IMU Team is First Runner Up at North Borneo Intervarsity Surgical Quiz Competition

The North Borneo Intervarsity Surgical Quiz competition, which took place between 2-3 June, 2023, was hosted by Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). It is a national competition that invites medical undergraduates from various local universities to compete in a series of surgical related questions and quizzes. The event was held in conjunction with the Sabah Surgical Conference 2023, hosted by the Sabah Surgical Society at Hilton Hotel, Kota Kinabalu.

A total of 30 students (5 per team) from 6 universities participated in the competition, namely:-

International Medical University (IMU)
University Putra Malaysia (UPM)
Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS)

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
Segi University (SEGI)
Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM)

TEAM IMU consisted of Year 5 medical students, Heng Hian Jie, Gan Ching Earn, Tasha Elizabeth Lee May Shan, Lai Wei Joe, and Rebecca Ng Ru Wen.

The preliminary rounds were held in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). The teams were divided into 2 separate pools, where the winner of each side will compete in the final round.

There are 2 parts in each round. In the first part, individuals from each team scored points that are then brought forward to the second part of the round. Thereafter, the teams compete as a group in a speed buzzer round by answering clinical case scenarios. In this part, the stakes are higher as a point is deducted with every wrong answer.

After an intense battle of scoring points for their respective teams, TEAM IMU and TEAM UPM emerged as the finalists from both pools. The final round was held the next day at Hilton Hotel, Kota Kinabalu.

On the day of the final round, the auditorium was filled with spectators for the competition, including surgeons across Malaysia attending the Sabah Surgical Conference. The crowd was very supportive of both teams, giving words of encouragement and cheering us on.

After an intense battle, IMU finished as the first runner-up with a prize pool of RM500. The credit for the success of IMU students is due to the teaching sessions by the Department of Surgery, IMU. They have relentlessly taken time to teach and train us for this competition.

We are so grateful for this experience.

[From Left to Right] Prof Madya Dr Mohd Firdaus Mohd Hayati, Dr Nanda Kumar, Heng Hian Jie, Lai Wei Joe, Gan Ching Earn, Rebecca Ng Ru Wen, Tasha Elizabeth Lee May Shan.

The Winners Share Their Experience

Heng Hian Jie

Overall, the whole experience was absolutely memorable. We had the opportunity to put our knowledge to the test whilst building friendship with our competitors. I am very proud of what we have achieved and am very grateful to be given this experience in my medical school journey.

Gan Ching Earn

It was an interesting experience. The buffet at the finals was amazing. 🙂

Tasha Elizabeth Lee May Shan

This competition tested our surgical knowledge, precision, and quick-thinking while fostering the spirit of camaraderie among fellow participants. We are very grateful to have had a great experience working as a team and learning from others throughout the competition.

Lai Wei Joe

The competition was fun and intense. We were able to identify our flaws through this event, and benefited a lot from our lecturer and from the competition itself. Most importantly, I’m grateful that we were able to bond well and form a friendship with participants from other universities.

Rebecca Ng Ru Wen

It was such a wholesome experience, and definitely an event worth cherishing as part of my medical school memories. This competition highlighted the importance of teamwork, compromise and excellent communication skills in the medical field. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to experience this with my teammates before the conclusion of medical school.