An opportunity to shadow a gastroenterologist after the completion of her A Levels at a Junior College in Singapore sparked Tey Kai Rou’s interest in medicine, especially in the field of gastroenterology. This interest resulted in the start of her medical studies at  the International Medical University in 2007. Five years later, she graduated with a MBBS (IMU). After obtaining her degree, she did her housemanship in Kuantan while preparing to sit for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).

Commenting on her decision to go to US, Kai Rou said, “Before coming to US, I heard about how the postgraduate training in United States is very structured, and I feel that the most important part of my training is the first few years after graduating from medical school. There were 3 examinations that one need to undergo before applying for residency training here. I took it one step at a time, the process definitely was not easy, because I did it by myself, while the rest of my classmates from IMU were all settled down in housemanship. I was not disappointed after coming here. Training here in University of Arizona College of Medicine gave me a new perspective in medicine, where evidence based medicine is strongly emphasised.”’

She added, “I am fortunate to be in an academic setting, and had the opportunity to work with many inspiring mentors. Under their mentorship, I engage in a few clinical research and quality improvement projects. These were recognised by the University and I was awarded a few scholarships, including Resident Excellence and Leadership Scholarship that entailed $5000 fund, Academic Achievement Award, Outstanding Resident in Gastroenterology for two consecutive years 2015 and 2016. I also presented my research finding in American College of Physicians National Meeting In Washington, DC, and was one of the winners in the research category.”

Kai Rou recently received the news that she is one of the recipients of the Emerging Liver Scholar Award that was given by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). She will be attending the Liver Meeting at Boston at the end of the year (2016), accompanied by her mentor. In addition to travel expenses, the emerging scholars will attend workshops on career development, clinical research, and transplant surgery. This would be a fantastic opportunity for her.

“The day to day clinical work, interaction with patients, constantly fueled my motivation to do better,” said Kai Rou, who intends to pursue a career in transplant hepatology.

Her advice to students inspiring to be doctors is “The journey is definitely not easy, but it is a rewarding career”.

Related article:  Not Satisfied with Hat Trick, Dr. Tey Takes Another Award

Tamanna Roshan Lal started studying medicine at IMU in 1999. She completed the first two and a half years of her medical studies at the University before transferring to University of Manchester, UK to complete her training and obtain her degree. She graduated with a MB ChB from University of Manchester in 2005.

Recalling fondly of her time in IMU and University of Manchester, Tamanna said, “Studying in Malaysia at IMU was a great experience. The clinical training that I got at IMU definitely helped to prepare me for my transition to the UK. PBL’s were initially difficult for me, as I was not very good at self-studying and always needed lectures and guidance. However, after some time, you get used to the PBL system, which definitely helped when I went to study in the UK. Studying in UK was very similar to Malaysia. The IMU students were already well-equipped with good clinical skills, which made it slightly easier with the transition. The British system did demand the medical students have good communication skills, which IMU helped hone while I was in Malaysia. All in all, IMU does prepare their students well so that they are able to adapt to the system in the UK without any major problems.”

Post-graduation, Tamanna then went on to do her generalised foundation training for 2 years in the Greater Manchester region. After completion of this, she was accepted into a Paediatric Specialist training programme – also in the Greater Manchester area. However, she left this programme in 2010 to move to Oregon, USA and be with her husband.

“The biggest difference working in the UK vs the US is that clinical medicine is practiced more in the UK while diagnostic medicine is practiced in the US. By this, I mean that in the UK, the doctor’s rely a lot on the history and examination before ordering tests, where as in the US, the doctors do a lot more tests/imaging than they need to. Also, the hours you work in the US are longer compared to the UK. Residents working in the US work about 80 – 100 hours a week, while in the UK, the junior doctors work about 60 hour week. However, it takes a longer time to specialise in the UK (up to 10 years), where as in the US you can be a specialist within 4 to 6 years”, said Tamanna who then got herself accepted into a Paediatric Residency at Sinai Hospital, Baltimore, MD in 2011.

Tamanna completed her residency in 2014 and is now a Board certified Paediatrician. She was then accepted into a 3-year Medical Genetics fellowship at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, MD. Currently, she is a second year fellow and will be the chief resident of the Medical Genetics Department for the academic year of 2016-2017.

Speaking on her interest in the field of genetics, she said, “I am interested in Genetics while I was working in Burnley, a town in East Lancashire, UK. There was a big Pakistani community there, where consanguinity was very common (1st cousins marrying 1st cousins). In each family, it is extremely common to see multiple generations of inter-cousin marriages. Due to this, the babies born to future generations were born with genetic conditions that were so rare. After seeing many rare genetic conditions, I became very interested in this field and decided to specialise in it.”

Tamanna is also currently involved in clinical research on a very rare genetic condition called Gaucher disease. Gaucher disease (GD) is a lysosomal storage disorder that results from the inherited deficiency of the enzyme glucocerebrosidase. Neuronopathic type 2 GD is the rarest, as well as the most severe and progressive form that results from this deficiency. It is so rare that only a few clinicians would ever see one case in their entire career.

“Traditionally, the clinical presentation is considered to be stereotypic; however it can range anywhere from hydrops fetalis to the collodion baby phenotype to infants presenting after 6 months of life. Neurological involvement occurs very early on in the disease process, resulting in severe degeneration and death in infancy or early childhood. However in the past few decades, we are observing that these infants are living longer due to more aggressive as well as experimental interventions.”

For her research, Tamanna interviews parents who have children with Gaucher type 2 (either alive or deceased), and asks them a lot of medical questions about their symptoms and disease process. By gathering this data, she will be able to analyse the information so that she would be able to understand the disease process better.

Once she has completed my clinical genetics training in 2017, she will be doing a further fellowship in Biochemical Genetics for 1 year followed by another fellowship in Molecular Genetics (also for 1 year). She should be completing with all her subspecialisations by 2019. She will then be officially a Paediatric Biochemical and Molecular Geneticist.

Tamanna intends to do clinical work in a teaching hospital as well as some clinical research. She is also considering the possibility of analysing genetic testing based on her qualifications. She also plans on doing missionary trips to third world countries to do general Paediatrics for about 1 month every year.

Her advice to the students are to continue studying in the field of medicine. “There is so much to learn out there and just because you have completed some element of your training, it does not mean you have to stop learning. My other piece of advice is, get involved in some sort of research while you are doing your training. Try to get some posters and publications under their belt. It definitely helps with self/professional development. Medicine is evolving on a daily basis, so the juniors have to make sure that they are up to date in the area of medicine they decide to specialise in.”

Learn more about Tamanna via this Presentation.

24 June 2016 – IMU medical alumnus, Dairshini Sithambaram, was awarded “Best International Student” at a graduation ceremony at University of Dundee, UK. Dairshini started her journey towards a career in medicine at International Medical University, Malaysia and then transferred to University of Dundee for completion of her medical degree.

Dairshini said, “Initially, I was really shocked when I found out that I got the award. I always did my best but had little expectations having joined University of Dundee midway through the course. Furthermore, University of Dundee is one of the top medical schools in UK and receiving this award was truly an honour and a wonderful graduation gift especially for my family.”

The conferment of this award is decided by a panel consisting of the Dean and Medical School Board of Examiners. It is given to an undergraduate student in the final year of their study that appears most deserving. The requirement for the award includes both outstanding academic and co-curricular performance.

Recalling fondly of her time in IMU, Dairshini said, “IMU had certainly provided me with a strong foundation. The knowledge I had gained in IMU had made the transition to my clinical years easier. More importantly, in IMU I had learnt a lot through the co-curricular activities I was involved in and the people I had met. This helped me grow as a person and build my confidence to carry on even after leaving the country.”

“As a student ambassador in IMU, I had the opportunity to revive the IMU Alumni newsletter: Reminiscence. My most memorable moment was our first publication of the newsletter and its subsequent special edition in conjunction with IMU’s 20th anniversary celebration.”

“I really enjoyed my time in IMU. IMU had helped me grow in a different way. The IMU community is very closely knit both in Malaysia and abroad. The comfort that it gives you allows you to focus and progress in your ambitions. I was given a lot of opportunity whilst in IMU to pursue my interest in writing, publishing and medical education,” adds Dairshini.

Speaking on her time in Dundee, Darshini said, “My time in Dundee is certainly one of the best years of my life. I absolutely love Scotland for the people and the beauty of the country. My initial year was challenging as I was not used to the system nor was I accustomed to the culture. However, the staff and students alike were very supportive. Within a short time, I managed to settle in and fall in love with the place. I have grown a lot as an individual and I am grateful for the experience.”

“I was part of a team in the Association for Medical Education Europe (AMEE) developing a course for students interested in medical education. Students involved in teaching are recognised by UK’s General Medical Council and this course was adapted from the successful Essential Skills in Medical Education (ESME) online course. We worked for a couple of months on the content and delivery of the course. It was truly a proud and fulfilling moment when the pilot course in autumn 2015 attracted more than 150 applicants from around the world including Australia, USA, Europe and Asia. The feedback for the course was great and the course is continuing to run successfully.”

Daishini’s advice to those who wish to be doctors is “Surround yourself only with people who will lift you higher and as Oprah Winfrey once said, “Don’t worry about being successful but work towards being significant and the success will naturally follow.”

Related article: IMU Medical Student is the first student to complete ESME Online Course

I remember very clearly the day I was in my doctor’s office. I was a patient at the age of 8, and I was told in the next few hours that I am going to be blind very soon due to an illness. I was in pain, worried about future, at the age when others’ biggest worry is not being able to watch their favorite TV show.

Thanks to the medical advancements a few years later, I didn’t go blind. In fact I now have 20/20 vision (after multiple surgeries). But that changed the way I am. I always ask “Why me?” Why I have to go through so much pain at such young age, why I need to worry if I will have eyesight in the future while others were travelling around the world. The experience also fueled my desire to be a doctor.

In 2009 , I received a JPA scholarship to study medicine at IMU. The experience I gained in IMU is more than any medical textbook can teach. Any medical school can teach medicine, but only some can teach us to be a better clinician. And IMU is definitely one of it. In clinical school, I get to discuss with some of the top clinicians in Malaysia, being taught by them on empathy, passion and ethics. They were amazing role models, and just by observing them we learn to be better in what we do. If there is one thing I am proud about IMU is the quality of our academicians and I am so lucky to have formed lifelong connections with them.

In 2014, I was elected as the President of SRC of Clinical School. I was actively involved in transforming the SRC in Clinical School. I was very passionate about making a change within the Clinical School. I drafted a new constitution, organised a fair election, lead the renovation of student lounge, and ensured students’ academic welfare is well taken care of. During my term, I had the opportunity to brush shoulders with excellent academicians and leaders in healthcare. I learnt so much from there on how to run an organisation. I have a special interest in medical education, thus I took the opportunity to learn the qualities that are needed in an academician.

Remember how I used to ask myself “Why me?”. That question was answered when I received distinction in my final MBBS exam and was listed under Dean’s List for Academic Excellence. Why I have to suffer? Because I am so blessed. Blessed to have a loving supportive family, blessed to have the best medical services available to treat me, blessed to have the sufficient financial support. That’s the reason. Isn’t it better for me to go through it rather than someone poor, and homeless? We suffer because we have the sufficient courage and blessings to make it through. The sufferings make us better.

I can proudly say the brief period (10 years) of being a patient, has taught me how to be a better clinician. I learnt that as a clinician, I should never leave my patients’ bedside without alleviating their fear and worries. In clinical school, when I see patients in the ward, I make sure every patient will smile before I leave their bedside. I make sure they do, and I make sure they know their illness is temporary if it is. And every time when the patients say “thank you Dr”, I believe I am being blessed by them. And I believe that’s the reason for my good results in exams. Of course the crazy wee hours studying, and guidance from our lecturers helped. But my lecturers’ and patients’ blessings surely gave me the extra push.

I was just a medical student, I did not change anything, and I did not prescribe any medications. I just made them feel comfortable and most of the time that’s something they really need. To feel comfortable, for someone to hold their hands and say “It’s going to be alright”. The only reason I know this is because, once I was a patient in need of my doctors to say “my dear, it’s going to be alright”.

My advice to juniors, always be loving to your patients no matter how high your position is. It’s not easy in our busy schedule, but we must try. They are scared, and worried. They have family to feed, partners to love, and future to build. Love them regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, or religion. Don’t ever judge them, we don’t know what they are going through. Every one of us is suffering, it’s subjective. A homeless or a millionaire, both have sleepless nights. We must love every one of them, care for them as though they are our family members. It might not give us a pay raise, but the blessings we receive from them will bring us very far in life. I firmly believe in that. We must also engage ourselves in discussion about humanity and justice every day. The world is changing, we should come out of our comfort zone, irrational religious/cultural constraints and learn every day.

If you are going through a hard phase in life, hang in there as it is going to be alright. One day, you will be given an answer for all your sufferings. Remember, the universe is preparing you for something great. They need a captain and you, the captain need rigorous training.

For those who are blessed with success and love, please look behind and bring along those who are not as lucky as you. The only reason we are blessed is because we are supposed to share it with others. Let us always share our love, blessings and always be passionate about working hard to improve others’ life.

This article is written by our medical alumnus, Ramesh A/L Thangatorai who graduated with an MBBS IMU in June 2016.

24 June 2016 – IMU Alumnus, David Tang Chu Yik won the first prize for poster presentation at the Royal Society of Medicine Cardiothoracic Section Meeting – Evolution or Revolution: Survival of the Cardiothoracic Surgeon. The presentation was on his poster: Chasing time: The Evolution of Aortic Dissection in a Patient Over More than Half a Decade. This case study was written in close collaboration with his supervisor, Mr Alex Shipolini, a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon from St Bartholomew’s Hospital with special interests in challenging adult cardiac surgeries.

“I ended my cardiothoracic rotation back in late March. When I came across the prize 4 months later, I was at the edge of foregoing this prize as I have my third year finals to focus on. Nonetheless, I met Mr Shipolini in operating theatre on a Wednesday and he was very supportive of me joining this event. I used 3 hours to complete the case study and the abstract and the following week to go through the editing. Winning the prize was a pleasant surprise to me as well.”

The meeting was attended by Cardiothoracic Consultant and trainees from across the UK. Notable guest speakers include Professor Terence Stephenson, Chair of the General Medical Council, Professor Harold Ellis, Emeritus Professor of Surgery, University of London and Mr Declan Magee, President of the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland.

A third year medical student at Queen Mary University of London, David Tang Chu Yik, started his studies in medicine at the International Medical University, Malaysia. He then transferred to Queen Mary University of London for completion of his degree.

Relating his experience in choosing this partner university, David said, “I still remember that the ranking process was a hard and gruelling one. There were so many aspects to consider. I started reading up the SRC university profiles which I have downloaded when I was in Semester Two whilst taking long bus rides back to my hometown in the northern state of Kedah (I didn’t have mobile data in the past, my friends knew it was impossible to contact me through watsapp)!”

“One of the few key features that attracted me to Barts was the length of clinical placement in the specialty of my interests. I personally felt that I was ready for the clinical phase and hence I prefer more time spent in the wards as opposed to lectures, which Barts offers. Going to a medical school in London means that I am also conveniently close to the central point for academic conferences. Weather in the UK was something I didn’t prepare myself for and I was definitely caught off-guard, even though London’s weather is much milder compared to the rest of the UK! Nevertheless, these are all my subjective preferences and I believe all medical schools have their plus points which some people prefer over others.”

David tells us more about being a medical student in this interview.

Describe your experience studying at Partner Medical School

I started my third year along with transfer students from Cambridge and the ‘Maxfax’ entrants, whom of which are 8 brilliant BDS dental degree holders and aspiring oral maxillofacial surgeons, in pursuit of their medical degree in merely 3 years. The atmosphere at Barts was very friendly and I swear no one had to point a gun barrel at my head for me to say so! It definitely helped me to settle in very quickly.

My first placement was at Garrod Ward, the endocrinology department at St Bartholomew’s Hospital. We were the first point of contact for all inpatients admissions and we presented our case directly either to the registrars or the consultant whilst they ran us through the management plans. We also had the opportunity to scrub in with endocrinology surgeries every Wednesday. Common surgeries are adrenalectomies and thyroidectomies.

I could still remember how thrilled I felt putting on my first pair of scrubs and I was grinning from ear to ear under my mask throughout the surgery (I’m sure all my Maxfax friends will mock me after reading this)!

I’ve recently completed my 3rd year at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry. In my 3rd year, I have undergone placement in core medical specialties namely cardiology, respiratory medicine, haematology, gastroenterology and general surgery, nephrology and endocrinology, all of which coincide with the system-based approach adopted by IMU in the first two years of the MBBS degree. Clinical phase teaching is almost entirely placement based and learning opportunity is by far more meaningful in hospitals.

Describe your experience studying at IMU

I can’t stop praising how adequately IMU has prepared us for the clinical phase overseas. Even in our first semester, the emphasis on clinical skills right after orientation week prepares us for learning in the wards. With the technicalities of clinical and communication skills out of the way, the final hurdle was to understand the local accent and honestly, London accent is not a tall hurdle at all!

The best part of being an IMU student was the sense of community. Everyone seems to know each other in IMU and there’s so many things to do after lectures to suit every interests. No one ever feels left out! All the ‘mamak’ sessions after cheer practice, Friday movie nights and impromptu Malacca food trips were random escapades from my routine student life. I would definitely want to relive my moments in IMU if I were given another chance.

How is this different from studying at IMU
Buildings in London are more historical. Barts medical library is a converted church. Barts clinical skills centre and the main medical campus are 40 minutes away on foot. Everything else is more expensive. There’s no nasi lemak stalls by the roadside! Jokes aside, it’s very difficult to compare pre-clinical phase and clinical phase learning. If I were to make a comparison based on my observation, I noticed that IMU students were exposed to tropical medicine in great depth, which is considered a niche subject in the UK. Whilst Barts students are very well-versed in many autoimmune diseases, which are easily submerged by the vast amount of other conditions emphasised in IMU. It’s a relatively minor trade-off plus it’s not something an hour or two of reading can’t compensate.

Memorable experience in London
On my first day attending the clinical skills bridging course at Barts clinical skills centre, I was the last one to go in and when I was signing the register, I looked at a group of people standing in front of me and I carelessly exclaimed, ’Wow! Everyone looks terribly mature for 3rd years!’ They grinned back at me silently. Later on, a blonde lady from that group announced that we were going to start the clinical sessions and I found out that the whole group of people were actually clinical skills lecturers. *Awkward*

Memorable experience in IMU
There’s way too many memories that I wish I can relive again. One of the best memories in IMU is meant to be kept as a secret for the benefit of our future juniors but what I can say is that I made friends that could last me for a lifetime!

What is your greatest achievement so far? 
My greatest achievement in life is to be accepted into a medical school. I did a voluntary work in local hospital A&E department when I was 14 and since then I can’t see myself doing anything outside of medicine. I was ‘trained’ by my dad to be an architect since I was little but I guess one of my siblings has to accomplish that dream on my behalf!

Why did you choose this particular specialisation?

I would very much like to specialise in paediatric cardiothoracic surgery. My friends would often question why I have set my mind on something so specific so early in my career? Essentially it’s just the combination of all my interests, I enjoy myself whilst doing surgery, I get excited learning about the heart and I love kids! Most importantly, patients experience the most remarkable recovery after cardiac surgeries. Surgery itself is immensely challenging, it is even more when it is done on the heart of a child. Hence, I would like to provide patients with the best assurance with my compassion and competency as a surgeon in the future.

Your future plans
The Ministry of Health Malaysia recently launched a new training system for cardiothoracic surgery in collaboration with the Royal Collages of Surgeons Edinburgh. In year 2016, 4 successful applicants were accepted as the first cohort of surgeons trained under this system. Getting into the training programme can be competitive but it’s worth the challenge. Currently that’s my immediate future plan once I graduate.

Your advice to students aspiring to be doctors / to be in the medical field
Be passionate about what you do. Choose the career you love and you do not have to work for another day in your life ever again.

Find out about this partner university via this article: IMU adds Queen Mary, University of London to its list of Partner Medical Schools

30 July 2016 – The IMU Alumni Office hosted an alumni gathering in Ipoh. This gathering took place at MH Hotel, Ipoh on a lovely sunny Saturday evening. We received a small group of alumni for the gathering and it was one of the most casual and intimate sessions that we’ve had to-date. A total of 13 alumni from the Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing and Dietetics with Nutrition programmes respectively were present at the gatheirng.

Dr Purushotham Krishnappa, Head of Division, Pathology gave a very engaging introduction to the gathering. He also shared tips, ideas and information about the alumni network, and drove the message home by sharing the importance of alumni involvement at IMU.

The party then had a mini focus group session according their respective programmes where they shared in-depth stories and feedback with the lecturers on-site. The overall feedback received were positive.

We are pleased and happy to know that IMU alumni are generally well-received in Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun Ipoh with all the doctors having a good impression of them knowing that they were from IMU. Alumni from other programmes have also stated that IMU has prepared them well for work especially with the practical trainings that were embedded in the curriculum.

The gathering concluded with a dinner up on the 20th floor of the hotel, overlooking the brightly lit Ipoh town.

We recently got in touch with an IMU alumnus, Dr Vasanthakumar S. Selvarajah who will be in London from now until October 2016 as a recipient of the Bill Marshall Fellowship Award.

The Bill Marshall Fellowship is awarded to 1-2 applicants from South East Asia every year, to spend time in a specialty of interest at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London. It was in memory of Dr William Courtney Marshall who was a reputable clinician who contributed much light in infectious disease in children, their causation, and prevention by immunisation.

“Having being awarded this scholarship, I was able to spend time in the renowned Great Ormond Street Hospital, to gain experience in Paediatric & Neonatal Intensive Care and participate in research studies. It gave me an opportunity to learn and experience the handling and management of Paediatric Intensive Care in an international tertiary centre.”’

Dr Vasan is the Head of Paediatrics Department in Hospital Keningau, Sabah. After completing his MBBS with a full scholarship from IMU, he completed his housemanship in Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Later on, he trained in Sabah Women and Children’s Hospital, Sabah, and attained a membership with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (MRCPCH) UK.

The main reason for him to study medicine is because of his sister and a late aunty. “I have a sister who has cerebral palsy, and lost an aunty who had chronic kidney disease. I used to spend a lot of time in the hospital caring for them, even at home. There was always this yearning of getting on top of all these diseases, and it was always an enigma, a mystery – and that curiosity lead me to the interest in medicine, in addition to wanting the best for the people out there so they don’t have to go through what my sister and late aunty had gone through.”

On why he chose to specialise in pediatrics, he answered “Babies and children never speak for themselves. When they are presented to a doctor, it is entirely up to the clinician to figure out what the diagnosis is with the most minimal of information. Children succumb to their diseases easily but they also recover tremendously well. This makes the job extremely challenging and keeps you on your toes all the time. The gift of seeing that once extremely ill child walk out your hospital with a smile is priceless.”

“Children and babies are looked at as “tiny adults” but that isn’t the case at all. A preterm baby has a completely different physiology as compared to that of a term infant, and an infant is different from that of a toddler. Managing the different stages of childhood comes with understanding the physiology that is special to each particular age group. In short, it is the intricacy of Paediatric medicine that drew me to it.”

“To be a Paediatrician, it all starts with the love of children. Knowing that you are the only person that they can rely on during times of illness. Sure, babies are cute and children are a ball to play with – but in the midst of illness these special group of humans are far from cute or playful. The motivation is to always be there by their side, holding their hands through the whole process of illness, until they recover. It is the challenge, the compelling presentation of Paediatric diseases, the hunger for knowledge, and this fire within to improve child healthcare that keeps me driven and motivated to excel in this field.”

We asked him to describe a typical day as a pediatric specialist in Keningau Hospital, “Being the only Paediatrician in Hospital Keningau, Sabah, most hours are spent in the hospital rather than at home.  The day starts with ward rounds in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) followed by the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Special Care Nursery, and the Children’s Medical Ward. This is then followed by the specialist clinic, and Thalassemia Day Care biweekly.”

“In the afternoons are teaching sessions for the medical officers, administrative meeting and mortality meetings. In between, casualty red zones cases are attended by myself as well, requiring emergency resuscitation and intensive care subsequently. This is then followed by an evening round, to follow up on morning plans, and new admissions.  The day ends with a night round where all the Intensive care babies and children are reviewed. In addition, I do phone cover for 2 other quaint district hospitals – Hospital Tenom and Hospital Tambunan, and do monthly visits to these hospitals and Klinik Kesihatan Nabawan, close to the secluded area of Pensiangan.”

Dr Vasan was originally from Selangor. So we wondered why he chose to practice in Sabah – “I had gone to Sabah for a brief holiday during my university days as many of my friends hailed from the island of Borneo. I fell in love with the beauty and simplicity of the city. At that time, my professors from IMU encouraged me to do my housemanship there as well, as the clinical experience and hands-on opportunities were said to be invaluable – and indeed they were! ”

“During my housemanship, I got to know the people of Sabah and the background of our fellow Malaysians living here. Sabah is the poorest state in Malaysia (World Bank, 2015). Access to healthcare isn’t easy, and when most patients arrive to the hospital, they are in dire conditions. At times, we do fly out by helicopter to retrieve these patients. Working for these group of people gave me a fulfilment that cannot be described. Sabah requires a lot of growth and development in terms of healthcare, and I wish to be part of it, contributing to the betterment of medicine  here, especially in the field of Paediatrics –  the very reason why I’m still in service here (in Sabah).”

Despite his busy schedule in the hospital, Dr Vasan still finds time to travel. “My interests lie in understanding different cultures. I spend a lot of time reading history and geography, of untold tribes and stories. I enjoy travelling to different countries and try to find time for that. Hobbies include cooking, baking, going for road trips and scuba diving.”

When asked about his future plans, Dr Vasan said his intention is to further specialise in Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine, and hopefully return to Sabah to work on developing intensive care medicine (and Paediatric medicine as a whole) and critical care transport in the other areas of Sabah.

His advice to anyone inspiring to be a doctor is that “Being a doctor isn’t about the title, the “class” or the misguided notion of a comfortable income. It is ultimately service. Service to the unfortunate, the ill, people who are at their weakest, most vulnerable state. You have to be prepared to work very hard, long hours – but if you have the passion, those hours mean nothing and the returns are invaluable. Medicine is a life-long learning opportunity. You never stop learning – and it makes being a doctor challenging and enjoyable at the same time. Look forward to that.”

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Dr Vasan for taking time out to answer our questions even though he was running on a tight schedule in London. IMU is very proud of his work and his passion in the medical field. We wish him all the best in his continued journey.

An IMU medical alumnus, Dr Avinesh Singh Bhar, is one of Asia 21’s Class of Young Leaders 2016, a group of remarkable leaders focused on shaping a brighter future for the Asia-Pacific region. Dr Bhar, a Malaysian, and 31 other rising professionals from 23 countries had to go through a highly competitive selection process which was based on outstanding achievement, commitment to public service, and a proven ability to make the world a better place. One of the notable alumni of this network of young leaders from Malaysia is Minister for Youth and Sports Khairy Jamaluddin,

“I am humbled by this opportunity. Looking at the contributions of the other candidates, I feel completely out of place. But I have always believed that if you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room. With that philosophy, I hope to grow on a personal level and to contribute to the Asia Pacific region.”

Dr Bhar is currently a faculty member at Mercer University. He is also pursuing his MBA with the University of Chicago (Booth School of Business) while building his career as a pulmonary, critical care and sleep physician.

His career in medicine started when he graduated with a MBBS from IMU in 2005 and moved to New York City to start his residency training in Internal Medicine. In order to do that, he had to sit for his United States Medical Licensing Exams (USMLEs) prior to getting residency position.

“I chose to pursue my residency in Internal Medicine at the New York Hospital of Queens in New York City, which took 3 years. During the second half of residency, I applied for a fellowship spot in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. I received and attended several interviews and got accepted to the University of Tennessee in Memphis, this took another 3 years. I then applied for another fellowship in Sleep Medicine at Washington University in St Louis, thankfully this lasted only 1 year. Following each block of training, I sat for and passed my board exams in each field.”

Speaking on the reason he decided to do a fellowship in Sleep Medicine, Dr Bhar said, “After completing my fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Tennesee in Memphis I spoke with my mentor and programme director, Dr Muthiah, who felt that sleep medicine would broaden my horizon as a physician. In addition, pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine complement each other very well. I had also completed a month long elective rotation in sleep medicine during my pulmonary fellowship which I found interesting and eye opening.”

Recalling fondly of his time in IMU, Dr Bhar said, “My 2 years in IMU Seremban were special to me. The presence of supportive seniors, a collegial environment and great minds such as Dato Kandasami, Dato Siva (OBGYN), Prof Ramesh Jutti, Dr Xavier, and Dato Kew, helped cement my clinical years as outstanding years in my career. As an icing to top it off, I was part of the inaugural Malaysian delegation (and first full medical delegation) to the Harvard World Model United Nations Conference in 2003. So many great memories.” He also felt that a strong grounding in medicine and independent learning that he gained while studying in IMU was instrumental to the success of his career in the US

His advice to those who wish to work as doctors in the US is “Follow your passion and always be curious. Between any 2 options in life, pick the one you are most likely going to regret not picking down the road.”

Related article: IMU Alumnus gives talk on Sleep Disorders

Although IMU has always had alumni who have done double degrees from undergraduate to postgraduate studies, Michael Son Wei Da is the first that has gone down the unbeaten path by scoring himself a Biomedical Science degree, followed by an IMU MBBS degree.

Michael first joined IMU in 2008 under the Biomedical Science programme and completed his first degree in 2011. According to him, the Biomedical Science’s course structure is more constructive and better planned in IMU compared to other universities offering the same course. When he moved on to continue with a Medical degree immediately after his first degree, he found that it helped him a lot with the second degree.

“My knowledge in Biomedical Science helped a lot in the Medical programme. It covered the basic science and human pathology in our medical foundation block. It allowed me to breeze through the foundation learning.”

“I am a kinaesthetic learner. For every laboratory investigation that I planned for my patients, I know exactly how they are performed based on my experience during the apprenticeship at the pathology lab at Hospital Pantai Kuala Lumpur during my Biomedical Science programme.”

The main reasons that he chose to continue his second degree in IMU were because he liked the learning environment in IMU. The attitude of the learners was well cultivated and the facilities were well maintained, not to mention the excellent clinical lecturers and IMU’s reputation which provides quality assurance for the students.

“I am very confident in IMU’s programme structure planning. It is not only teaching the student about the theory but most importantly it cultivates the learning attitude of the students to go beyond the requirement.”

“My most memorable moment in IMU would be the exam preparation period in Semester 9. I stayed back at the IMU Seremban clinical campus every evening till late night to study with a group of my friends for almost 3 months in order to prepare for the professional exam. At times when we were bored or sleepy, my friends will always provide the group with some entertainment where we can all relax for a bit before getting back on track with our studies. When some of my friends became nervous, we comfort each other and learn together. The support and care among my group of friends were all established and grew in IMU.”

Michael has recently completed the IMU MBBS programme and is currently waiting for the convocation in October. While waiting, he wastes no time. “Currently, I am running the IMU Cares Project in Kampung Tekir, Seremban. I hope I can contribute more to the society even before the start of my houseman service. I also joined peer tutoring in IMU Bukit Jalil campus for clinical skills teaching. I am trying to get a clinical/laboratory research opportunity within IMU. I am interested to specialise in family medicine in the future.”

His advice for aspiring juniors who will be joining the healthcare industry is “it is important for you to understand your interests and your willingness to contribute to the society, which you should not be demanding for any reward. This is also a life-longlearning industry where you have to constantly update yourself and learn new theories and skills. I can help anyone anytime. But I am trying hard to get a certificate which will allow me to officially treat someone in need of medical attention and I would make sure that he or she is safe and well under my care.”

The IMU Alumni Relations Office would like to thank our alumnus, Michael for taking his time out to answer our questions. We would also like to take the opportunity to wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

This year’s alumni gathering in Kuala Lumpur was held in none other than the main IMU campus in Bukit Jalil with more than 10 different dialogue sessions taking place throughout the evening. We welcomed more than 120 alumni returning from in and out of Malaysia, of different schools and programmes (i.e. Biomedical Science, Chiropractic, Dentistry, Medical Biotechnology, Medicine, Nutrition and Dietetics, Nursing, Nursing Science, Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Psychology, and Postgraduate Studies) .

Conversations ranging from perspectives on the US presidential race to the hype of social media trends and the dreadful Friday traffic in the heart of KL were just some of the preludes into the evening.

The evening started off with a welcome speech from two IMU founders whom we remembered fondly; Dr Mei Ling Young and Prof Ong Kok Hai. “I’m really happy to see all of you here. I appreciate the fact that you actually came back for this occasion, knowing that it’s a long weekend. We at IMU will always welcome you back and are very proud of you. Thank you for making this reunion a success!” said Mei Ling before announcing the final plan of the IMU Hospital opposite the main IMU campus.

After a scrumptious dinner, the group photo sessions that took place was quite a scene when all 140 alumni and staff tried to squeeze in for a picture before  heading for the break-out session.

The break-out sessions by programme allowed an alumni to take part in a dialogue between faculty members and other alumni in attendance. The discussions covered topics from postgraduate career paths to many advice given to recent graduates, as well as feedback for the curriculum from the alumni. Many were excited to meet up with batch mates and friends whom they have not seen for a long time, and they kept delaying their goodbyes until well past 10:30pm. Many look forward to the 25^th Anniversary Celebrations next year!

“Being directly associated with IMU now that I’m part of the faculty, it definitely keeps me on my toes as an alumnus. I have always rejoiced in the many news I’ve heard about our seniors (and juniors) who did well after graduation – from IMU as well as from our Partner Medical Schools. Perhaps, this is because our school has prepared us well for it. One has no idea how much our lecturers worked for us until you become one of them.”

“To those of you recently graduated and are now advancing to the front lines of our healthcare system, let me say this to you: you are not responsible for the confusion, unrest and national as well as international disorders that are present. You cannot be blamed for it. You cannot be blamed for the comical presidential debate and many things that do not make sense – much like the ‘Pokémon Go’ trend. But in another sense, you are responsible, in that it will be largely up to you – to meet it and deal with it intelligently. I did not realise that, but we are quite prepared for our future, the values come to a full play after we step out of our school.”

“We have come here to the alumni gathering out of our free will, because of our attachment to this place. It is not only to network, but also gain insight into various experiences and use others’ expertise to improve ourselves and if you agree – to catch up on the old times.”

“Lastly, let me encourage you to stay connected. I feel that we have every reason to be proud of our alumni association, which also means to be proud of ourselves. More importantly, your university takes pride in you!”

Alumni connection and feedback is vital to improving bonds with our alma mater. We look forward to many more up-coming gatherings around the country. Watch out for more activities that are in store and view the photo album from the Alumni gathering in the IMU Alumni Facebook page.

Written by: Dr Erwin Khoo Jiayuan, President of Alumni Association Committee (2016-2018)

An advocate of children’s rights, IMUMedical Student, Taha Fathima Khan, from India, founded Child Awareness Project to increase awareness about children’s rights. In January 2016, she was appointed as a Global Youth Ambassador at A World at School, part of Theirworld, which is headed by Sarah Brown. This movement was launched in 2014 by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown.

As part of her role, she has written to donor governments at the World Humanitarian Summit in May 2016, to increase funding for emergency education. She was also selected to represent the #SafeSchools campaign during the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in New York, in September 2016. She was selected as one of two A World at School Global Youth Ambassadors (GYA) worldwide (and the only one from India) to attend many meetings during the UNGA in New York and to support the cause of Education in Emergencies.

Taha relates to us how she got involved with this cause, which ultimately won her a Silver Medallion at the 2012 Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards and the International Diana Award – a lasting legacy to the late Princess of Wales to recognise inspirational young people – at the age of 16; and about her experience at the UN.

“Before this, my idea of doing good involved charity and random acts of kindness. I never planned for any of this to happen. It began very unexpectedly. I started Child Awareness Project (known as Search For Thamana, in the beginning) in May 2011, shortly after my 15th birthday, in the midst of my IGCSE exams. It was a Facebook Campaign to find 5-year-old Thamana who was kidnapped from a beach in Chennai, India. Initially, the police and media paid little attention to her case, but the power of social media pushed this story from the columns of tabloids to major daily headlines. Thamana, was located 8 days later as a result of the attention this campaign got. I realised that Thamana was one of many missing children but one of few who are found.”

“I felt that change was necessary and continued the initiative Instead of dissolving the page, I chose to use it to highlight other cases of missing kids. Eventually I began using it to address other issues such as child abuse, labour, bullying and everything else that impinges children’s rights. In 2016, I renamed and registered the initiative as the Child Awareness Project (CAP) to better serve its purpose. Currently, we are working to launch many offline activities, as well as some major online initiatives to empower and engage young people to stand up for Children’s Rights, while also continuing to campaign about the importance of these rights.”

“I realised at this juncture how good it felt to be able to help others and spread positivity. It’s important to try to bring about change for the better, even if it’s by a seemingly small action. No deed is insignificant. Even if you are able to help a single person, you have ultimately made a difference.”

“For my work with CAP, I received a Silver Medallion at the 2012 Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards (National School-level recognition for Voluntary Service). I was selected among the top 15 Distinguished Finalists among over 3000 volunteers across India. Shortly after, I went on to receive the International Diana Award. At school, I joined debate and Student Council and continued making CAP more efficacious. Apart from CAP, I began volunteering in various activities like teaching Basic English and Mathematics to children with special needs. Between A-levels, extra-curricular activities, and CAP, I developed good time management skills that helped me continue the same work-life balance while studying medicine.”

“Many people assume that medicine is too busy to do anything else that demands time and effort. You might tell yourself that it’s impossible, but that’s simply an excuse. It might seem like walking on a tightrope at first, but once you organise your schedule well-enough you can accommodate everything. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes effortless. At the end of the day, ensure that you enjoy every bit of it. You can’t spread happiness, if you aren’t happy.”

“When I started medicine at IMU, I, too, assumed that I wouldn’t have time to take part in additional voluntary activities. To my surprise (and delight), we were encouraged to take part in community-based activities. I engaged in various voluntary services such as teaching English to Burmese Refugee Children, volunteering in a health promotion camp in a village, leading a campaign to educate young girls about menstrual health and volunteering with Parkinson’s patients. I also received the Voluntary Service Certificate of Excellence (commendation) from IMU in 2015.”

“I was able to expand CAP a great deal during my time in IMU. CAP was also among the 10 stories in India shortlisted in Our Better World’s Good Story Pitch by Singapore International Foundation. I was conducting social media campaigns, and digital advocacy events, online collaborations and networking. During Semester 4, I decided that it was time to shift focus to offline activities. In fact, a possible collaboration between CAP and IMU Cares is currently underway to conduct field activities in Malaysia.”

“I had recently completed Semester 5, when I received an email stating that I had been selected, as one of two Global Youth Ambassadors, to represent the cause of Safe Schools at the UN General Assembly. We had a month to prepare. We were given reading material and had campaign tasks to complete in that duration. I was excited and nervous at the same time. My week there turned out better than I had imagined. It was expectedly hectic. I attended various events including the launch of the Education Commission Report, a summit on the Together for 2030 Agenda, research events and numerous high-level meetings. I also had the opportunity to meet and chat with various current and former world leaders, governmental and non-governmental officials, influencers and a Nobel Laureate. It was an unforgettable experience. I have also published a blog in Huffington Post about my experience at the UNGA in much detail. After I got back, as part of my advocacy for children’s rights, the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI) published my blog, on the International Day of the Girl (October 11, 2016), highlighting gender-based discrimination and education inequality.

“We, at CAP, believe that engaging the youth is as important as empowering them, therefore apart from advocating for children’s rights, we also encourage young people to take a stand in their own communities. We have launched the #HEARD initiative that serves to do just that. Applications to sign up as a ChildPro and be #HEARD close on 1 November 2016.

Taha who is due to transfer to Dalhousie University in May 2017 for completion of her medical degree, plans to continue her voluntary work until May. She will also be studying and undertaking medical electives to prepare for the transfer.

“I still haven’t made up my mind about what I choose to specialise in, although, at this point, I am inclined towards surgery. I also plan to increase my advocacy via CAP. I hope to promote child health, something that I can do better once I graduate.”

Related story: IMU Hero Honoured with Diana Award

26 July, 2016  - Fifa Rahman, a lawyer and Policy Consultant with the Malaysian AIDS Council spoke at a CME entitled “Global Health Diplomacy, Trade and Access to Medicines” at the John Bosco Hall in IMU Clinical School, Seremban.  Fifa is a public health politics professional, researcher and strategic advocate and also attended four rounds of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations as a stakeholder. Her presentation was thought provoking and challenging.

Fifa stressed that medical advocacy should be part of medical curricula and all healthcare professionals should have some knowledge on health diplomacy issues that influence the delivery of health worldwide and in local settings. She highlighted that the TPPA will protect patents for large pharmaceuticals more into making generic medications, which are more affordable, harder to access. She also showed evidence that some of the justification for longer patents are not evidenced and may actually be concocted. Products such as biologics are even more protected with the coming of the TPPA.

Orphan drugs are drugs that are not developed by the pharmaceutical industry for economic reasons but which are necessary for public health needs. Orphan drugs are neglected but Malaysia is one of the first few countries to develop a manufacturing industry of orphan drugs. The other important move forward has been the development of the non-aligned, non-pharmaceutical driven Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development (CEWG) which was established by the World Health Assembly (WHA) in 2010. It hopes to get countries to commit to R&D and developing drugs so that the reliance on Pharmaceuticals will diminish.

Hello! My name is Tatsuki Abe, a 3rd year Chinese Medicine student at IMU – my second degree after I have completed my first one at IMU which was the 5-year MBBS programme.

I initially enrolled for the IMU MBBS simply because it was close to home in Kuala Lumpur, and I never knew there were other universities available. Thankfully so! Because currently I am convinced that IMU is undoubtedly the best choice – so much so, that when I decided to pursue Chinese Medicine, IMU was my only choice because of the faith I have in this University.

My time studying MBBS at IMU was literally the best time in my life – some may say that studying medicine is stressful, which I don’t deny, but when there is interest in the content we study, learning becomes a joy, and I have been blessed with great batchmates whom I can rely on in difficult times.

I have had high hopes for learning Chinese Medicine at IMU, but my experiences have been beyond my expectations. Chinese Medicine itself is a very interesting field to venture into. The strength of Chinese Medicine compared to Conventional Medicine is its flexibility, holism, and patient-centeredness.

Since ancient times, Chinese Medicine has been developed to meet the demand of patients’ complaints. Western medicine has – in a short amount of time in history – made great leaps in its technical advancements and saved millions of people. However, during its great leaps, certain aspects of patient care has been overlooked, perhaps NOT due to negligence or carelessness, but more so because of realistic limitations like time and effort required to supply the best evidence-based care for patients to get best results from it.

What I have felt during my time in MBBS, is that conventional medicine diagnoses and treat diseases extremely well – especially when they fit the “classical picture” or the textbook presentation. However, some of the patients weren’t completely treated when patients’ complaints are vague, or when there were no structural abnormalities.

I have decided to study Chinese Medicine, so that I could find out if there is any way in which I can have variety in the way I treat patients. Ultimately, my interest in healthcare is primary care – the kind of healthcare professional that people can go to first, ask a lot of questions, get referrals from, and get follow-ups from. I am also interested in whatever that may keep us healthy, from dietary habits to exercise methods.

Therefore, I thought that having a wider range of expertise may increase the things I can suggest to patients, as well as increase the variety of professionals I can refer my future patients to. I feel that IMU Chinese Medicine curriculum gives us several ways to be exposed to the current state of care that we can provide, through IMU Cares projects as well as hospital visits. Moreover, in IMU we are exposed to multiple healthcare professions – which gives us the opportunity to have inter-professional learning opportunities. This is highly encouraged in IMU, as seen in the IPL (Inter-Professional Learning) Week, as well as IPF (Inter-Professional Forums) organised by the IMU Scholars.

The highlight of my time studying Chinese Medicine is the organisation of Chinese Medicine Week in 2015. Our senior batches have organised one before, but I wanted to make it a regular annual event with the aim of having more activities to bring students of our own programme together and to raise awareness of Chinese medicine.

I planned and proposed the event, with sponsorship from Student Representative Council (SRC) – The event was a great success thanks to the committee and volunteers who all worked tirelessly, and SRC who was kind enough to sponsor us a substantial amount of money so we can come up with various decorations and exhibitions. Most of my job was to delegate tasks to my friends, and they came up with a lot of interesting unique ideas, which surprised me and made me believe that yes, even with a small number of student in a programme like Chinese Medicine, we can do something impressive.

There were plenty of extra-curricular activities that I did at IMU – to name a few; we formed a band and played for countless events throughout my time at IMU, I joined the IMU Cup swimming competition for 8 years in a row and saw my own house rise from the bottom to the top (Pegasus!), joined conferences, and many more things that allowed me to learn things that I could not learn from reading or attending lectures.

I have been in IMU for 8 years – 5 years in MBBS, 3 years so far, in Chinese Medicine. I’m grateful to IMU for giving me the opportunities for personal growth. I believe that I am a completely different person from 8 years ago. Now, I am preparing for my credit transfer to Shanghai, and after obtaining my degree in Chinese Medicine, I plan to go back to Japan for my housemanship for 2 years, and see where that takes me. My general aim would still be primary care, but I will see how things will turn out for me. In the distant future, I would love to go into teaching as well – as my lecturers have all inspired me, and being a lecturer of healthcare is a wonderful thing – inspiring people who will inspire more people to be healthy!

Common questions that I get asked very often:

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion and views of the University.

Research is considered as an important pillar of a university. Involvement in research has become an increasingly important component of the undergraduate curricula. Research experience allows undergraduate students to better understand published works, learn to balance collaborative and individual work, determine an area of interest, and jump start their careers as researchers. Through exposure to research as undergraduates, many students discover their passion for research and continue on to graduate studies and faculty positions. The International Medical University (IMU) has integrated research into the curriculum and all the undergraduate students have to undergo a research module which requires each of them to conduct a short final year research project.

The Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS) organised by the Institute for Research, Development and Innovation (IRDI) was held on 5 November 2016 at IMU’s Bukit Jalil campus. In line with IMU’s educational mission, the symposium aimed to foster a ‘culture of discovery’ and its commitment to innovative research and scholarship with global impact. The symposium also aimed to bring together IMU undergraduate students from all academic disciplines to share their research findings. The symposium has provided a great opportunity for interdisciplinary discourse allowing students to learn from each other about a broad range of exciting research topics.

The sessions of this symposium were organised according to the four main thrust areas of IRDI, namely Cancer and Stem Cell Research, Bioactive Molecules and Drug Delivery, Environmental and Population Health, and Health Profession Education Research. Students from various programmes ranging from MBBS, Bachelor of Medical Sciences, Bachelor of Pharmacy, Bachelor of Dietetics with Nutrition, Bachelor of Nursing to Bachelor of Psychology presented their research findings at this symposium.

The presentations covered a wide range of interesting topics. For instance, there were papers on the identification and development of new compounds as potential new drugs. In relation to environmental pollution, there was a paper reporting on the toxicity of different copper compounds in algae. Other topics highlighted in this symposium included personalised medicine, postgraduate nursing education, social media in education, nutrition in patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and intervention strategies for obesity.

There were a total of 16 oral presentations and 30 poster presentations in this symposium. Besides that, 102 participants including IMU staff and students attended the symposium. A prize of RM1000 each was awarded to the Best Oral Presentation and Best Poster Presentation.

Tan Wee Kiat, student from the Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons) programme, won the Best Oral Presentation Award with his presentation titled Identification of Liver-X-Receptor (LXR) Agonists by High-Throughput Screening. Liver X receptors (LXRs) are important regulators for cholesterol. LXR has emerged as promising drug targets (target on which the drugs act on) and has thus become potential treatments for patients with high cholesterol. Tan Wee Kiat, under the supervision of Dr Mai Chun Wai, Dr Felicia Chung, and Prof Leong Chee-Onn, has identified 5 compounds with such potential.

“I would like to thank Dr Mai Chun Wai and Dr Felicia Chung for guiding and assisting me throughout the research and oral presentation. Their support meant a lot to me.I would also like to thank my co-supervisor Prof Leong Chee Onn as he stimulated my interest towards the project. Thank you to my team members and my friends for their support throughout the URS. I am glad to share this happiness with them. Last but not least, thank you IMU and IRDI for organising such meaningful event.” Tan Wee Kiat

Swarnaa Sanmuganathan from the Bachelor of Science (Hons) Psychology programme won the Best Poster Presentation Award based on her project titled Barriers to Exercise among Malaysian Women under the supervision of Dr Jananezwary Kanapathy. Adopting a qualitative approach, her project aimed to describe the barriers to exercise among Malaysian women. Swarnaa identified five main themes of barriers to exercise among Malaysian women which were negative perspective, self-control, sociocultural, contextual, and individual differences.

“I am appreciative of IRDI’s effort in providing a platform for undergraduate students where we not only can disseminate our findings but also gain beneficial exposure required as future healthcare professionals and researchers. I am particularly thankful to my supervisor Dr Jananezwary Kanapathy and the other psychology faculty members who have groomed me on essential research skills. I can clearly see the excellent standards expected by IMU and would always make sure that I produce high quality research.” Swarnaa Sanmuganathan

This symposium was a success as it has provided a platform for the students to disseminate and exchange research findings and hence learn about the broad range of research opportunities available in IMU. While classroom learning is an important aspect of the undergraduate education, engaging in research helps the undergraduates to gain a deeper understanding of the scientific process as they develop their research questions and test their hypotheses.

Treating many work related injuries while serving as a medical officer in the Orthopedic and Traumatology Department developed Dr Noris Tan’s interest in the prevention of work related injuries and occupational health.

“I’ve never thought of anything other than orthopedics. But when I went for an Occupational Health Doctor course in National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), I met Prof Dr Abu Hasan Samad, who inspired me a lot to become a part of occupational health. So far, I have no regrets switching my field of interest from orthopedics to occupational health.”

Dr Noris is currently working at Gleneagles RAPID (Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development) in Pengerang, Johor where he is a medical officer providing emergency care and also an occupational health practitioner. He is also involved very much in drug and alcohol testing among workers in the RAPID as part of the policy of PETRONAS in promoting drug free workplace.

“At Gleneagles RAPID, I work on 12 hours shifts, for 14 days in a row, regardless of whether it is a weekend or public holiday. Once I am done with the 14 days, I will be off for 14 days. In short, we say 2 weeks on, and 2 weeks off. During my 14 days on, 12 hours is pretty draining. But it’s nothing compared to on calls when I was in the government hospital. It’s just how you look at things. I’d say I prefer to work like this. The remaining 14 days off, I do freelance locums, training, going for courses and possibly in the near future teaching at IMU. I also read a lot – medical and non-medical – non-fiction books.”

“RAPID is one of the major downstream oil and gas development of Malaysia by PETRONAS – an onshore project, mainly based in Pengerang. Currently, there is about 25’000 workers on site, and most of them are foreigners, from all over the world. We are expecting to reach 40’000 to 60’000 workers in this site by late 2017. As majority of the workers stay on site, we take care of many aspects of their living here, including food hygiene. For me, working here is definitely a stepping stone in terms of growth in the Occupational Health Service. RAPID is currently in the construction phase. So as expected, we foresee more injuries happening at workplace. So far, we have faced quite a few accidents at work place for example falling from height and motor vehicle accidents.”

Dr Noris is of the opinion that IMU has prepared him well especially for his housemanship years. “The professors and lecturers in IMU have been a source of inspiration during the tough times throughout my undergraduate years and I would like to take the opportunity to express my gratitude to them. Thank you!”

Dr Noris did his housemanship and also most of his medical officer years mainly in the state of Johor, in Hospital Sultanah Aminah, Johor Bahru, a tertiary hospital, trained under the surgical discipline, in Orthopedics and Traumatology.

“I was a hardcore workaholic. Work was always my primary focus in life and something I truly enjoyed. I spend very little time with family and at that time, my girlfriend. However, a family illness at the 2nd year of MO-ship made me more aware of the importance of family and brought me back to Selangor. I started working in Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) for a brief 3 months, before I entered back into the Orthopedic Department at HKL. After about a year there, I have decided to venture into something that I would have more quality time with the family.”

During the time that he worked at the hospitals, Dr Noris was pleased to discover that there is always a belief in the hospitals that IMU graduates only require minimal guidance and generally fit in to the work environment in no time.

Looking into the future, Dr Noris said, “In 5 years’ time, I expect to own a consultancy with a group of like-minded people – concentrating mainly in occupational health, aiming to be one of the most renowned in my field. In 10 years, I’m aiming to venture into environmental health. It’s related to occupational health. But something that would contribute to our future generations. Perhaps fighting global warming. Or global food shortages.”

His advice to future doctors is, “Failure is the mother of all successes. Becoming a doctor is not something everyone is willing and able to do. It will be a long and winding road ahead. There will be difficulties and failures during the journey. However, if you endure and learn from your mistakes, and make it through, I promise you it will be worthwhile.”

“Learning never ends especially when you decide to be a doctor. Medical advances are happening so rapidly with the advent of advanced technology. So, never stop learning. Be it medical or non-medical. Knowledge is power.”

October 2016  - Dr Vasudeva Murthy was awarded Fellowship in Forensic Pathology (FAFMS (ForensPath) from Academy of Forensic Medical Sciences (UK). He is a specialist in forensic pathology and clinical forensic medicine currently working at the Department of Pathology, IMU.

This fellowship was established in 2010 following a request from National Specialist Board in Forensic Pathology, Malaysia. This was to assess the pathologist to a level suitable for working as a senior consultant in Malaysia. It is a qualification which is recognised by Malaysia and neighbouring countries the training in that country for aspiring forensic pathology specialists.

Dr Vasudeva Murthy graduated with his degree in medicine from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India in 2003. He later went on to pursue his MD in forensic medicine from the MS Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore, India from 2005-2008. In 2013, he was awarded membership of Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine (MFFLM-RCP) of the Royal College of Physicians, UK. He is also the recipient of Foundation Fellowship of Clinical Forensic Medicine (FFCFM-RCPA) from Royal College of Pathologists, Australia in 2015.

Apart from the above, Dr Vasudeva Murthy has also awarded Fellowship from Australian College of Legal Medicine (FACLM) in August 2016 and was appointed as external examiner for Forensic and Legal Medicine examiner under the Royal College of Physicians, UK in 2016.

Dr Vasudeva Murthy is selected for the FAIMER fellowship in medical education in March 2016 and currently pursuing the fellowship in medical education at FAIMER institute, King Edward Hospital, Grant Seth Medical College, Mumbai. He also serves as associate editor of “Medicine, Science and Law”, which is a ISI indexed and is an official journal of the British Academy for Forensic Sciences (BAFS). Dr Murthy has 30 publications in various reputed national & international journals.

Congratulations to Dr Vasudeva Murthy!

Medical missions connect healthcare professionals and student volunteers with the communities that need them, thus increasing their access to quality healthcare. A total of six IMU students and ten alumni from the Dentistry, Psychology, Medicine, Biomedical Science and Pharmacy programmes participated in a humanitarian outreach mission in rural Laos from October to November 2016. They were guided by Prof Khoo Suan Phaik, A/Prof Stefan Kutzsche and Hildegunn Kutzsche. The humanitarian medical mission was conducted under the auspices of the Humanitarian and Love Mission, led by a Singaporean team, and was approved by the Lao Ministry of Health and supported by the ambassadors of Singapore and Malaysia to Laos.

Students and alumni helped to provide treatment and consultation as well as patient education on tooth brushing, hand washing, hygiene, nutrition, breastfeeding, prevention of illness and maternal and child care. Daily debriefing and self-reflection of all participants added to the service learning.

During the 3 days, students were given the opportunity to also help with the logistics and organisation in a busy environment to improve their ability to handle ambiguity and be open to change as well as to become more flexible. They developed awareness, enthusiasm and perspectives towards civic participation. The students’/alumni’s learning outcomes focused on teamwork skills, knowing the context and the partner, communication skills, logistic and professional preparation, anticipation of challenges and acknowledging personal limitations.

The mission accomplished its humanitarian goals. It injected new energy and perspectives into the people through solidarity and compassionate care. People were offered treatment and health education so they may better understand their condition and be able to prevent and self-manage certain health problems.

In the words of the IMU participants, “we felt that we have been given a great opportunity to learn through prior mental and professional preparation, then personally experience it at the site – was a very enriching experience”. The project is supported by IMU Cares as part of IMU’s engagement in communities.

27 October 2016 – A total of 219 undergraduate clinical students in 44 groups showcased their research projects at the Clinical Campus Research Day held at IMU“s Clinical Campus in Seremban. 5 of these projects were chosen for Negeri Sembilan (NS) Research Day. Four were for oral presentation while the rest were presented as posters. All the presentations were judged and two groups from NS Research Day won the 1st and 2nd prize.

Overall the Clinical Campus Research Day was a very successful event. It also gave medical students an opportunity  to experience presenting their research findings.

Oral Presentations

Poster Presentations

Congratulations to all the winners!

23 -25 September 2016 – A total of 56 candidates attended the 12th Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians Practical Assessment of Clinical Examination Skills (MRCP-PACES) Preparatory Course organised by IMU and Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar Seremban (HTJS). This preparatory course was conducted at the IMU Seremban Clinical Campus and HTJS Day Care Centre.

The 2-day course consists of intense face-to-face small group teachings, followed by a 1 day mock assessment which mimics the real MRCP (UK) PACES exam. We also welcomed observers in the mock examination, which serves as an eye-opener for them.

The programme is tailor-made to the candidate’s specific training needs on all 5 PACES stations, focusing on a unique and highly effective approach to tackle commonly encountered PACES scenarios. Candidates also received personal feedbacks on their performances throughout the course.

This preparatory course is organised annually in the month of September, shortly before the year-end PACES assessment period in Malaysia. We were very honoured to have the members of the panel examiners from the MRCP (UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination as the examiners during our mock exam.

The course received positive and overwhelming response from the doctors within Malaysia and internationally. Most of the participants stated that the course was relevant, informative and well organised. Over 95% said that they would definitely recommend the IMU-HTJS PACES Preparatory Course!

The ATLS (Advanced Trauma Life Support) Asia Pacific (Region XV1) Meeting was held at the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong on 5 November, 2016. One of the highlights of the meeting was the Resident Paper Competition to encourage surgical trainees to pursue research in trauma related subjects. The paper may be in Basic Science or Clinical Science research. Surgical trainees in all ATLS countries in the Asia Pacific region are invited to participate in this competition and shortlisted participants will make an oral presentation of their work at the ATLS Regional meeting.

The winner at the Regional meeting will compete in the final competition to be held during the Annual meeting of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma (COT) in Washington DC in 2 March, 2017. The ACS will pay the economy airfare to the USA and a 3 day hotel stay. The winner is also expected to attend the COT banquet. Both first-place papers in the Basic Science and Clinical science categories will be eligible for publication in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

This year the shortlisted participants of the Resident Paper Competition were from Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and Malaysia. Malaysia was represented by Dr Sabrina Balakrishnan. Sabrina is a graduate of the International Medical University, Malaysia and is currently working as a medical officer in surgery in Hospital Kajang under Mr Andre Das. She hopes to be selected into the Master of Surgery program in the future.

The title of her oral presentation was “ Cries in the Dark: Post –traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Adolescents Following Motor Vehicle Aaccidents is no small matter.” The co-authors of the paper were Drs Tharveen N, Thanabalan S, Tassha HA, Johann FK and Andre Das. She made an excellent oral presentation and won the first prize.

The ATLS fraternity of Malaysia and the College of Surgeons, Academy of Medicine of Malaysia is extremely proud of her achievement and hope that her success will spur other Malaysian surgical trainees to achieve greater heights in the future.

Congratulations to Dr Sabrina Balakrishnan!

Written by: Prof Lum Siew Kheong, ATLS Chair, Malaysia