Goki, tell us something about yourself. Who are you, how old are you and where are you from…

My name is Goki Fujiya, I’m 36 years old and I come from Sapporo, Japan.

What is your field of study?

I studied medicine and at first I worked as a medical doctor in Japan. Then I went to an American law school in Philadelphia to become a lawyer and I took an internship in law as well. After this period, I practiced as a medical doctor but I realized that I was more interested in the pharmaceutical sector. For this reason, I decided to take an internship in pharmacovigilance.

Why did you choose this program, and Italy?

I chose Italy because I was interested in the Italian language, and this program has given me the chance to both study Italian and intern in pharmacovigilance. I chose Istituto Europeo’s internship program also for the excellent internship placement, the good price and the possibility to intern without any knowledge of Italian.

What do you like most about the city of Florence – and of Italy of course?

I really like Italian language and culture. I lived in other countries – like Germany – and I met a lot Italians. Italian people are very friendly and nice, so I really enjoy living among Italians and having Italian friends.

Florence is a beautiful city. I live in the center and it’s wonderful. I like walking in the streets, admiring the buildings and the scenery.

Where do you currently work here in Florence?

I work at the Careggi University Hospital in Florence, a very good placement.

Which kind of internship are you doing? What are your main tasks and responsibilities?

I’m doing an internship in Pharmacovigilance, also known as Drug Safety. During the first weeks my supervisors showed me the Pharmaceutical Department in all its sections and showed me what they are doing, and on what they are working. After this period I focused on pharmacovigilance and on my research. In general, pharmacovigilance analyzes the side effects of many kinds of medicines on patients. In particular, my research focuses on the side effects of new medicines introduced in Europe and Italy, but well known and used for several years in the USA. I analyze the data of the American Food and Drug Administration and collect information about what kind of side effects there are with these new drugs in America and what kind of guideline the US government has made. Another task I have is to research the crushing of medicines – which means, side effects caused when medicines are crashed (like pills with a particular coating) for patients who have stomach or throat problems and cannot swallow them intact.

Did you like this internship?

Yes, I really enjoy my internship!

Would you recommend this internship and this program to someone else?

Yes, I would definitely recommend this internship in pharmacovigilance. In my experience, most people I work with speak English, so I don’t have much difficulty. In other fields, some knowledge of the Italian language is required; one more reason to study Italian!