{"id":806,"date":"2026-06-02T08:16:31","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T23:16:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oumed.okayama-u.ac.jp\/med-en\/?post_type=news&p=806"},"modified":"2026-06-02T08:24:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T23:24:01","slug":"okayama-university-medical-school-student-team-wins-runner-up-prize-at-the-national-robotic-surgery-simulator-competition-kita-no-robot-koshien","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/oumed.okayama-u.ac.jp\/med-en\/news\/okayama-university-medical-school-student-team-wins-runner-up-prize-at-the-national-robotic-surgery-simulator-competition-kita-no-robot-koshien\/","title":{"rendered":"Okayama University Medical School Student Team Wins Runner-up Prize at the National Robotic Surgery Simulator Competition \u201cKita no Robot Koshien\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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   At the 126th Annual Congress of the Japan Surgical Society, held in Sapporo from April 23 to 25, 2026, the \u201cFuture Surgeons Club \u2014 Kita no Robot Koshien,\u201d
\na robotic surgery simulator competition for medical students, was held. A team representing Okayama University Medical School, consisting of sixth-year
\nstudents Ms. Mika Watanabe, Mr. Yuta Fukuda, and Mr. Yuki Kurihara, achieved an outstanding runner-up finish.
\n    \u201cKita no Robot Koshien\u201d is a competition in which medical students aspiring to become next-generation surgeons compete in university- and region-based
\nteams using robotic surgery simulators. At the 126th Annual Congress of the Japan Surgical Society, participation was invited from 83 medical schools across
\nJapan, and the event was held as a hands-on program enabling students to put their daily learning into practice.
\n   The students from Okayama University took on tasks using robotic surgery simulators and demonstrated excellent technical skills, concentration, and
\naccuracy while dividing roles within the team under limited time constraints. As a result, they achieved the remarkable result of finishing as runners-up
\namong medical students from across the country.
\n    The results of the competition were also announced on the official social media accounts of the Japan Surgical Society, with Kyoto University placing first,
\nOkayama University second, and Gifu University third.
\n    Following this achievement, the participating students paid a courtesy visit to Dean Wada, Okayama University Medical School, where they reported on
\ntheir runner-up finish and shared their experiences from the competition.
\n    Okayama University Medical School will continue to value opportunities for students to engage with advanced medicine and surgical practice from an early
\nstage, helping them broaden their perspectives as future healthcare professionals.<\/p>\n

Comments from the Participating Students
\n<\/span><\/strong>Ms. Mika Watanabe
\n<\/strong>Sixth-year Student, Okayama University Medical School
\n<\/strong>     I am pleased to report that our team achieved second place nationwide at the Robot Koshien competition held during the Annual Congress
\nof the Japan Surgical Society.
\n     Although we were narrowly defeated by Kyoto University in the final round, we were very happy to have advanced through the semifinal
\nround in first place, outperforming many renowned universities from across Japan.
\nA total of 83 universities participated in this program, and many teams had trained extensively in simulator environments similar to those used
\nin the actual competition. Despite our limited practice time, we were able to achieve this result thanks to the teachers who guided us on a daily basis
\nand even stayed with us late after surgery to support our practice, the teachers who encouraged and supported us on the day of the competition,
\nand my two classmates who worked so hard alongside me. I am sincerely grateful to all of them.
\n     Through this experience, I once again realized the importance of sincerely tackling the task in front of me and the joy of working together with
\nteammates toward a shared goal. I will continue to devote myself to becoming a surgeon who can contribute to team-based medical care, while
\nnever forgetting my gratitude to those who have supported me.<\/p>\n

Mr. Yuta Fukuda
\n<\/strong>Sixth-year Student, Okayama University Medical School
\n<\/strong>   We were honored to receive the wonderful result of runner-up at the \u201cKita no Robot Koshien,\u201d an FSC program held during the 126th Annual Congress
\nof the Japan Surgical Society.I am deeply grateful to the teachers who, despite their busy schedules, took time for us after surgery and even on holidays
\nto support our practice. Thanks to their generous guidance and many pieces of advice, always given without hesitation, we were able to receive this award.
\n   In this program, we were also able to exchange ideas with our teammates and refine our approach within a limited amount of time.
\nThis process itself became an extremely valuable experience for us.
\n   In this competition, our goal was to \u201cwork together as a team to defeat other universities.\u201d Going forward, however, I strongly feel that we must continue
\nstriving toward the larger goal of \u201cworking together as a team to save patients.\u201d Building on this valuable experience, I will continue to work even harder
\nto become a surgeon who can bring smiles to as many patients as possible in the future.<\/p>\n

Mr. Yuki Kurihara
\n<\/strong>Sixth-year Student, Okayama University Medical School
\n<\/strong>    I had the opportunity to participate as a student in the 126th Annual Congress of the Japan Surgical Society and compete in the \u201cKita no Robot Koshien,\u201d
\nwhere our team achieved the result of runner-up.
\nThrough this program, I experienced the enjoyment and sense of accomplishment that come from developing strategies together with friends. It also helped
\nme imagine more concretely how surgeons approach each operation strategically.
\n    I am sincerely grateful to the teachers who have provided us with guidance and support on a daily basis, enabling us to achieve this result.
\n    Going forward, while holding on to the image of the surgeon I envisioned through this experience, I would like to value each step I take first as a resident
\nand continue working hard toward my goal of becoming a surgeon.<\/p>\n

\u25cbCourtesy Visit to Dean Wada<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/td>\n\"\"<\/td>\n\"\"<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u3007At the competition venue <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u3007At the award ceremony<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","newscategory":[7],"class_list":["post-806","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry","newscategory-award"],"aioseo_notices":[],"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oumed.okayama-u.ac.jp\/med-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/806","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oumed.okayama-u.ac.jp\/med-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oumed.okayama-u.ac.jp\/med-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/oumed.okayama-u.ac.jp\/med-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/806\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":832,"href":"https:\/\/oumed.okayama-u.ac.jp\/med-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/806\/revisions\/832"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oumed.okayama-u.ac.jp\/med-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=806"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"newscategory","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oumed.okayama-u.ac.jp\/med-en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newscategory?post=806"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}