It has been almost seven years since I succeeded former Professor Shinichiro Miyoshi as Professor of the Department of Pulmonary and Breast Endocrine Surgery at Okayama University. During that time, we have been in charge of advanced medical treatment in respiratory and breast endocrine surgery in their respective positions, as well as promoting cutting-edge research in surgical medicine and training excellent surgeons.
Our origin is the Department of Surgery II, which was established in November 1923. In 2001, the name of the department was changed from the Department of Surgery II to the Department of Cancer and Thoracic Surgery, and in 2012, the name was changed to the current Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Breast, and Endocrine Surgery. During that time, the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery became independent from the former Department of Surgery II in 1991. Last year, 2023, marked the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Department. In this way, we have been leading the field of surgery in Japan. Furthermore, in 2016, the Okayama University Surgical Alumni Association, which was established together with the Department of Gastroenterological Surgery (former Department of Surgery I) and the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, was launched, and the Department of Surgery at Okayama University is now working as one to establish a system to lead surgery in the future.
I joined the former Department of Surgery II in 1994. At that time, we mainly treated malignant tumors of various organs and was also involved in lung transplantation for research. In 1998, the first living donor lung transplant in Japan was successfully performed under the leadership of the 5th Professor Nobuyoshi Shimizu and the 6th Professor Hiroshi Date. Since then, many lung transplants have been performed based on the foundation established by our predecessors, incorporating new innovations, and our achievements have attracted attention not only in Japan but also in the world. In addition, the excellent medical treatment and research centering on surgical treatment for lung cancer, malignant thoracic tumors, breast cancer, and endocrine disorders continue to this day. When I took over this position, I set "Sincerity, Altruism, and Cultivation" as my mind-set for our work, and our goals are to further develop the surgical practice and research o and disseminate the results to the world, as well as to contribute to surgical care in the region and in Japan.
The key to achieving this goal is the development of excellent human resources and our mission is to nurture "surgeons who aim for the world and focus on our region”. Since 2010, the Department of Surgery of Okayama University, together with the Department of Gastroenterological Surgery and the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, has been implementing a program to nurture board certified surgeons through the entire Okayama University community. The foundation of the program is the excellent group of affiliated training hospitals of Okayama University, which is the core of regional medical care mainly in the Chugoku, Shikoku, and West Kinki regions. To students and graduates of medical schools, we invite you to join us in learning and developing surgery and becoming "surgeons who aim for the world and focus on the community". Our door for you is as wide open as your future.
January 2024
Shinichi Toyooka, MD and PhD
