One of Maruyama's favourite creations is her painting, Susie the Surgeon―based on Rosie the Riveter-which she created to inspire women to enter the field of surgery.
Combining her education in surgery and industrial design, Michiko Maruyama's dream is to be a clinician-artist. "I would have a studio where I can develop medical educational resources and games."
Fentanyl-related deaths are hardly a game, but Maruyama joined forces with Cheryl Mack (Pediatrics), Ferrante Gragasin and Vivian Ip (Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine), adapting the biting tone of Cards Against Humanity to create a game to inform youth about opioids and ultimately save lives.
The Doctors Against Tragedies card game was made possible through a grant from the Alberta Medical Association, in conjunction with the Canadian Medical Association and with support from the Edmonton Community Foundation. Download it for free at DoctorsAgainstTragedies.com.
Maruyama also designs toys-such as 3-D models of hearts, a doll that helps teach children about heart defects and origami paper models like her sternotomy teddy bear-to help young patients prepare for cardiac surgery.