On December 18th, this year’s last Find-Your-Role-Model Session was held. We welcomed Dr. Yoko Fujimoto, Senior Director of Medical Affairs Essential Health at Pfizer Japan Inc. as our guest.

A TMDU alumni, Dr. Fujimoto joined the department of neurology and neuroscience, serving Tokyo metropolitan hospitals for 6 years. In the meantime, she took an opportunity to do research at Duke University, where she engaged in basic immunological research. Joining Pfizer Japan Inc. in 2002, Dr. Fujimoto served as director of R&D, contributing to the release of medications for a number of diseases including diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and cardiovascular diseases. After joining the department of Established Pharmaceutical Business in 2013, she became Director of Medical Affairs in 2014.

One of the key topics of this session was, "what is “Medical Affairs” at Pfizer?", which she thoroughly explained by describing the role medical doctors can play in the pharmaceutical industry. Medical Affairs is a vital department that helps communication and collaboration between other departments including marketing and R&D, as well as provides information on medication to patients and medical professionals in effective and comprehensive ways. It was very stimulating to know about other fields where medical doctors can make the most of their clinical experience.

“The core values and motivations in her career path” was also another main focus of discussion. Even though Dr. Fujimoto's career path is a success story of combining outstanding experiences in the clinical field, basic research and pharmaceutical industry, it doesn’t only consist of bright sides. While she was doing research in the United States, for instance, she was deprived of a visa and forced to return to Japan. At the core of her indomitable spirit to come back to the US to complete her research was her willingness to pursue what really interested her and her foresight about what could broaden her potential most. Everyone was inspired by her enthusiasm and positive mentality to overcome whatever hardship she might face and to reach for higher goals.

Students from every grade and department as well as doctors gathered for this session; all were impressed by how honestly Dr. Fujimoto discussed her experiences, which led everyone to ask questions until the very last minute of the session.