Department of Neuro-Oncology/Neurosurgery, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center
Hospital and team introduction
Department of Neuro-Oncology/Neurosurgery, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center is a medical department that specializes in craniotomy for cerebrovascular disorders. They accept difficult-to-treat patients from all over the country. While providing highly specialized advanced treatment, they also focus on training doctors. They receive many young neurosurgeons from Japan and overseas and train cerebrovascular surgeons who will be active on the world stage.
Classico interviewed doctors from Department of Neuro-Oncology/Neurosurgery, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center about their impressions.
Purpose and thoughts on introducing team lab coats
"Matching scrubs are both combat uniforms and proof of teamwork"
Saitama Medical University International Medical Center
Vice Director and Stroke Center Director
Professor of Stroke Surgery, Hiroki Kurita
Once a year, all members of this department gather from all over the country. At the end of the meeting, we introduce the recruits joining the department the following year and hold a ceremony to present them with scrubs—we call them "combat uniforms" in the department.
I was in Germany for a long time, and when I left, my boss gave me scrubs as a souvenir. He said, "As long as you wear these, you'll be my fellow for life." I was so happy about that, so I followed that ceremony and now give everyone my team's scrubs. It would be better for them to receive them directly from me in front of everyone rather than having someone hand them a clerical task so they can feel like they're joining the team.
This department puts much effort into education, so many people, including professors from other universities and international students, come here for training. We don't accept people for long-term stays; instead, they return to their original place after a year of study, so there are many turnovers. It's like the team members are reset every April.
But the moment you put it on, you're a team member, and it's like proof of your friendship with the doctors who have left. There are 100 doctors nationwide who have the combat uniforms made by this department. I'm thrilled to hear they still wear them when I meet them at conferences and other events after a long time.
Surgeons are technical professionals. The level of brain surgery in Japan is among the best in the world, and some people call us "superstars," but that's not the case. It's not that we have exceptional talent, but that we can do it because we've been doing it for years and decades, like people who make small parts in a local factory. So, no matter how much experience you have, the most important thing is to continue improving your daily skills. Even at 60, I still think, "Maybe I did a little better than yesterday."
And no matter how great a technique is, if only I can do it, it's meaningless. We need to spread it and make it commonplace for everyone. Over the past 10 years, we have acquired many affiliated hospitals, and we send the doctors we have trained out to various places as new bosses.
Fortunately, many resident doctors come to our department every year. However, it's like growing greenery for a year, and then in April, it turns back into a desert of nothing, so it's pretty tricky. However, I spend my days thinking it's essential to water that desert as hard as possible.
These scrubs were made to commemorate my 60th birthday and 14th year as a manager, but I haven't worn them at work yet because I feel it's too precious. I want to wear them a lot from now on.
"If I wanted to make a special scrub, it had to be Classico."
Associate Professor, Deputy Director of Medical Care, Chief of Training, Department of Stroke Surgery
Department Chief, Department of Neurosurgery Doctor
Kaima Suzuki
This year marks my 15th year as a doctor, but I have known Classico since I was a student. This time, I wanted to create a commemorative item for Professor Kurita's 10th anniversary as a professor. I tried to develop scrubs, his "combat uniform" that he treasures. Classico was the only partner who created these commemorative scrubs, so I asked them about it.
I have lived in a dormitory since junior high and high school and have felt since then that "unifying our uniforms" is very important in forming teamwork. For example, in club activities, working with a sense of unity in the form of the team allows the message to be conveyed and the intention to be understood.
Even in our department, which comprises rare young members nationwide, I believe the more refined the unified form = "scrubs," the more sophisticated the team will be. Wearing and being particular about everything, including the materials used, will also lead to a commitment to the medical care we provide to patients.
Neurosurgery is a medical field that places a great deal of weight on both mental and physical needs. Even if you work hard, there are times when the results are not good. Therefore, doctors need to help each other as a team, encourage each other, improve each other, and overcome problems.
Our department has a policy of having young people take the initiative, so we asked a young doctor who has not yet obtained his specialist license to design the logo this time. I believe that young people have a lot of energy and ideas, which can lead to new things, so we try to use their ideas and give them the experience of having their opinions accepted so they can convey them. It was good to have the opportunity to make scrubs as one of those experiences.
"A stylish scrub for dynamic neurosurgery"
Stroke surgery Ward Chief Instructor
Stroke Surgery Ward Chief Lecturer
Dr. Take Yuujirou
Classico's scrubs have a nice texture and a high-quality feel. They are also soft, so they fit the body and don't restrict movement. Neurosurgery is a department where emergency patients come in, and we move around quite dynamically, running, standing up, and intubating. It's helpful because we do a lot of big movements in a variety of patterns.
They look very stylish and fit very well on anyone. If they were a loose silhouette, it would feel like you're wearing them, but this has a neat shape that fits the body well, so it looks like you can move around nimbly. Also, if you move around a lot during the day, you will sweat, so breathability and quick drying are essential. I want both design and functionality, and Classico has both, which is excellent.
In the hospital, doctors from other departments, nurses, and rehabilitation PTs and OTs all wear scrubs, so it must be difficult for patients to tell them apart. If the team wears the same scrubs, patients will recognize that a neurosurgeon is nearby when they see them, so they can feel at ease. Every year at the beginning of the school year, we take a group photo, and it's nice to be able to wear the same thing for that.
Related Links
Department of Neuro-Oncology/Neurosurgery, Saitama
Medical University International Medical Center Official Website
