also about how challenging, rewarding, and interesting it is to live and work in a diverse environment. This experience will help shape my future career and motivate me to continue pursuing my goals. I would like to sincerely thank all those involved in this program for making it possible.”