The University of Leicester became known for its name when Mako Akishino (Mako Komuro) studied abroad in 2015. But in fact, long before that, there was a very deep connection between the University of Leicester's medical English program and Japan.
 
The beginning of things goes back to 2005. Dr. Yoshiaki Iwashita (currently a professor at the Department of Emergency Medicine, Shimane University School of Medicine), who was studying abroad at the University of Leicester at the time, introduced the "method of English education not found in Japan" that he felt when he took an English class in the United Kingdom. I visited the Faculty of English Education (ELTU) at the University of Leicester, where I was in charge of English lessons for international students, thinking that I could pass it on to my juniors.
 
The dean of the department at that time said, "In the conventional overseas hospital training program, participants are recruited on the premise that they can speak English, so students who are not good at English cannot participate." Explaining the situation that Japanese students were facing, such as "It is not possible to visit a hospital with a short-term language study abroad program," he said, "I want you to create a medical English program for Japanese medical students." I was asked about the possibility.
 
　"The program aims to improve English proficiency, and we hope that you will visit hospitals and medical systems and use them for future practical training and employment overseas."

​ At that time, there was no such program in England, and it was a very epoch-making idea. The dean immediately agreed, "It's a great idea!", But at that time, the "customization course" itself was still rare, and there was no precedent for a medical program, so "Is it really a gathering of students?" There was also anxiety on the university side.
 
In order to realize the medical English program, Dr. Iwashita returned to Japan and spared even a short time between hard work to inform and gather participants of a completely unknown unknown program, and medical students who wish to study abroad. The daunting task of providing support to the UK was energetically carried out, and in August 2006, the UK's first "medical English program for Japanese medical students with no English proficiency" was realized.