Greeting

Takenaka Katsuto

Dean of the Graduate School of Medicine and School of Medicine, Ehime University

For more than 50 years, the School of Medicine at Ehime University has played a central role in medical education, research, and patient care in Ehime Prefecture and across Shikoku. Since its founding in 1973, the School has been guided by a simple but enduring principle: Learning from and giving back to patients through education, research, and healthcare. Over the decades, this commitment has shaped the education of more than 6,000 healthcare professionals and continues to define who we are today.

Located on the Shigenobu Campus, our School of Medicine and University Hospital together form the largest medical hub in Shikoku. Each day, this campus brings together students, faculty, healthcare professionals, researchers, and patients in a dynamic environment where education, discovery, and clinical care are deeply interconnected. In 2023, the School of Medicine celebrated the 50th anniversary of its founding, and in October 2026, the University Hospital will mark 50 years since its opening. These milestones offer an opportunity not only to reflect on our history, but also to look ahead to the future.

Today, healthcare faces profound challenges. Japan’s aging population, regional disparities in access to care, workforce shortages, and the need to strengthen research capacity all demand a new level of responsibility from academic medicine. As a regional national university medical school, we believe our mission is not only to respond to these challenges, but also to help lead the way forward.

With this sense of purpose, the School of Medicine established its 10-year vision in April 2024: “Realizing a Healthy Longevity Society through Advanced Medicine.” This vision reflects our determination to contribute to a society in which people can live longer, healthier lives supported by innovation, evidence, and compassionate care.

To realize this vision, we are advancing three core priorities.

First, we are committed to educating the next generation of healthcare professionals. Through rigorous medical and nursing education, expanded clinical training opportunities, and seamless undergraduate and postgraduate development, we aim to prepare physicians, nurses, and healthcare leaders who will sustain and transform regional medicine.

Second, we are committed to strengthening research through advanced medical science. As the only designated advanced treatment hospital in Ehime Prefecture, our University Hospital has a unique responsibility to deliver highly advanced care. That responsibility must be supported by strong basic science, translational research, and clinical investigation. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and supporting emerging researchers, we seek to generate knowledge that directly improves patient care.

Third, we are committed to building a medical school that is connected to both the region and the world. Deeply rooted in the local community, we work closely with regional partners to contribute to healthy longevity and innovation in Ehime. At the same time, through international exchange and global engagement, we strive to cultivate globally minded professionals and promote research that reaches beyond national borders.

As we look to the future, our commitment remains clear: to serve our community, to advance medical science, and to educate the leaders who will shape the next era of healthcare. Rooted in the region and connected to the world, the School of Medicine at Ehime University will continue to move forward with ambition, responsibility, and purpose.