THE MARIANO Marcos State University is hosting five physical therapy students from Seirei Christopher University as part of the international exchange program between the two institutions.

The Japanese students started their clinical externship earlier this week after paying a courtesy call on MMSU officials led by Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Prima Fe Franco.

Franco said the university is honored to welcome the Japanese visitors.

“Facilitated by the CHS Department of Physical Therapy, the trainees will be deployed to the University Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Center, Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, Black Nazarene Hospital Institute, and the Laoag Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy Center in Ilocos Norte,” MMSU said in a statement.

“They will also go to the Florentino Camaquin Integrated School in Vintar, Ilocos Norte to experience the university’s community-based rehabilitation project for differently-abled children. Their externship will run until March 3,” it added.

Last December 2022, chairperson of the SCU physical therapy department Dr. Shinichi Arizono and Dr. Daiki Takahashi visited MMSU to discuss the implementation of the collaborative activities between the two universities.

In 2021, MMSU President Dr. Shirley Agrupis and SCU President Shohei Ohgi signed a Memorandum of Understanding “to enhance the health sciences programs of both schools through exchange of faculty and scholars, academic information and materials, and periodic academic publications.”