Young Staff Interviews
Miyano Vietnam Co., Ltd
We asked young employees, who are active in the medical equipment department, to share their thoughts on why they decided to join Miyano Medical Equipment, the rewarding aspects of their work, and what inspired them to join the company.
MEMBERS
W.K
Medical Equipment Headquarters / University Hospital Route Sales Department (Joined in 2019)
H.Y
Medical Equipment Headquarters / Hospital Route Sales Department 3 (Joined in 2011)
H.D
Medical Equipment Headquarters / Sales Promotion Department IV1 (Joined in 2018)
S.A
Medical Equipment Headquarters / Hospital Route Sales Department 1 (Joined in 2004)
01. What kind of work do you do?
S.A
I am responsible for a large hospital in Kobe. I mainly handle medical equipment for orthopedic surgery and products used in endoscopy rooms, such as for gastrointestinal internal medicine. I check the surgery schedules, meet with doctors for preparation, and ensure deliveries are made by the due date. It’s busy every day but very fulfilling.
W.K
I am in my second year with the company, and my team of five is responsible for university hospitals in Hyogo Prefecture. My main job is delivering various medical supplies used in hospitals. Specifically, I deliver products used in surgeries, restock dialysis supplies, and promote new products.
H.Y
After joining the company, I was first assigned to the Akashi sales office, where I worked with a senior colleague for about three years, handling acute care hospitals. Later, I was responsible for clinics and small to medium-sized hospitals on my own.
S.A
You’ve been transferred to different departments, right?
H.D
I’m in my third year with the company and belong to the IV Group in the sales promotion department. I specialize in products used in catheter treatments for neurosurgery and gastrointestinal medicine. My work involves discussing with doctors the products to be used in surgeries for patients, promoting new products, and sometimes attending treatments to provide product safety information. In my case, I spent the first year learning by accompanying a senior colleague, and in the second year, I started handling clients on my own.
S.A
It’s reassuring to have a period where you can learn properly by working alongside a senior colleague.
02. When do you feel the most rewarded?
S.A
H-san, you’ve handled various hospitals and trained junior employees. When do you feel the most rewarded in your work?
H.Y
When I first started handling clients on my own, clinics were my main focus. At first, there were so many products I didn’t know, and when I received an order, I often had to say, “What’s that? Sorry, I’m not familiar with that product, could you teach me?” It was tough, but since I had direct interaction with the doctors, I gradually started to feel more fulfilled. When visiting large hospitals with a senior colleague, I rarely got the chance to speak directly with the doctors, but in clinics, I could have one-on-one conversations with them, which I found really enjoyable.
S.A
I totally understand that feeling.
H.Y
Later, I was transferred to the Kobe West sales office, where I handled a hospital that our company managed for SPD (Supply Processing and Distribution). The workload was overwhelming, and I honestly felt like I was going to break under the pressure. However, when I went on maternity leave and the hospital staff threw me a farewell party, I was really touched. Even though I wasn’t leaving permanently, they said, “Don’t go,” and that moment made me feel glad that I had been doing this job.
H.D
It must have been incredibly rewarding to hear that from the hospital staff.
H.Y
After returning from maternity leave, my environment changed a bit, as I now work reduced hours. My time for visiting clients is limited, and sometimes I can’t go to my assigned clients due to my child’s sudden illness. So, I’ve made sure that others can step in for me when necessary. Training new employees has also been a good opportunity to review the way I’ve worked up until now. Recently, seeing the growth of the junior employees I’ve been training has made me really happy.
S.A
It sounds like you’re finding new enjoyment in work, even in a different environment.
H.D
The products handled by the IV Group are often directly related to life-saving situations, so urgent requests like “I need this for surgery right away!” aren’t uncommon. When the phone rings, the adrenaline kicks in. When I rush to deliver a product to the hospital and hear “You saved us” or “Thank you” from the doctors and staff, I feel a great sense of reward. And more than anything, knowing that the products I bring can save lives gives me an even greater sense of fulfillment.
W.K
I don’t have as many direct conversations with doctors as you all do, but knowing that the things I deliver indirectly help patients gives me a sense of reward.
03. What made you decide to join Miyano Medical Equipment?
W.K
I became interested in the medical industry because I thought it would grow in the future due to the aging population. But since I was from a liberal arts background, I was worried about working in the medical industry. However, when I joined, I found that most of my colleagues were also from liberal arts backgrounds, and the training after joining was thorough, so I was able to learn the basics well. During the training, I learned how the products I initially didn’t understand were actually used in the field, which helped me understand them better. The training was very meaningful.
H.Y
I’m also from a liberal arts background, but I thought the medical industry would be relatively unaffected by economic fluctuations and that it was a job where I could help people. Miyano Medical Equipment is a top-level specialized medical equipment trading company, particularly in the Kinki region, so I was attracted by the fact that we could propose the best products from a wide range of suppliers to hospitals, which would ultimately help patients recover.
H.Y
I graduated from a medical-related university and wanted to work in my hometown of Kobe. Since Miyano Medical Equipment has many sales bases in the Kansai region, I chose this company. We also handle emergency requests on a rotating basis, and the IV Group offers flexible working hours, so it’s a comfortable environment where I can balance both work and personal life. On weekends, I enjoy fishing with friends from my hometown or senior colleagues from the company.
04. What is the atmosphere like in the company?
W.K
I think students currently looking for jobs may be worried about whether they can handle the work or are concerned about the training after joining. But Miyano Medical Equipment provides thorough training, and there’s an environment where you can easily ask questions, regardless of whether you’re a senior or junior, so I think you can feel reassured.
S.A
One of the great things about our company is that we have many specialized teams in various fields, so if you’re ever in trouble, there’s always someone within the company you can consult. If you’re struggling with catheters, you can ask the IV Group, and if you don’t understand something about ENT products, you can consult the ophthalmology/ENT Group. It’s a strength of our sales structure.
H.Y
The atmosphere is not too formal. For example, even if a senior doesn’t know something, they’ll ask a junior, and it’s not like “I don’t know, what should I do?” but rather, “I’m struggling with this,” and someone will immediately bring over a catalog or say, “Here’s something like that.” New products and information are always coming in, so even I encounter things I don’t know, and senior colleagues sometimes don’t know either. We have an environment where seniors and juniors can cooperate with each other, so I think it encourages a positive and forward-looking mindset.
H.D
Medical devices are fundamentally guaranteed for quality, so we can sell them with confidence, and the fact that we’re selling products that contribute to society and help people is something we can be proud of.
S.A
As everyone has said, our company is a place where both senior and junior employees, as well as managers, find a sense of purpose and pride. I hope to continue working together with the new employees who join us to make Miyano Medical Equipment an even more vibrant and appealing company!
