MEDIC@UMS BULLETIN You have go to get up every morning with DETERMINATION if you are going to go to bed with SATISFACTION -George LorimerFebruary 2020
Table of Contents Editorial Notes -Chief editor’s message 01 Academic -National debate by Malaysian Psychiatric Association 02 Internationalization -International Inbound Mobility Program 03 Research & Innovation -Signing of Letter of Intent with St. Aloysius College, India 05 Public Health -Mass Circumcision Event 04 Clinical Service -Medical Screening at Pulau Mantanani 06 Student Affairs -National Intervarsity Medical Debate Competition 07 Administration & Managerial -Appointment of AP Dr. Paspuleti Visweswara Rao + New staff
Chief editor’s message Welcome to Volume 2 Issue 1 of Medic@UMS Bulletin. I am glad to inform everyone that the bulletin now has an official eISSN number (2716-5280). I would like to invite everyone in FPSK to submit short articles regarding any significant and interesting events in the faculty to be published in our upcoming issues. The author guideline has been circulated in the FPSK email. Please do not hesitate to contact me for any questions regarding article submission to this bulletin. I wish everyone a great year of 2020! Dr. Eugene Wong Hung Chih, Chief Editor of Medic@UMS Bulletin Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah Chief Editor Dr Eugene Wong Hung Chih ENT Specialist & Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, UMS [email protected] Editorial board members AP Dr Fairrul Bin Masnah@Kadir (Academic) Dr Wan Salman Bin Wan Saudi (Internationalization) Prof Dr John Arnold Urban D’Souza (Research & Innovation) Dr Constance Liew Sat Lin (Clinical Service) AP Dr Syed Sharizman Bin Abdul Rahim (Public Health) Dr Yeap Boon Tat (Student Affairs) Mr Hasmi Bin Hashim (Administration & Managerial) MEDIC@UMS BULLETIN Volume 2 | Issue 1 | February 2020
In conjunction with the Early Career Psychiatrist (ECP) Best Practice Award event, the ECP section of Malaysian Psychiatric Association (MPA) organised a national ECP debate in order to highlight and brainstorm on the issue of monitoring and mentoring of ECPs. The transition from a trainee to a specialist is considered a big leap with significant change in the nature of work and responsibility, which may affect the ECPs competency in performing their job. Hence, the question of mentoring and monitoring is constantly debated to decide on which approach is better in facilitating the process of ensuring the ECPs are competent in different aspects of clinical and non-clinical duty. This national debate was held on 18 of January 2020 in Sheraton Hotel Petaling Jaya, where the president of ECA MPA and the chairperson of this event, Dr Abdul Rasyid Sulaiman and the deputy chairperson, Dr Al-Zilal Abdul Wahid invited Dr Nicholas Pang Tze Ping and Dr Loo Jiann Lin Dr Nicholas Pang & Dr Loo Jiann Lin Lecturer and psychiatrist Malaysian Psychiatric Association National Debate Which is better: Monitoring or Mentoring for Early Career Psychiatrist? ACADEMIC February 2020
(senior medical lecturers from Universiti Malaysia Sabah, UMS) to become the judge and event recorder respectively. Dr Hazli Zakaria, the president of MPA was the advisor of the event. The topic selected for this debate was “The house believes that the ECP should be monitored but not mentored”. The participants (19 ECPs from all over the country) were initially divided into 2 groups to discuss the topic. Three ECPs from each group were selected for the debate session and each debater was given 5 minutes to express their opinion. The judging criteria were based on “Method [40 marks], Manner [40 marks], Matter [20 marks]”. The opposition team won the overall debate with one mark difference from the government team. The prize for this event was sponsored by Servier Malaysia, which was also the main sponsor for the event of MPA Best Practice Award. Ultimately, both monitoring and mentoring are essential as part of the continuous quality improvement for ECPs. The ECP section of MPA will also look into the possibility of establishing a mentoring system in the future. To find out more about this event, please contact Dr. Loo Jiann Lin at [email protected] ACADEMIC February 2020
The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences recently welcomed eleven students for the International Medical Mobility Program and three students for the International Nursing Mobility Program in 2019. These students were second year medical students from Zunyi Medical University and Xiangnan University in China. The program kicked off with the tour of the faculty’s Vimedix Simulation Lab by Dr May Zaw Soe, the Public Health Lab by AP Dr Sahipudin Saupin, the Surgery Laparoscopic Lab by Mr Mohd. Hamshah Lali and the Anatomy Museum by Ms Bibot Juma. During their three months stay (one semester course program), the students had the opportunity to learn medicine in different environment and culture. They also acquired various skills including leadership, teamwork, communication, problemDr Wan Salman Bin Wan Saudi International Elective and Mobility Program Coordinator International Inbound Mobility Program From the Great Wall to the Land Below the Wind INTERNATIONALIZATION February 2020
solving, work ethic, flexibility or adaptability as well as interpersonal skills. The students also made life-long friends by establishing early experience in international networking. Besides the robust medical courses, they had visited and experienced one of the most beautiful places in the world with diversified flora and fauna, richness in unique cultures, beautiful sandy beaches and delicious cuisines. They also had the chance to see and experience the largest flower in the world (Rafflesia), the highest mountain in South East Asia (Mount Kinabalu) and one of the world’s top diving site (Sipadan Island). To find out more about our faculty’s international program, please email us at [email protected] INTERNATIONALIZATION February 2020 The students enjoying the amazing view at Kundasang during their time here
The UMS Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences recently signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with St Aloysius College, Mangalore, India for a joint research and academic pursuits as well as student and staff exchange between the two institutions. Possible future collaborations discussed included joint conferences and online lectures in the areas of Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, joint research projects on metabolic disorders, leptin, ghrelin and insulin in obesity among different ethnicities from both countries as well as joint publications of our research data. In addition, we have also discussed possibilities of developing community service with rural exposure and social extension programs for students between both institutions, as well as unique geographical based research collaborations between Prof Dr Urban Arnold D’Souza Professor at Department of Biomedical Sciences and Therapeutics, UMS Signing of Letter of Intent Future collaborations with St Aloysius College, Mangalore, India RESEARCH AND INNOVATION February 2020
UMS (at Borneo Island) and St Aloysius College (near the Arabian Sea). To find out more about the LOI, please contact Prof D’Souza at [email protected] Signing of LOI at St Aloysius College RESEARCH AND INNOVATION February 2020
A medical screening event organized by the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Pulau Mantanani community was held from the 28th of February 2019 to 3rd March 2019 at Pulau Mantanani. The objective of this event was to raise awareness and encourage healthy lifestyle among the community through the Program Mutiara Kasih, UMS. To support the local community, we set up a team consisting of UMS medical students, nutritionists, paediatricians, dentists, public health specialists and health professionals from various medical fields (orthopaedic surgeons, anaesthesiologists, general physicians, pharmacists etc) in the primary and secondary schools (SK Pulau Mantanani) for a 3-day event of medical screening, health awareness talks, nutrition interviews and counselling. In addition to that, medical screenings including the screening of blood pressure, blood glucose, body mass index (BMI) and body fat analysis using body composition analyser were also performed and a basic consultation based on the screening results were given to the participants by the medical team. Dr Constance Liew Lecturer and anaesthetist Medical Screening at Pulau Mantanani Program Mutiara Kasih, UMS CLINICAL SERVICE February 2020
Overall, the event was a great success with huge support from the local community and volunteers. The participants of Pulau Mantanani were very happy with the screening service provided and hoped for more medical screening events like this in the future. The school’s headmaster, Yatan Binua, also congratulated us on the success of this event and mentioned that their pupils are looking forward to our next visit with measurement reports on the children’s BMI and health screening test results. The Program Mutiara Kasih, Universiti Malaysia Sabah also managed to engage the event with our state Assistant of Education and Innovation Minister, YB Jenifer Lasimbang, and her team who joined us during the closing ceremony. To find out more about the Program Mutiara Kasih, please contact me at [email protected] Health awareness talk during the medical screening event CLINICAL SERVICE February 2020
A mass circumcision event was organised by Pitas Hospital in collaboration with the Sabah Medical Welfare Association (PERKIPS) at Pitas on 14th December 2019. This annual event took place at the Pitas Hospital’s Outpatient Department and was joined by surgeons and medical officers from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FHMS) of UMS and the Department of General Surgery from Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH). This event kicked off with a speech by the director of Pitas Hospital, Dr Gerald Marcus and was officiated by the chairman of PERKIPS (Pitas branch), Mr Awang Nasran. This circumcision event was participated by 60 school children of different age from the Pitas district. Activities during the event included a continuous medical education (CME) talk on the safety and proper technique of circumcision by Associate Professor Dr Mohd Firdaus Bin Mohd Hayati (from UMS) directed towards assistant medical officers and medical officers at Pitas hospital and health clinics, as well as a credentialing and privileging (C&P) certification session by Dr Hilal Zahabi Binti Abdul Fattah (from QEH) on behalf of the Ministry of Health of Malaysia. AP Dr Mohd Firdaus Bin Mohd Hayati Deputy Dean for Postgraduate and Innovation Mass Circumcision Event Collaboration between Pitas Hospital and Sabah Medical Welfare Association (PERKIPS) PUBLIC HEALTH February 2020
“The main purpose of the CME and C&P activities is to provide an information on proper circumcision techniques according to the guidelines set by the Ministry of Health Malaysia. Many complications such as bleeding and surgical site infections are caused by improper and unsterile techniques and procedures that do not meet the guidelines” -AP Dr Mohd Firdaus bin Mohd Hayati Last but not least, the program also aimed to bring the hospital closer to the local community. To find out more about the upcoming mass circumcision event, please contact me at [email protected] Mass circumcision event at Pitas PUBLIC HEALTH February 2020
The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (FMHS) sent a team for the first time to the National Intervarsity Medical Debate Competition , held at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre on the 14th of December 2019. This year’s debate was mental health-themed, with tantalizing topics including (but not limited to) “Society Has Created Mental Illness” and “This House Would Decriminalize Suicide”. FMHS was represented by four young first year medical students: Jivanarajahn Rajendra Kumar, Kuhaneshvaren A/L Elanggovan, Nurul Firzanah Binti Mohd Darwis and Siti Maisarah Binti Shamsul Bahri in this tournament. We were pleasantly surprised as our first-timers in this national intervarsity medical debate beat the debaters from other universities such as Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Monash Medical University and even the host university (UKM) with the highest cumulative scores for the preliminaries. Dr Yeap Boon Tat Deputy Dean for Student Affairs & Community Network National Intervarsity Medical Debate competition UMS emerged as first runner up with Best Overall Debater STUDENT AFFAIRS February 2020
Our winning streak continued as we defeated Monash Medical University once again in the semi-finals. Unfortunately, we lost to the veterans of the tournament, University Malaya (UM), by a narrow margin in the finals. We were particularly proud of our student Jivanarajahn for being crowned the Best Overall Debater, with the highest accumulated scores over many rounds, showcasing an impressive consistency throughout the competition. The UMS team won a total of RM 500 prize money as the first runner up, although more importantly, we achieved a few important milestones. We qualified ourselves for the final rounds of the tournament and finished second out of 18 other medical varsities as well as winning the Best Overall Debater prize. “The entire faculty and most importantly, UMS, is very happy for the outstanding achievements of our medical students. We hope this tremendous feat wi! encourage more students to participate in regional and international events so as to improve visibility of UMS” -Professor Dr Mohammad Saffree Jeffree, Dean of FMHS, UMS To find out more about the next debate, please contact me at [email protected] UMS student Jivanarajahn Rajendra Kumar crowned the Best Overall Debater STUDENT AFFAIRS February 2020
The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences recently appointed Dr. Pasupuleti Visweswara Rao as an associate professor at the Department of Biomedical Sciencesand Therapeutics in UMS. AP Dr Rao has contributed more than a decade of work on research, focused on complementary and herbal medicine, specifically on their application in metabolic diseases where his main area of research is in diabetes. Another area of his research interest is the biogenic synthesis of nano-particles using plants and natural products. He had published more than 60 peer-reviewed international journals with the cumulative impact factor of more than 120. He had also edited 4 books and 4 book chapters published by highly reputable publishers such as Elsevier and Springer nature publishers. AP Dr Rao has also secured multiple research grants with cumulative worth of more than RM1.3 million. He was also a co-contributor for the bulletin Dr Eugene Wong Lecturer and clinical specialist in ENT Appointment of Associate Professor Dr Pasupuleti Visweswara Rao PhD, FMSA, FAPAS, FIANN ADMINISTRATION & MANAGERIAL February 2020
TECHIES with YB Datuk Seri Panglima Wildred Madius Tangau, Minister of Science and Technology Malaysia in 2017. AP Dr Rao had also help multiple prominent roles such as the Director (founding Deputy Director before that) for the Institute of Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture (IFSSA), the founding Chairman of Animal Ethics Committee at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Assistant Professor at Sikkim Manipal University (India) and Research Professor at Dongguk University (South Korea). He was also appointed as a visiting researcher to different universities in Japan, Macao, Indonesia and Thailand. He has also won several awards including the Young Scientist Award, Young Researcher Award, Best Faculty in Biotechnology Award as well as Excellence Service Award at national and international levels. AP Dr Rao is also an editorial member for various journals such as the Oxidative medicine and Cellular Longevity and Evidence based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which are ranked as Q1 and Q2 category journals. He is also the reviewer for numerous high impact factor journals (more than 60) with international reputation including Nature Publishing Group (SCIENTIFIC REPORTS). AP Dr. Rao had also delivered 39 keynote speeches and plenary talks at various international conferences and had also been appointed as a judge for various national competitions including Pecipta and international Science Odysseys. He is also currently the Faculty Research Coordinator and the Head for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) research. We welcome AP Dr Rao to our family in UMS and hope his expertise will help continue to bring our faculty to the next level. To contact AP Dr Rao, you can email him at [email protected] Why did you decide to join the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences in UMS? "To explore more research in the area of complementary medicine towards non communicable diseases and wish to contribute in setting up a Centre for the focused core and niche areas of research”. How do you find working in the faculty so far? “The journey to UMS has been an amazing part of my academic and research career and I hope the journey continues the same as it ages”. ADMINISTRATION & MANAGERIAL February 2020
New Staff Welcome 1. Dr Shuaibah Binti AB Ghani • (2nd Jan 2020) 2. Zulhelmie Mohd Hassan • (9th Dec 2019) 3. Datu Agasi Bin Mohd Kamal • (21st Nov 2019) 4. Dr Sylves Bin Patrick • (2nd Dec 2019) 5. Siti Fatimah Sa’AT • (2nd Jan 2020) 6. Sukhbeer Kaur A/P Darsin Singh • (2nd Jan 2020) 7. Dr Alvin Oliver Payus • (20th Jan 2020) ADMINISTRATION & MANAGERIAL February 2020
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