Kurashiki Central Hospital: Surgeon Tryouts

Credits & Description:

Titile: Surgeon Tryouts
Agency: Hakuhodo, Tbwa\Hakuhodo
Brand: Kurashiki Central Hospital
Country: Japan
Advertising Agency: Tbwa\Hakuhodo, Tokyo
Entrant Company: Tbwa\Hakuhodo, Tokyo
Media Agency: Tbwa\Hakuhodo, Tokyo
Pr Agency: Tbwa\Hakuhodo, Tokyo
Production Company: Tyo Monster , Tokyo
Production Manager: Kanako Uchiyama (Tyo Monster)
Programmer: Koki Ibukuro (Dot By Dot)
Creative Technologist: Masashi Matsukura (Tbwa\Hakuhodo)
Lighting: Shinichi Miyaki (Freelance)
Digital Imaging Technician: Shinya Nagao (Chapters Film)
Web Producer: Kenichi Seki (Dot By Dot)
Assistant Production Manager: Takeshi Omori (Tyo Monster)
Lighting: Yusuke Honda (Akari Center)
Executive Creative Director: Kazoo Sato (Tbwa\Hakuhodo)
Cameraman: Kazuki Ohata (Freelance)
Assistant Cameraman: Kenta Saito (Freelance)
Producer: Koji Togoe (Hakuhodo Products)
Offline Editor: Yoshitaka Honda (Freelance)
Photographer: Yukichi Kamei (Hakuhodo Products)
Music Producer: Kazuyoshi Tonami (Grandfunk)
Production Designer: Mitsuizumi (Art Breakers)
Cameraman: Taisuke Kumagai (Freelance)
Pr Planner: Takahiro Miura (Hakuhodo)
Director Of Photography: Yoshitaka Murakami (Freelance)
Stylist: Naoki Yamada (Freelance)
Online Editor: Dai Haga (The Octopus)
Retoucher: Yuji Hatakeyama (Hakuhodo Products)
Producer: Kentaro Kinoshita (Tyo Monster)
Copywriter: Takeshi Ogasahara (Hakuhodo)
Production Designer: Enzo (Art Breakers)
Designer: Hyewon Choi (Tbwa\Hakuhodo)
Film Director: Kazuma Kitada (Tokyo)
Web Designer: Taichi Ito (Dot By Dot)
Art Director: Yuki Tokuno (Tbwa\Hakuhodo)
Strategy:
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 to create engagement with medical university students and budding surgeons by intentionally placing them in very challenging professional situations.
Campaign Description:
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. 
Outcome:
SURGEON TRYOUTS brought about reactions from not only med students but also the nation. As a result, it has changed the status quo of health industry.- 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
Brief with projected outcomes:
National medical licensing exam in Japan included only written tests. 
Execution:
_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. 70 people 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 2The 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 312 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.
Synopsis:
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.