As one of the first students in the Department of Drug Discovery Sciences, I currently major in organic chemistry and hope to advance to the Ph.D. program. Many students in the Department of Drug Discovery Sciences are interested in research, so most of my classmates are continuing their studies in graduate school. Many are hoping to secure a job in a private company or at a research institute; others are aiming to study for a PhD degree.
To be frank, when I entered this university I didn't enjoy doing experiments very much and I wasn't interested in conducting research. This university's Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences is renowned for beginning practical training early in the curriculum. Once I took part in experiments, I began to like them. I also became more interested in research after attending technical lectures. If you're interested in drugs—or, even more so, in research—this university may be the right place for you to study pharmacy.

I study the chemical synthesis of natural organic compounds and new catalyst development in an organic chemistry lab. Last year I won a poster award at the Hokuriku seminar of the Society of Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Japan, and gave a Graduate Student Excellence Presentation to the Hokuriku branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. As a reward, I was allowed to attend an international academic conference in Hawaii last December. I will attend another conference in Scotland in August this year. Despite all the challenges during the experiments, I enjoy it when results turn out exactly as expected—or when the totally unexpected happens. For me, motivation comes from the tangible achievement of a successful experiment: academic articles or presentations in academic conferences.
In Hawaii, I realized that English ability is a requirement for being a researcher. So now I am taking special training for English conversation before going to Scotland.

I want to cure currently incurable diseases. That's why I looked for a job as a researcher in a pharmaceutical company. I am the first graduate of the four-year pharmacy school without a pharmacist's license. Even though I was sometimes concerned about the future because I was one of the first students under the new system, I successfully found a job as a researcher in a pharmaceutical company, just as I'd hoped. During the job interview, they asked many questions, not only about my own research but also about club activities, hobbies, and other extracurricular activities. I had no trouble answering these questions; this university offers a superb environment that lets us focus seriously on study and research, but also allows us to be involved in club activities. As a result, we can build strong social networks that help us build our personal skills.
I will endeavor to do my best in my new job by making the most of what I have learned in this university.