{ "_help": "Every programme RSIG runs or plans. Each has: 'slug' (a short id, lowercase with dashes), 'name', 'department' (the slug of a department in departments.json, or \"all\" for a programme that all four departments run together; the Board of Directors oversees every programme and runs none on its own), 'status' (exactly one of \"Active\", \"Coming soon\" or \"Planned\"), 'when' (plain words; no month ranges, the owner removed the tentative timeline), 'for' (who it is for), 'description' (two or three plain sentences), 'type' (a short kicker shown above the name, for example \"Hands-on skills program\"), 'summary' (one sentence for cards) and, only where useful, 'longName' (a longer name shown under the name). 'onEvents' (true or false): true also lists the programme under \"Planned events\" on the Events page. Each programme has its own page at /programs/view/?id=its-slug. What the status words mean: \"Active\" is running now or open for sign-up; \"Coming soon\" is being prepared now, and its date is posted on the Events page once it is set; \"Planned\" is intended, with details to be announced. To start a programme, change its status to \"Active\" and update 'when'. The order here is the order on the site. 'moreText' is the line shown after the last programme. 'series': \"ARM\" marks the Training and Development workshops (ARM, see 'arm' above); 'typeShort' is the shorter kicker a card shows once ARM has been written out on the page. 'openLabel' (optional) is the words of the link on the program's card, for example Open the Boot Camp. 'plate' (optional) chooses the ink drawing at the top of the program's page, one of the names in 'plates' (console, endowrist, instruments, arm, cart, vision, research, awareness, pr, board); empty shows the leading department's photo.", "moreText": "More to come.", "arm": { "_help": "ARM, the Training and Development workshop series (owner, 2026-09-22). 'short' is the name (ARM); 'long' is what it stands for, written out at the first mention on each page; its capital letters that spell the name are underlined in the mark. 'lede' is the line under the mark on the Training and Development page. A programme belongs to ARM when its 'series' is \"ARM\"; its card then shows 'typeShort' once the series has been written out.", "short": "ARM", "long": "Advanced Robotic and Minimally Invasive Training", "kicker": "The Training and Development workshop series", "lede": "The Training and Development workshops are called ARM. Five workshops take a student from the robotic console to advanced specialty techniques and the animal lab, simulation-first and under faculty supervision." }, "plates": { "_help": "The ink plate at the top of each program page. Each program chooses one in its 'plate' field. For each plate: 'cap' is the caption under it, 'parts' the names of its three numbered parts, in the order they light.", "console": { "cap": "STUDY // THE SURGEON CONSOLE", "parts": [ "Stereo viewer", "Hand controls", "Foot pedals" ] }, "endowrist": { "cap": "STUDY // THE ENDOWRIST NEEDLE DRIVER", "parts": [ "Shaft", "Cabled wrist", "Needle and thread" ] }, "instruments": { "cap": "STUDY // OPEN, LAPAROSCOPIC, ROBOTIC", "parts": [ "Open: scalpel and needle holder", "Laparoscopic: grasper and trocar", "Robotic: da Vinci arm and wristed instrument" ] }, "arm": { "cap": "STUDY // THE PATIENT-SIDE ARMS", "parts": [ "Patient-side arms", "Instrument drives", "Instruments and wrists" ] }, "cart": { "cap": "STUDY // THE PATIENT CART", "parts": [ "Four arms", "Instrument tips", "Operating table" ] }, "vision": { "cap": "STUDY // THE 3D VISION SYSTEM", "parts": [ "Stereo viewer", "Stereo endoscope", "Eyepieces" ] }, "board": { "cap": "STUDY // THE WHOLE SYSTEM", "parts": [ "Surgeon console", "Patient cart", "Vision cart" ] }, "research": { "cap": "STUDY // OPEN, LAPAROSCOPIC, ROBOTIC", "parts": [ "Open", "Laparoscopic", "Robotic" ] }, "awareness": { "cap": "STUDY // THE ROBOT UNDER THE LAMP", "parts": [ "The lamp", "The robot", "A family" ] }, "pr": { "cap": "STUDY // THE MAGIC LANTERN", "parts": [ "The lens", "The projection", "The quill" ] } }, "programs": [ { "slug": "console-familiarisation", "series": "ARM", "name": "ARM I: Console Familiarisation", "type": "ARM: Advanced Robotic and Minimally Invasive Training", "typeShort": "ARM workshop", "summary": "The first ARM workshop, where students learn the robotic surgery console under faculty supervision.", "department": "training-development", "plate": "console", "status": "Coming soon", "when": "With the inaugural event. The date will be posted on the Events page.", "for": "Alfaisal medical students who are new to robotic surgery", "description": "The first ARM workshop. Students learn the console environment: how the surgeon sits, sees and moves the instruments. It is simulation-first and runs under the supervision of the group's faculty advisors.", "openLabel": "Open ARM I" }, { "slug": "da-vinci-suturing-simulation", "series": "ARM", "name": "ARM II: da Vinci Suturing and Simulation", "type": "ARM: Advanced Robotic and Minimally Invasive Training", "typeShort": "ARM workshop", "summary": "The second ARM workshop: suturing and simulation training on the da Vinci platform, with every member's attendance, skill benchmarks and progression recorded.", "department": "training-development", "plate": "endowrist", "status": "Coming soon", "when": "After ARM I. Dates will be posted on the Events page.", "for": "Members who have completed ARM I: Console Familiarisation", "description": "Simulation training on the da Vinci platform, with suturing as the core skill. Attendance, skill benchmarks and progression are recorded for every member, so simulation hours are documented.", "openLabel": "Open ARM II" }, { "slug": "laparoscopic-course-series", "series": "ARM", "name": "ARM III: Laparoscopic Course Series", "type": "ARM: Advanced Robotic and Minimally Invasive Training", "typeShort": "ARM workshop", "summary": "The third ARM workshop: hands-on laparoscopic courses that sit beside the robotic training, because RSIG covers robotic and minimally invasive surgery.", "department": "training-development", "plate": "instruments", "status": "Coming soon", "when": "In the first year. Dates will be posted on the Events page.", "for": "Alfaisal medical students", "description": "A series of laparoscopic courses that sits beside the robotic training, because RSIG covers robotic and minimally invasive surgery. Sessions are hands-on and follow the department's safety and proctoring standards.", "openLabel": "Open ARM III" }, { "slug": "advanced-specialty-workshops", "series": "ARM", "name": "ARM IV: Advanced Specialty Workshops", "type": "ARM: Advanced Robotic and Minimally Invasive Training", "typeShort": "ARM workshop", "summary": "The fourth ARM workshop covers surgical specialties such as robotic HPB, thoracic, urologic and colorectal surgery, planned with the supervising faculty.", "department": "training-development", "plate": "arm", "status": "Coming soon", "when": "After the core training. Dates will be posted on the Events page.", "for": "Members who have completed the core ARM workshops", "description": "Specialty-based workshops, for example robotic HPB, thoracic, urologic and colorectal surgery. They are organised in coordination with the supervising faculty and delivered alongside practising robotic surgeons.", "openLabel": "Open ARM IV" }, { "slug": "further-activities", "series": "ARM", "name": "ARM V: Animal Lab Simulation", "type": "ARM: Advanced Robotic and Minimally Invasive Training", "typeShort": "ARM workshop", "longName": "Animal lab simulation, including thoracotomy", "summary": "The fifth ARM workshop: animal lab simulation, including thoracotomy. Dissections and operating room observation are planned beside it, outside ARM.", "department": "training-development", "plate": "cart", "status": "Planned", "when": "Details to be announced", "for": "RSIG members", "description": "The fifth ARM workshop is animal lab simulation, including thoracotomy. Beside it, and not part of ARM, further activities are planned: dissections, watching robotic operations, operating room observation and hospital tours. Details will be announced here. Visits will follow each hospital's own rules for observers.", "openLabel": "Open ARM V" }, { "slug": "shadowing-mentorship", "onEvents": true, "name": "Shadowing and Mentorship", "type": "Shadowing and mentorship", "longName": "Watch transplant surgeries, follow patients up and get hands-on experience", "summary": "Students will watch transplant surgeries, follow the patients up afterwards and get hands-on experience, instead of standing on the sidelines.", "department": "training-development", "plate": "vision", "status": "Planned", "when": "Details to be announced", "for": "RSIG members", "description": "Students will shadow surgeons and watch transplant surgeries. They will follow the patients up after the operation and get hands-on experience, instead of standing on the sidelines. Mentorship will come from the robotic surgery faculty at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC). Visits will follow the hospital's own rules for observers.", "openLabel": "Open shadowing and mentorship" }, { "slug": "live-transplant-surgery-sessions", "onEvents": true, "name": "Live Transplant Surgery Sessions", "type": "Live surgery sessions", "longName": "Live transplant surgeries with audio commentary", "summary": "RSIG will host live transplant surgeries with audio commentary that explains what is happening, held frequently.", "department": "training-development", "plate": "vision", "status": "Planned", "when": "Held frequently. Dates will be posted on the Events page.", "for": "RSIG members and Alfaisal medical students", "description": "RSIG will host live transplant surgeries with audio commentary. The commentary explains what is happening at each step of the operation. The sessions will be held frequently.", "openLabel": "Open the live sessions" }, { "slug": "surgical-research-course", "onEvents": true, "name": "Surgical Research Course (Boot Camp)", "type": "Research course", "longName": "", "summary": "A seven day surgical research course and boot camp that prepares students, including those new to research, to join the supervised research pipeline.", "department": "research-innovation", "plate": "research", "status": "Coming soon", "when": "In the first year. Seven days. The date will be posted on the Events page.", "for": "Alfaisal medical students who want to do surgical research, including those who have not done research before", "description": "One seven day course on surgical research, run as a boot camp. It covers the basics a student needs before joining a project, including for members who have not done research before. It prepares students to join the supervised research pipeline and to work to clear authorship standards.", "openLabel": "Open the Boot Camp" }, { "slug": "supervised-research-pipeline", "name": "Supervised Research Pipeline", "type": "Research program", "longName": "Systematic reviews, survey studies and registry-based projects", "summary": "Supervised research projects in robotic and minimally invasive surgery, with student authorship as the standard.", "department": "research-innovation", "plate": "research", "status": "Coming soon", "when": "Research applications are open now. Apply on the Research page.", "for": "Student researchers, matched to projects and mentors", "description": "Systematic reviews, survey studies and registry-based projects in robotic and minimally invasive surgery. Student researchers are matched to projects and mentors, with student authorship as the standard. Abstract submissions to regional and international surgical conferences are tracked.", "openLabel": "Open the pipeline" }, { "slug": "journal-club-paper-to-console", "onEvents": true, "name": "Journal Club: Paper to Console", "type": "Journal club", "summary": "A journal club with a twist: each paper is followed from the page to the operation it describes.", "department": "research-innovation", "plate": "research", "status": "Planned", "when": "Details to be announced", "for": "RSIG members", "description": "A journal club with a twist. Members will read a paper together, then follow it to the operation it describes: how the steps in the paper look at the console and in the operating room. Details will be announced here.", "openLabel": "Open the journal club" }, { "slug": "expert-speaker-series", "name": "Expert Speaker Series", "type": "Speaker series", "summary": "Talks by practising robotic surgeons, with academic sessions planned in collaboration with the Robotic Surgery Society (RSS).", "department": "awareness", "plate": "awareness", "status": "Coming soon", "when": "In the first year. Dates will be posted on the Events page.", "for": "Students and the wider community", "description": "Talks by practising robotic surgeons, organised by the Awareness department. Academic sessions are also planned in collaboration with the Robotic Surgery Society (RSS).", "openLabel": "Open the speaker series" }, { "slug": "pre-clerkship-introduction-sessions", "name": "Pre-clerkship Introduction Sessions", "type": "Introduction sessions", "summary": "A first look at robotic surgery for students in the pre-clerkship years.", "department": "awareness", "plate": "awareness", "status": "Planned", "when": "Details to be announced", "for": "Students in the pre-clerkship years", "description": "Introduction sessions on robotic surgery for students in the pre-clerkship years. They give an early, plain first look at the field before clinical rotations begin.", "openLabel": "Open the introduction sessions" }, { "slug": "public-awareness-campaigns", "name": "Public Awareness Campaigns", "type": "Public awareness", "summary": "Campaigns that explain what robotic surgery is, how safe it is and what it offers patients.", "department": "awareness", "plate": "awareness", "status": "Planned", "when": "Details to be announced", "for": "The student body and the wider community", "description": "Campaigns that explain robotic surgery: what it is, how safe it is and what it offers patients. They include awareness events that face the community.", "openLabel": "Open the campaigns" }, { "slug": "term-newsletter", "name": "Term Newsletter", "type": "Newsletter", "summary": "A newsletter from the Awareness department, published once each term.", "department": "awareness", "plate": "pr", "status": "Planned", "when": "Once each term", "for": "Members and readers at the university", "description": "A newsletter published each term by the Awareness department. It sits beside the department's educational summaries and infographics.", "openLabel": "Open the newsletter" }, { "slug": "symposium-conference", "onEvents": true, "name": "Symposium or Conference", "type": "Academic event", "summary": "A symposium or conference in RSIG's first year, with the format and date to be published on the Events page.", "department": "all", "plate": "board", "status": "Coming soon", "when": "In the first year. The date will be posted on the Events page.", "for": "Students, faculty and guests", "description": "RSIG will hold a symposium or conference in its first year. The format and the date will be published on the Events page when they are set.", "openLabel": "Open the symposium" } ] }