Prospectus

[Initial Greetings]
We established Non-Profit Organization Medical English Learning Supportng Association (NPO-MELSA) in 2013.
The NPO MELSA consists of voluntary members who used to study both medical interpreting and medical tourism. While learning medical English and doing some volunteering, we thought that we would like to unite them together, such as finding venues, providing materials of medical/healthcare knowledge, and supporting circumstances, and learning language (English) together.　

That was when the idea of the “MELSA” occurred to us. We have decided to initiate an NPO in order to share the opportunity to learn together with professionals and students in the field of medical/healthcare and 　　　　welfare, including people in the public.

The NPO MELSA aims to provide the places for learning medical English in ways which will satisfy the various needs of different groups and generations, for example those building a career or up-skilling, those planning to study and/or work abroad, those in continuing education for retired employees etc. From the global perspective, we anticipate considerable public interest in this provision, which will lead to mutual learning and communication with each other, harmonizing with medical/healthcare, people and society, as well as promoting medical globalization.
Could you join us and learn together?
We sincerely look forward to your participation in the special workshop of MELSA.

Sincerely,
Atsuko OMORI
Representative Director

[Prospectus]
NPO Medical English Learning Support Association (MELSA)
In 2011 the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami reemphasized the precious nature of human life, both 　to the Japanese people and to people all over the world. This cataclysmic event saw medical professionals 　　and staff rushing into the disaster area to save lives and apply emergency medicine, including teams from 　　Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT). Focusing onsuch a recent mobility of people, materials, and 　　　information under those circumstances, the medical globalization has become all the urgent to make an　international contribution because of the society in rising trends toward globalization.

Recently Japanese companies and business schools have used the expression “nurturing global personnel”. 　　Their programs consist of basic training, including knowledge in specialized fields and information technology, 　but it is also now considered essential to include communication skills and language competence. Therefore, 　Japanese medical/healthcare and welfare professionals, including young students who become leaders in the 　next generation, could be expected to make a great effort as an international medical contributor, based on 　　humanity, hospitality and abundant special knowledge as well as their competence in English language.  　　　In this way, they also would be expected to act as a true internationally-minded person to have the 　　　　　opportunity to work and care for patients in a global environment.

In the light of this and the standardized worldwide medical regulations, there are several Japanese hospitals 　which can be achieved by receiving Joint Commission International (JCI) recognition, as an international 　　　certification for medical tourism. In general, if Japanese medical/healthcare and welfare professionals could 　　speak English while working, they could handle and manage their missions with more flexibility, without the 　　disadvantage of the language barrier.

In addition, not only are foreign patients flowing into Japan but also foreign medical professionals and care 　　workers, who are linked to the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), are coming here to work. Even 　　　　though those foreign professionals may speak Japanese fluently, they would be able to communicate more 　　smoothly with one another if Japanese medical professionals could speak English well. English will become the “international common language” in the medical/healthcare and welfare field in the near future.

From these international viewpoints, our aim is to support energetic peers who are really eager to learn 　　　medical English for their own purposes. A Non-Profit Organization (NPO) can establish “learning situations” at 　more reasonable cost and these can be made available in a convenient manner to the various professionals 　　such as nurses and other co-medical staff. At the same time it would be possible for our volunteer activities 　to support foreign residents or newcomers to Japan, using this system as an interpreter to guide them in 　　　neighborhood areas or medical facilities.

Considering all the factors and the beneficial contribution that can be made to a society through a wide-range 　of activities related to medical/healthcare, an NPO is the most appropriate organization, compared with any 　other alternatives. It is for these reasons that we consider it essential to propose this NPO. Now we have got the approval as "NPO Medical English Learning Support Association".

Atsuko OMORI
Representative Director