Observership Visits for Doctors and Researchers

1. Observership Overview

Eligible Candidates	Clinicians and researchers specializing in cancer. Observerships at NCC are unsuitable to students, nor will medical education credits be awarded as a result of the visit. We are unable to evaluate any visitors.
Host	Only one department/division (NCC organigrams, pdf:190 KB) will host the visitors at a time.
Duration	Usually around 10 days, up to 90 days of staying in Japan
Medical Practice in NCC	As for observership visits in the hospitals, No hands-on training. Hands-in-pocket observation/shadowing only. Unless licensed by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, physical contact/consultation with patients is disallowed.
Fees	The Observership program is currently free. However, we regret no financial aid schemes of our own are on offer for visitors. Some known financial schemes (pdf:157KB). Please be informed that NCC is unable to assist in finding financial schemes to support your visit.
Language	Japanese is dominant in NCC. The host department/division communicates with visitors in English. English proficiency, not only in reading and writing, but in verbal communication is essential, i.e. IELTS Academic 6.0, TOEFL iBT 60 or equivalent. Submission of certificates is not required.
Immunity Verification	All visitors to NCC must submit certificates to verify their immunity for mumps, measles, rubella and varicella. Certificates of vaccination two each or, if unavailable, qualitative antibody titer tests (EIA) are required.
Logistics	Visitors are responsible for all travel/accommodation/insurance arrangements/living expenses, we regret there are no dormitories for visitors. Tsukiji campus: Hotel List (pdf:1,083KB), Accommodation Search (pdf:1,188KB) Kashiwa campus: Hotel List (pdf:1,002KB), Accommodation Search (pdf:1,053KB)
Certificate	Issued upon attendance completion (issued once only, for visits over 3 days).

2. Application Process

a．Plan your visit and submit the Inquiry Form 6-12 months before your planned start date.

Click HERE for the inquiry form, to submit your information to NCC.
Use this form to upload your CV and letter of reference.

b．Visit applications

If cleared to proceed to the next step, you will receive the link for the official application.
Submit the required documents through the form at least 3-6 months before the start date.

• Passport holders requiring a Japanese visa are encouraged to apply up to one year ahead, to ensure preparation time. All of the required documents need to be submitted at least 3 months before the starting date, otherwise your application may not be accepted.
  Please check your VISA requirements. [ https://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/short/novisa.html ]

 

Required documents are as below:

For visits over 3days (4-90days)	For short visits (1-3days)
(1-a) Application form（Excel:69KB） (2) Immunity verification certificates (3) Passport copy (4) Medical license copy or equivalent document	(1-b) Application form for short visits（Excel:57KB） (2) Immunity verification certificates (3) Passport copy

c. Internal authorization completed - Approval of visit and Issuance of NCC Invitation Letter

You will be notified by email when your application is officially accepted.

• For VISA applicants, ‘Letter of Invitation’ certifying your status as an invitee to NCC will also be issued.  Please refer to the important information(pdf:188KB) when you prepare for the VISA application. When you obtain the VISA from the Japanese embassy/consulate, inform your contact person in NCC.

d. Prepare for travel

NCC will inform you about your first day a few weeks before your observership visit starts.

3. From Arrival in Japan to Visit to NCC

  a. Flights – Haneda airport allows better access to both campuses
  b. Accommodation - a list with search tips can be provided for your reference
  c. The Office of International Affairs team shall conduct an orientation meeting on the first day of your visit.

Notes

Please Check Japanese border measures related to COVID-19 pandemic well before your departure from your home country

3‐i NCC Observership Guidebook

No.	Contents
1	NCC Overview
2	Access	Tsukiji	Kashiwa
3	Hotel List	Tsukiji	Kashiwa
4	Accommodation Search	Tsukiji	Kashiwa
5	Neighborhood Facilities	Tsukiji	Kashiwa
6	Hospital Floor Guide	Tsukiji	Kashiwa
7	Hospital Facilities	Tsukiji	Kashiwa
8	Cafeteria Menu	Tsukiji	Kashiwa
9	International Doctors Lounge	Tsukiji	Kashiwa
10	What to Pack for Observership
11	Life in Japan	Tsukiji	Kashiwa
12	Easy Japanese (Yasashii Nihongo)

3-ii Rules & Regulations

Observers must comply with all NCC standards, rules, and regulations.

NCC patients’ data are beyond the reach of visitors, whether or not for research purposes.

No photos of patients or private information, please. No patient information, regardless of the format, leaves the premises.

4. FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Before Arrival/Preparing Your Visit

 

[1. Application Process]
Q1-1. Can I apply as a medical student?
Q1-2. Is hands-on training an option?
Q1-3. Can I fill in the application form with handwriting?
Q1-4. Can the signature on the reference letter be a digital signature?
Q1-5. EIA-IgG tests for antibody titer are not available in the country where I reside. What should I do?

 

Q1-1. Can I apply as a medical student?

A1-1. Observership visits at NCC are not designated for students. No medical education credits are rewarded as a result of the visit, and we are unable to evaluate any visitors. Even if evaluations are not required, we are not prepared to accept students on a regular basis.

Q1-2. Is hands-on training an option?

A1-2. No hands-on training. Hands-in-pocket observation/shadowing only. Unless licensed by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, physical contact/consolation with patients is disallowed.

Q1-3. Can I fill in the application form with handwriting?

A1-3. No. Please type the required information into the form. All documents must be converted into pdf and submit to us through the Visit Application Form which you can get an access when your request is accepted by the host departments/divisions after the submission of the Inquiry form.

Q1-4. Can the signature on the reference letter be a digital signature?

A1-4. A wet signature is preferred, but digitally signing or inserting a signed image are accepted.

Q1-5. EIA-IgG tests for antibody titer are not available in the country where I reside. What should I do?

A1-5. Please have a certificate issued that states that you are proven positive with antibodies for the specific disease. Please indicate diseases in English.

 [2. Preparation for Your Stay in Japan]
Q2-1. Do I need to purchase travel insurance?
Q2-2. Is that okay that I don’t speak Japanese?
Q2-3. Can I bring a dependent with me to Japan?
Q2-4. Can I send packages to your center before the visit date, and receive when I arrive?
Q2-5. Can you be my guarantor for real estate rentals?
Q2-6. How can I find suitable accommodation?

 

Q2-1. Do I need to purchase travel insurance?

A2-1. Yes. We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance for the period of time that you are engaged in observership, prior to departing your country of residence.

Q2-2. Is that okay that I don’t speak Japanese, but English?

A2-2. Japanese proficiency is not a requirement for our observership visits. However, English proficiency (good listening, reading, and writing skills) are an absolute requirement. We reserve the right to annul his/her invitation, should the visitor fail to demonstrate ability. It may result in early termination of his/her participation, in which case any paid fees will not be refunded.

Q2-3. Can I bring a dependent with me to Japan?

A2-3. Some long-term visitors bring their families to Japan during their stay, you are welcome to do so. We regret that we are unable to issue visa letters for family members or other company joining you for your visit to Japan. Please ensure that all visa requirements are cleared on your end beforehand.

Q2-4. Can I send packages to your center before the visit date, and receive when I arrive?

A2-4. We are unable to keep personal packages for visitors. This applies to the period during your visit too. If you wish to receive any personal packages, please send to your accommodation.

Q2-5. Can you be my guarantor for real estate rentals?

A2-5. Nobody from our center is able to serve as a guarantor for visitors, upon renting accommodation or any other business.

Q2-6. How can I find suitable accommodation?

A2-6. There are plenty to choose from these days. For visitors staying over a month, there are more economical packages available. Please refer to ‘Hotel lists’ and ‘Accommodation Search’ in the NCC Observership Guidebook on our website. Please note that we no longer have accommodation ready on/off site.

After Arrival/During Your Stay

 

[3. Life in NCC]
Q3-1. Is there an attire code?
Q3-2. Is there a smoking area on the premises?

 

Q3-1. Is there an attire code?

A3-1. Please bring your white/lab coat with you to wear in the hospital during your stay. If you are observing operations, please bring shoes to wear in the operation rooms, NCC scrubs will be available to you, you do not need to bring them with you. Casual attire is fine, but no jeans, no perfume (chemotherapy patients can find this disturbingly nauseous) please.

Q3-2. Is there a smoking area on the premises?

A3-2. No. Smoking is not permitted on the premises throughout. Very few spots in the neighborhood allow smoking.