The outstanding success of the UL MF student team at the International Physiology Olympiad Physiology Quiz Japan 2024

The Physiology Quiz Japan (PQJ) is an international physiology Olympics held in Japan for the eighth year. The aim of the competition is to test knowledge of physiology and pathological physiology and to apply it to clinical cases. Medical students from all over the world participate in the competition. This year's competition was held live in Izumo, Shimane. It was hosted by the Faculty of Medicine of Shimane University. The organisers were professors and students from the host institution. The problem-solving tasks were set by a committee of professors from different universities in Japan in collaboration with representatives of the Japanese Physiological Society. This year, Prof. Dr. Hiroko Kishi, MD, PhD, member of the Department of Physiology at Shimano University, and Prof. Dr. Yoshihiro Ishikawa, MD, PhD, President of the Japanese Physiological Society, took on the role of judges for the Physiology Olympics. 

The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ljubljana was represented by the Metabolic Masters team, which consisted of students Janina Jerman Grašič, Deja Juriševič, Timur Mušić and Vladimir Smrkolj. The team had already proved its worth at the same international Physiology Olympics Physiology Quiz Japan 2023 last year, where it won the excellent 1st place. 

 

A photo of the student team after the final ceremony. From left to right: Timur Mušić, Deja Juriševič, Janina Jerman Grašič, Vladimir Smrkolj.
 
This year, our team decided to test their knowledge at international level again, this time by participating live. The Metabolic Masters student team won the Physiology Quiz Japan Physiology Olympics once again, thus making history as the champions of the Japanese Physiology Olympiad for the second time. With the achievement of its students, the University of Ljubljana has become the first European university to win Physiology Quiz Japan twice, setting new standards in international physiology competitions. Physiology is not only a pre-clinical subject at a medical school, but also the foundation for further study and understanding of all areas of medicine. 

We would like to congratulate our students for their outstanding success, for representing our faculty in a worthy manner in the world and for contributing to the great reputation and international visibility of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Ljubljana! 

The participation of the team to the Olimpics was co-financed through the University of Ljubljana call for talented students (RSF project).

 

Photo of the student team at the final award ceremony. From left to right, they follow each other: representative of the Japanese Physiological Society, prof. dr. Hiroko Kishi, Timur Mušić, Deja Jurišević, Janina Jerman Grašić, Vladimir Smrkolj.

A group photo of all the finalists of the competition at the final ceremony.

The winning trophy of the UL MF student team.