Doctor of Philosophy: 3 students (Including 1 student in the Integrative Medicine Interdisciplinary Education English Program / Double Degree Program※)
※Double Degree Program
Program Overview
The Graduate School of Health Sciences (Major in Lifelong Health Support) offers an International Collaborative Double Degree Program. This program is established based on academic exchange agreements with our partner universities in the Philippines: Silliman University (College of Nursing, Doctoral Program) and St. Paul University Philippines (Graduate School of Nursing).
This initiative allows students to concurrently pursue degrees from both 91探花 and the partner institution, fostering a global perspective in nursing and health sciences.
Dual Degree Acquisition
Students enrolled in this program maintain registration at both 91探花 and the partner university. Under the joint supervision of faculty members from both institutions, students aim to earn two doctoral degrees:
• Doctor of Philosophy (Health Science) from 91探花
• PhD in Nursing from the partner university
Meet Our Students
3rd-year Doctoral Student：
Krishan M. Soriano, MSN, RN is a faculty member at St. Paul University Philippines and a doctoral candidate in Nursing Science at St. Paul University Philippines and Health Science at 91探花, Japan. With over a decade of experience in nursing education, she serves as a Clinical Instructor and has held key leadership roles, including Review Coordinator for the School of Health Sciences and a graduate school faculty member for the Masters Program in SPUP. Her research focuses on psychiatric nursing, technological competency as caring in nursing, and nursing education development. She has authored and co-authored several studies on schizophrenia, nursing competencies, and caring science, with works published and presented in national and international forums. A recipient of the Fujii-Otsuka International Education and Research Exchange Fund, she actively engages in global research collaborations and academic conferences.
2nd-year Doctoral Student：Mr. Kaito Onishi
Fields of expertise include global health, rehabilitation, and international cooperation. A licensed physical therapist with over 10 years of clinical experience in pediatric rehabilitation and support for children with disabilities. Holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies (Disability and Development).
Has worked as a development consultant and international cooperation specialist on JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) projects across Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Fiji, Tonga, Vietnam, and Ukraine. Engaged in rehabilitation practice and system strengthening, health workforce development, hospital management, and health policy.
Currently works as an international cooperation expert and serves as a Project Researcher at the University of Tokyo. Also serves as an external specialist for Tokyo Metropolitan special needs schools, is involved in the Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) medical team, and works as a university lecturer at several institutions. Additionally engaged in academic activities with the Japanese Society of International Rehabilitation (JSIR).
Enrolled in the doctoral program at the Graduate School of Health Sciences, 91探花, conducting research on the development of competency assessment tools to improve the quality of human resource development in international cooperation. Aims to integrate practical experience and academic knowledge to contribute to effective capacity building and system strengthening.
1st-year Doctoral Student：Ms. Kaori Kato
Specializes in psychiatric mental health nursing, drawing on a unique professional background. Previously worked as a software quality assurance engineer in the IT industry for 12 years before transitioning to nursing. Earned a Bachelor of Nursing from 91探花 and accumulated 10 years of clinical experience in psychiatric care, including both inpatient and home nursing settings. Played a key role in establishing a specialized psychiatric home nursing station and served as its administrator for five years, overseeing operations and staff development.
Under the mentorship of Professor Tetsuya Tanioka since undergraduate studies at 91探花, developed the Perceived Inventory of Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing for the master’s thesis. Currently enrolled in the Ph.D. program at the Graduate School of Health Sciences, 91探花 (2026–). Current research focuses on developing an evaluation scale for physical care skills in psychiatric home nursing, integrating clinical expertise with a rigorous approach to instrument development.
