National medical licensing exam in Japan included only written tests. 

SURGEON TRYOUTS disrupted the inherited practices of how surgeons are hired in Japan. 

We had to meet the need to test entrant eyes, hands, nerves and souls.

These 3 tests were prepared to test these talents of entrants. 

-Fold a 5mm origami crane.

-Reassemble an insect.

-Create sushi from a single grain of rice.

Those with the faculties to overcome these tests inherit the confidence

and resolve to become the people who will shoulder the future of medical care in Japan. 

Plus, these tests gained the strong support of the people who were beginning to lose faith in their health care professionals.

_We distributed posters to all medical universities (and medical departments of other universities) in Japan.

We built a dedicated website in the hospital and announced the 3 tests.

People could apply via the website.

_We carried out the tryouts at the TOKYO BIG SITE venue and our hospital.

Med students took part in 3 separate tests, 15 minutes per test.

Test 1

We prepared minute origami sheets (1/100 of usual size)

The challenge was to see how many 5mm origami cranes could be folded.

Test 2

The head,thorax,abdomen,wings and feet of an insect were prepared.

The challenge was to reassemble the insect to what it originally looked like.

Test 3

12 kinds of raw fish, rice and nori seaweed was prepared.

The challenge was to create sushi at 1/400 of usual size.

_These tryouts were filmed and made into a documentary/web movie, that was uploaded to the website.

Surgeon tryouts brought about reactions from not only med students but also the nation.

As a result, SURGEON TRYOUTS has changed the status quo of health care.

- Recruiting website traffic shows over 300% increase

- Over 400 counts of media exposure

- Social engagement up by 1845%

- 52+ million media impression

- This tryouts has earned media value of $ 3million

- Number of applicants increased 194%

- Climbed 61 places in 'Desirable place of work' ranking.

- Engagement with med students up to 151%

- 31 new doctors were employed

- Became part of University class curriculum

- Led to a change in the law

We brought about a revolution in perception of the medical field.

With numerous highly publicizes mishaps and incidents occurring, the reputation of the profession was being severely tarnished.

To get to the root of the problem, Kurashiki Central Hospital disrupted their traditional methods of hiring surgeons.

This disruptive action not only caught the attention of medical students across the nation,

but it also won back the trust and respect of the public that was beginning to lose faith in its medical professionals.

And above all, public perception of medicine is now back on an upswing.

A recruiting test that disrupted conventional methods.

-Target audience-

The target was all aspiring surgeons and medical school students across Japan.

They are the elite of academia.

However, out in the field, something bigger than your knowledge or technique gets tested.

Making decisions under severe pressure, the mental strength, agility and dedication required...

As students, they have yet to experience these very real pressures.

-Communication Strategy-

True strength of character is revealed under such tense circumstances.

We carried out a new kind of test which will stretch these future surgeons' strengths to the limit.

Our idea was not only to deeply engage med students through deliberately near-impossible tasks,

but also to win back the trust that was being eroded toward surgeons.

In Japan, public trust towards its hospitals was waning. 

Medical mishaps and incidents had increased 2.5 fold in the last decade. 

Traditional examinations for surgeons in Japan included only written tests and interviews. 

For many years, this academic-centric approach had not changed. 

That is, they could become doctors only with medial knowledge.

Kurashiki Central Hospital, one of the Japan's largest, also operated under these standards. 

For the betterment of the medical profession, a new paradigm was needed, and fast.