This essay was submitted as part of an essay competition. Read the competition announcement and rules for voting here.

Gone are the days of a solely sterile room in monotones of blue.

2050 has arrived … Tiny nanobots weave through the patient, delivering precise doses of medication, while advanced robots with their metallic limbs stand poised. Look around ... students shed the weight of textbooks; their eyes glued to sleek headsets as they virtually explore the patient's anatomy and learn in real-time. Even damaged tissue finds new life, printed on demand to match the patient's unique biology. Welcome to the future of surgery, where technology and empathy intertwine to heal.

This essay was submitted as part of an essay competition. Read the competition announcement and rules for voting here.

This essay was submitted as part of an essay competition. Read the competition announcement and rules for voting here.

Hauge T, Abu Hejleh A, Nilsson M, Schröder W.

Br J Surg 2024;  111: znae216.

Acknowledgements: Many thanks to the Mexico Hub team for the organisation of the main event in Cancun and the side events in Veracruz.

Acknowledgements: Many thanks to the Mexico Hub team for the organisation of the main event in Cancun and the side events in Veracruz.

Acknowledgements: Many thanks to the Mexico Hub team for the organisation of the main event in Cancun and the side events in Veracruz.

Why do we need seven to eight hours of sleep? What is a good power nap? How do we maintain adequate sleep hygiene?

In ‘Why We Sleep’ by neuroscientist Matthew Walker, these questions are answered based on extensive research. Sleep is a necessity for our brain to enhance a wide variety of functions such as memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and even physical recovery. Our REM sleep is like overnight therapy and fuels creativity. Perhaps the reason why sleep is often easily neglected, contrary to diet and exercise, is because sleep enhances our health in ways we usually cannot easily see or grasp. As such, sleep deprivation can subtly lead to a range of health issues including cognitive decline, chronic diseases, and shortened lifespan. Chronic insomnia not only affects us individually; societal consequences are also mentioned by the author.