[NST Club Activities] Presented research findings as an "Outstanding Presentation" at the Kinki Branch Academic Meeting of the Japanese Society for Nutritional Therapy.

On July 25, Akane Fujiwara, a fourth-year Faculty of Health and Nutrition student and former Director of our university's NST (Nutrition Support Team) Club, gave an oral presentation as the lead speaker at the 18th Academic Meeting of the Branch of the Japanese Society of Nutritional Therapy, titled "Report on NST Club Activities at Universities with Medical Faculties—Considering NST Activities from Basic Education."

This presentation was selected for the outstanding presentation session at the academic conference. In a session where research presentations by medical professionals belonging to medical institutions such as university hospitals and general hospitals are predominant, the selection of a report on the activities of the NST Club, run by undergraduate students of our university, is a great honor.

The presentation introduced the activities of the university's NST Club, which is comprised of students from Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Global Nursing, and Department of Oral Health Sciences These activities include case studies conducted by multidisciplinary groups, lectures from professionals active in clinical settings, and observations of NST conferences at hospitals, all aimed at deepening understanding of interprofessional collaboration.

Furthermore, in a survey conducted among club members, all participating students responded that it "led to an understanding of differences in thinking between professions and medical departments" and "helped to resolve a lack of communication within the team." They also responded that they "learned things that cannot be learned in classes," indicating that a learning environment combining university studies, club activities, and clinical observations has the potential to improve understanding of and practical skills in interprofessional collaboration.

On the day of the event, the students confidently presented their research findings in front of a large audience. During the Q&A session, medical professionals working in the field offered encouraging and hopeful comments, such as, "I have never heard of a university undertaking such an initiative. It is wonderful that students are able to engage in activities that promote interprofessional collaboration from the undergraduate level. I hope you will collaborate with medical students from other universities and further expand this initiative." This led to high praise for the university's education and extracurricular activities.

While Ms. Fujiwara was the lead presenter for this research, Ms. Keito Yoshida, Ms. Koki Nishizawa, Ms. Shion Ohdoh, and Ms. Hideyuki Nakamichi, all fourth-year students in Faculty of Health and Nutrition and also members of the NST Club, collaborated on the implementation and tabulation of the questionnaires, as well as the analysis and discussion of the results. Furthermore, on the day of the academic conference, Ms. Yoshida, Ms. Nishizawa, and NST Club advisors, Lecturer Ryotaro Tsuchiya of Faculty of Global Nursing and Associate Professor Akiko Shioya of Faculty of Health and Nutrition also attended the venue to watch the presentation. One of the major achievements of this presentation is that the results of the activities undertaken by club members and faculty working together were highly evaluated at the academic conference.

After concluding her presentation, presenter Fujiwara commented, "It was a very valuable experience to be able to present an oral report on the activities of the NST Club, which I founded and served as representative of last year, at this academic conference. I was also greatly encouraged by the warm evaluations and comments of expectation I received directly from teachers who are active in the field. I hope that this activity will be passed on to younger generations and will develop even further in the future."

This presentation provided a valuable opportunity to share the results of our university's student-centered learning and interprofessional education initiatives at an academic conference. Moving forward, the NST Club will continue its activities to cultivate the practical skills and collaborative abilities required in the medical field through learning that transcends the boundaries of faculties and departments.

(Source: Student Affairs Division Osaka Castle Campus)