TJC Accredited
3 consecutive terms
Our hospital offers specialized care services to address unique medical needs.
Our hospital offers specialized care services to address unique medical needs. 
Dr. Toshiaki Wakai is a board-certified Family Medicine physician with extensive experience in primary care, inpatient medicine, medical education, and physician leadership in both the United States and Japan. He has served as a family medicine physician, inpatient attending, residency educator, and Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan.
His diverse clinical and academic background allows him to provide comprehensive, patient- centered care while supporting collaboration and medical education.
Japan Primary Care Association (JPCA)
Dr. Toshiaki Wakai is a board-certified Family Medicine physician with a distinguished background in primary care, inpatient medicine, academic medicine, and physician education. His career spans healthcare systems in both the United States and Japan, where he has cared for patients across outpatient and hospital settings while also holding leadership and teaching roles.
Dr. Wakai earned his Doctor of Medicine from Hirosaki University School of Medicine in Aomori, Japan. He completed his internship and General Internal Medicine residency at Teine Keijinkai Hospital in Hokkaido, Japan, followed by a Family Medicine residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Shadyside in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His training in both internal medicine and family medicine has provided him with a broad foundation for managing a wide range of acute and chronic medical conditions.
Throughout his career, Dr. Wakai has held numerous clinical and leadership positions. In Japan, he served as a staff physician at Teine Keijinkai Hospital and later as a clinical staff physician at Ohasa Clinic, where he also served as Chief Medical Officer. He was a co-director of the Family Medicine and Internal Medicine Residency Program at Sapporo Tokushukai Hospital and has provided inpatient care and clinical education to residents and medical students.
In the United States, Dr. Wakai joined the University of Michigan Department of Family Medicine, first serving as a Clinical Lecturer and later as an Assistant Professor. His academic work has included educating medical students and residents, contributing to clinical research, and supporting initiatives focused on family medicine education and healthcare quality. His areas of professional interest include inpatient care, Japanese patient care and education in the United States, child care, clinical education, mixed-methods research, and continuous quality improvement.
Dr. Wakai has also been recognized for his dedication to teaching and service. He received multiple Exceptional Resident Teacher recognitions during his residency training and later received the University of Michigan’s Michigan Service Award and Making a Difference Award.
His career reflects a longstanding commitment to clinical excellence, education, collaboration, and the continued improvement of patient care.
At GRMC, Dr. Wakai brings extensive experience in family medicine and hospital-based care, along with an international perspective developed through years of clinical practice and medical education in the United States and Japan. His comprehensive approach to medicine supports patients through thoughtful, evidence-based, and patient-centered care.
Outside of his professional duties, Dr. Wakai enjoys enjoys snowboarding, playing the viola, and traveling.