RUDN students became prize-winners of the All-Russian Universiade in Surgery with international participation

The team of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia took third place in the overall team standings of the VII All-Russian Universiade in Surgery with international participation. The organizers of the competition were the Department of Operative Surgery and Clinical Anatomy named after I.D. Kirpatovsky, the Department of Hospital Surgery with a Course in Pediatric Surgery of the Medical Institute of RUDN, and the student scientific association “RUDN SURGEONS.”

The event was attended by 93 person, including 14 foreign participants. They competed for the title of the strongest 18 student teams from 14 subjects of the Russian Federation. Compared to the previous Universiade, the event significantly expanded its geography and scale: the total number of participants increased from 60 before 93 people, the number of regional representatives — with 23 until 42.

At the opening ceremony, welcoming remarks were made by Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Operative Surgery and Clinical Anatomy named after I.D. Kirpatovsky Andrey Protasov and associate professor of the department Dmitry Titarov. They welcomed the participants and guests of the Universiade, emphasizing the importance of student surgical competitions for the professional development of future doctors, the enhancement of practical skills, and the strengthening of cooperation between medical universities.

How the students competed

The competition program included seven contest categories, which were intended to identify quality of theoretical training participants, the level of clinical thinking, and required proficiency in practical surgical skills. Students demonstrated knowledge operative surgery and topographic anatomy, competed in tying surgical knots, overlapping of tendon and intestinal sutures, execution skin grafting and laparoscopic manipulations.

Biological tissues and specialized surgical simulators were used for practical tests. Participants performed tendon and intestinal sutures on biomaterial, developed options for closing skin defects using local tissues, and demonstrated skills in working with laparoscopic instruments.

In the “Adoption Restlessness” contest, participants interacted with simulated patients (this is how a person trained to portray a real patient is referred to in medicine), recognized clinical situations, made diagnoses and determined patient management tactics. The competition allowed assessing not only knowledge, but also communication skills, the ability to make quick decisions, and maintain a professional approach under time constraints.

Based on the results seven In the competitive trials, the prize places in the overall team standings were distributed as follows:

• 1st place — Oryol State University named after I.S. Turgenev (80.74 points).
• 2nd place — Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov (71.62 points).
• 3rd place — Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (71.43 points).

How the Universiade was rated by its participants

A fifth-year student at the RUDN Medical Institute Olga Krupina noted that she really enjoyed being both an organizer and a participant at the same time. Students took part in preparing the classrooms and surgical models, greeting and accompanying the teams, ensuring the competition tasks, collecting and processing the results, organizing the educational program, and the award ceremony.

“This year, the Universiade delighted with a variety of new formats. I was especially struck by the contest ‘Emergency Room Hustle’ — a model of a real hospital’s emergency department. Actors came to us playing patients with specific diagnoses, and we had to find our patient, prescribe a plan of examination and treatment — all within 20 minutes, although the nature of the patients and their companions was completely unpredictable,” she said.

Team Tula State University noted that “Reception Restlessness” is a very complex competition where you need to find your patient among five actors amidst noise, commotion, and constant distractions, make a diagnosis, and prescribe the right treatment.

“Our team member Maria was assigned a patient with a urological profile, which allowed her, as the curator of the ‘Urology’ direction, to apply all her knowledge and skills! The theoretical competition required deep knowledge of operative surgery, topographic anatomy, suture materials, and even plastic surgery. Daria proved that our theoretical foundation is top-notch! In the overall team ranking, we placed fifth, because our surgical club is a team of true surgical generalists! Thanks to the organizers, RUDN, and all partners for the incredible experience and atmosphere!” — the team’s review states.

According to Olga Krupina, at the Universiade, everything was just like in real life.

“There were also formats passed down from generation to generation, for example, the interintestinal anastomosis competition,” she said.

Student Mari State University Sukhrobzhon Isokov noted the professional atmosphere of the Universiade.

“Such events help future doctors step beyond the familiar classroom environment, learn from their mistakes, and set new professional goals for themselves,” he said.

Team Oryol State University expressed gratitude to colleagues from the PSO “RUDN SURGEONS” and the Department of Hospital Surgery with the Pediatric Surgery Course of the RUDN Medical Institute for the competent organization of the Olympiad and warm hospitality.

“It was very pleasant to spend this day within the university walls and participate in interesting contests!” — reads the team’s feedback.

And the team South Ural State Medical University I was pleased not only with the organization of the competition program but also with the objectivity of the evaluations:

“Everything was clear, fast, without violations of time intervals. Absolutely transparent judging, strictly according to the pre-issued criteria.”