PU-SDS Faculties to Lead the International Bioinformatics Organization

Dean of the Perdana University-School of Data Sciences, Dr. Mohammad Asif Khan, has been elected as the President of APBioNet. In addition, Dr Yam Wai Keat was elected Vice President (Education and Research). Dr. Ong Hui San and Dr. Ranjeev Hari are appointed as ExCo Treasurer and Secretary, respectively.

Congratulations to all faculty members!

The statement from APBioNet is below:

The Secretariat of the Asia-Pacific Bioinformatics Network (APBioNet) is pleased to announce the results of the office bearer position appointments and the formation of the new Executive Committee (https://www.apbionet.org/organisation/), following the results of the recent election for the term 2018-2020.

Dr. Mohammad Asif Khan from Perdana University, Malaysia, who has been an ExCo member since 2010 and has served in various roles, is the President-elect. Dr. Khan is the fourth President to serve and lead APBioNet, and will be supported by two Vice Presidents, a Treasurer and Secretary. The Immediate Past-President and a long standing ExCo Member, Dr. Christian Schoenbach from Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan will serve APBioNet in his role as the Vice President for Conference and Outreach. Dr. Yam Wai Keat, from Perdana University, Malaysia, helms the position of Vice President (Education and Research). Dr. Ong Hui San and Dr. Ranjeev Hari, from Malaysia, are appointed as ExCo Treasurer and Secretary, respectively.

Dr. Bruno Gaeta of University of New South Wales, Australia, Dr. Kenta Nakai of University of Tokyo, Japan, Dr. Ge Gao of Peking University, China and Dr. Sissades Tongsima of BIOTEC, Thailand will support the office bearers in their role as ExCo members.

Congratulations to all the ExCo members on their appointments, to lead APBioNet for the term 2018-2020. A vote of thanks goes to the outgoing ExCo members of the 2016-2018 term, led by the Immediate Past-President Dr. Christian Schoenbach.

APBioNet is a non-profit, non-governmental, international organization founded in 1998 that focuses on the promotion of bioinformatics in the Asia-Pacific region. In 2012, APBioNet was incorporated in Singapore as a public limited liability company to ensure quality, sustainability, and continuity of its mission to advance bioinformatics across the region and beyond.

APBioNet was established during the Pacific Symposium of Biocomputing, Hawaii in 1998, with Dr. Tin Wee Tan as Founding Convenor and Secretariat and Dr. Subbiah Subramanian as its Founding President, with Dr. Shoba Ranganathan as Vice-President. In 2002, Dr. Ranganathan was elected as the second President of APBioNet and brought it to greater heights. Recognizing the great need for a bioinformatics conference, Drs. Ranganathan and Tan shepherded the birth of the first International Conference of Bioinformatics (InCoB) in 2002, held in Bangkok. InCoB was then adopted as the flagship conference of APBioNet. Dr. Christian Schoenbach continued the pioneering work of Dr Ranganathan by taking over as the third President of APBioNet.

APBioNet’s mission, since its inception, has been to pioneer the growth and development of bioinformatics awareness, training, education, infrastructure, resources, and research among member countries and economies. Many of the initiatives and activities have been initiated through its flagship conference, InCoB. The 17th InCoB was recently held at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India, with 314 participants. In 2019, the 18th InCoB will be held at Universitas YARSI, Jakarta, for the first time in Indonesia. One of the immediate activities of the new ExCo would be to oversee the successful organisation of InCoB’s sister event, the 2nd International Symposium on Bioinformatics (InSyB2018), to be held in Malaysia from 20-21 Dec, 2018.

The new ExCo aims to lead and pioneer new frontiers for the development and growth of bioinformatics in Asia-Pacific.

Visit: https://www.apbionet.org

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Three Lecturers Awarded Grants from Ministry of Education

Three faculty members from Perdana University successfully secured research grants under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), the flagship funding programme from Ministry of Education.

Principal investigators Dr. Wendy Yeo, Dr. Lim Swee Hua Erin and Dr. Ong Hui San were selected after a comprehensive application and review process. Collectively, the researchers were awarded RM374,200 to conduct studies related to spinal muscular atrophy, multi-drug resistance pneumonia, and bacterial pathogenesis.

Congratulations, and we look forward to hearing updates on their studies!

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This gallery features snapshots from the 3rd Convocation of Perdana University, held on the 7th of October 2018 at Serdang, Selangor.

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Vice Chancellor’s Award Winner on Her Study Methods and Proudest Moments

Felicia Tan Hui Fern was the Vice Chancellor’s Award recipient at the 3^rd Convocation of Perdana University. In this interview, she talks about the highlights of her student days and why PUScOT was her choice for an undergraduate degree. Following graduation, Felicia had a well-deserved break and unsurprisingly, received quite a few job offers. She is now an Occupational Therapist at Daehan Rehabilitation Hospital in Putrajaya.

Perdana University: Why did you enroll in PUSCOT? 

Felicia: Got to know about PUSCOT when I did some online search. Occupational Therapy was something new to me that I’ve never even heard about it before. Perdana was the only private university that offers Occupational Therapy course at that time. After dropping by to have a chat with Prof. Nathan, I felt that PU would be a good place to pursue my degree as Prof himself is one of the most experienced scholars in the OT field in Malaysia.

PU: What do you like about the programme?

Felicia: The program contains a wide range of subjects including both science and arts which was something that got me keen because I’m never an all-science person or all-arts person, I’m more of a mixture of both. The subjects that we take every semester are very interesting, it includes the basic anatomy, physiology and psychology (just to name a few) which is compulsory for all health sciences. Besides those subjects, we have our own unique subjects which include therapeutic activities, OT interventions for various fields such as paediatrics, psychiatric, orthopaedics, medical and neurological conditions. Practical sessions are always fun cause I get to make splints and try out different things with my classmates.

“… to look for additional information on my own because we can never get enough just from the lectures.”

PU: How did you study? How would you say you overcome challenges in your studies?

Felicia: I don’t have a specific method of studying. To be honest, I’m always a very last minute person. But one thing that helped me a lot was learning through videos, be it for practical sessions or for theory lessons. Being resourceful, to look for additional information on my own because we can never get enough just from the lectures. Discussion with my classmates whenever I’m unsure of certain things and revising together before exams are always helpful for us to remember the important things before stepping into the examination hall. Mr Google was definitely my best friend for my whole 4 years of study. I’d say that keeping my goal in mind at all times helped me to overcome challenges in my studies. Studying is never easy, it requires effort and time.

PU: During your studies here, were you involved any clubs/associations/student committees? If yes, what are your favorite activities? 

Felicia: During my 4 years of studies, I was involved in our first house system – The Edettus – as a treasurer and also a treasurer for our own OT club which was formed not too long ago. I think that my favourite activities are planning and organizing an educational trip for the OT students to Singapore. For that, we had to carry out fundraising activities to raise funds for our trip. We sold food, accessories made by psychiatric patients from Putrajaya Hospital, as well as henna drawing from our own OT students. That was definitely one of the most memorable activities for us.

PU: What is your proudest moment as a PUSCOT student? 

Felicia: My proudest moment as an OT student was when we finished our final research viva and clinical viva. It gave the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction after finally completing something that you’ve been working hard for the past 4 years.

PU: Most memorable moment?

Felicia: Too many memorable ones cause I have awesome friends! But if I had to choose, the most memorable moment was my clinical attachment in Chiangmai University early this year. Being able to go there with my friend, Pei Ru, to experience and learn new things and explore the different culture and clinical setups at various community centers as well as hospitals. Being able to interact with the students there and also to learn from them and exchange ideas and thoughts. That was definitely an eye-opener and something that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

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Unique Approach to Introduce Students to PU-RCSI Medical Programme

Following the success of the first Medical Boot Camp, Perdana University recently ventured to Garden International School (GIS) at Mont Kiara to introduce students to the medical course offered by PU-RCSI. Similar to the first Boot Camp, students were given the chance to tie sutures on a simulated tissue, perform CPR, and explore the human anatomy with selected specimens from the Perdana University Anatomy Museum.

The participants, ranging from Grades 10-13, were students who expressed an interest to pursue careers in medicine or related health science fields. The session gave them a feel of how courses are taught at PU-RCSI – with modern patient simulators, plenty of hands-on activities, and grounded on student-centred learning philosophy.

Said Yen Zi Lau, Grade 12, “The activities were really engaging and gave me a nice educational insight as to what I may learn in the course.” Kiran, Grade 13, said that the faculty members (Prof Mike Larvin, Prof. Raghu, Dr. Christina Liew, and Dr. Thirupathirao) made the session fun and inspiring.

We thank the participants, their counsellors, in particular Dr. Michael Browning as well as everyone at GIS for their help in making this event a success. We also thank the faculty members and PU-RCSI graduates Dr. Sinthu and Dr. Logan who assisted with conducting the activities.

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Chancellor’s Award Winner on His Learning Experiences and New Career Aspirations

Lee Voon Kaen was the Chancellor’s Award recipient at the 3^rd Convocation of Perdana University. The Chancellor Award is conferred to the graduate that showed excellence in all aspects of education, research and service. His research experience motivated him to consider clinical research as a career pathway, one that we are confident he will succeed in. In this interview, he talks about what he values about the PU-RCSI programme and his future aspirations.

Why did you enroll in PURCSI?

LVK: I enrolled in PU-RCSI because it is a unique programme that combines the best of Irish and Malaysian medical education. Students can expect excellent education and quality training that prepares them to be the future leaders of healthcare in Malaysia.

What do you like about the programme?

LVK: The PU-RCSI programme is recognised by the Irish Medical Council (IMC), the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) and other regulatory bodies throughout the world. The degrees allow the holder to pursue postgraduate training worldwide. In addition to clinical knowledge, the curriculum also aims to equip students with essential soft skills such as communication, interpersonal, critical thinking and lifelong learning skills via small group study and assignments throughout the syllabus.

“Success only comes with effort, and every failure is a stepping stone to it.”

How did you study? How would you say you overcame challenges in your studies?

LVK: I am grateful to my family, friends, lecturers and staff of PURCSI for their unconditional support and guidance. The study of medicine is challenging: it requires commitment, hard work, passion and a lot of perseverance. Most importantly, we must adopt a positive attitude and a healthy mindset in order to overcome these challenges. For example, we should always remember that success only comes with effort, and every failure is a stepping stone to it. In addition, be grateful for every experience, good or bad, as they will definitely help us to grow into a better and stronger person.

What is your proudest moment as a PU-RCSI student?

LVK: The proudest moment as a student of PURCSI is when we get recognition or compliments from hospital staff or patients. It is satisfying to know that our effort is appreciated by others.

Most memorable moment?

LVK: One of the highlights of medical school was the unique research opportunities I had undertaken through PU’s Summer Research Program. I was actively involved throughout the entire research process, from its initial planning to data collection, data analysis, scientific write-up, oral and poster presentations, leading to a publication in a peer-reviewed journal. These experiences were highly valuable as I picked up important research skills and made wonderful friends in the process.

Now that you’ve graduated, what is the next step? If you’ve already found employment, please indicate the place and position.

LVK: After graduation, I would like to spend some quality time with friends and family, and seek new experiences such as travelling around before the start of housemanship.

And finally, what are your career goals?

LVK: Upon reflection, early exposure to research has sparked an interest to further my career as a clinician-researcher, with a long-term aspiration of moving into hospital management. Being a lecturer in the future is a wonderful choice to pass on knowledge and experience to the next generations as well.

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Staff and Students Put Together Beautiful Kolam for Deepavali

An intricate kolam, featuring the proud peacock, is currently on display at the entrance of Block D. Meticulously put together by the KSRAMC (Kelab Sukan dan Rekreasi Academic Medical Centre), with help from PU students, the kolam was drawn using brightly coloured rice that were dyed from scratch.

Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Mohan Swami, Pro-Chancellor of Perdana University, followed by staff and students, lit up the diya lamps that surrounded the kolam on Friday. Part of the Deepavali ritual, the lighting signifies the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. Deepavali is celebrated on 6th November this year.

The elegant ‘kolam’ is a form of traditional Hindu art, practised since the olden times and is usually drawn at the front entrance of homes to symbolise auspiciousness. They are bright decorative designs made at the entrance of a home and can be made from a variety of materials including rice flour, coloured rice, coloured sand or even flower petals. The reason why rice or rice flour is used to draw ‘kolam’ is to feed small insects like ants and birds as a gesture of charity. During Deepavali, it is made as a visual form of prayer to the Goddess Letchumi to welcome her into the home and ask her for blessings.

The images depicted in the Kolam can be anything from abstract geometrical shapes to landscapes. They can also be depictions of flora and fauna. Some common symbols and images used in the Kolam are the lotus flower and its’ leaves, the mango fruit, fish, and different kinds of birds like parrots, swans and peacocks. Kolams can also feature human figures and foliage.

Happy Deepavali from Perdana University! May the light of prosperity and happiness shine on our paths as we step into 2019.

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From Quiet Student to Active Leader: Proudest Moments for the RCSI International Citizenship Award Recipient

The International Citizenship Award was created in 2016 by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland to encourage medical students to be responsive to the diverse cultural and social challenges of their future profession. For the first time since it was established, RCSI is also honouring deserving PU-RCSI students. The inaugural recipients are and Solomon Raj A/L Vasudayan and Rajwin Raja A/L Kanagarajah.

The interview with Solomon is below. Click here to read Rajwin’s interview.

Why did you enroll in PU-RCSI?

S: I was first attracted with the degrees, MB BCh BAO, that were unique as well as the opportunity to obtain a fully recognized, famed, world class degree without traveling overseas.

What do you like about the programme?

S: Overall, I love how systematic the course is with lectures provided as well as hands on experience taught throughout the 5 years. It has a balance of theory and clinical experience with extremely trained lecturers who work hard with a sole purpose of making us better.

How did you study? How would you say you overcame challenges in your studies?

S: In the preclinical years, I used to review my lecture notes, after every lecture. But I realized that this method was not efficient in the clinical years where we are expected to know beforehand. In the clinical years, my study method was more of previewing the lectures, as the lecturers bombarded us with many questions regarding the patient we see in the ward. Hence, studying beforehand made me better prepared as well as understand certain diseases in further depth. Not to forget what my lecturers always advised us, and that is to; practice, practice and practice.

“We provided a platform to improve students’ lives as well as develop social and administrative skills.”

During your studies here, were you involved in any clubs/associations/student committees? If yes, what are your favourite activities? 

S: I was indeed involved in various activities. Some to mention would be in the Student Representative Council (SRC), the inaugural Yearbook, House system, and also in Society of Malaysian Medical Association for Medical Students (SMMAMS).

My favorite would be in the SRC as the President. With SRC we were able to work together as a team in dealing with student affairs as well as making student lives better by encouraging more activities organized by the students. We came up with the house system, where by points were given for the house that organized events. At the end of the year, the House Cup is given to the House which organized the most events. With this, we provided a platform to improve students’ lives as well as develop social and administrative skills as the students had to liaise with many people and plan ways to make their event a success.

What is your proudest moment as a PURCSI student? 

I have a fair share of proud moments as a PURCSI student. I was a quiet student when I first came to Perdana University. From there, experience and activities I participated in built my confidence to take part in the Student Representative Council (SRC) election for the term 15/17. Out of the 163 students who voted for around 8+ PURCSI nominees, I was truly humbled of gaining 80 votes which was around 50% of the whole population which took part in the election. It was indeed a proud moment to look back from where I came, to where God has led me. The next proud moment would definitely be the moment I walked on the stage to receive the International Citizenship award, the first outside Dublin. It was a surreal moment for me to be acknowledged for my work that did not only revolve around studying but in other aspects as well.

SMMAMS as I mentioned earlier is a student body of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) that is a leading voice of the medical students throughout Malaysia. I was elected as one of the committee members for the term 16/17, being one of the first students from Perdana University to be ever elected. With SMMAMS I was given the opportunity to learn and take part in national events.

“To treat not the disease, but the patient.”

Most memorable moment?

My most memorable moment would definitely be when together with fellow International Citizenship award recipient, Rajwin Raja, we came up with the idea of creating our very own yearbook. With him as the chief editor, and myself as The Perdana Editorial Network (PEN) President, we managed to get the approval of the registrar to proceed with the idea, and with all the committee effort, finally PRIME 16 was born. During that time, we did not impose a fee for the magazine as we manage to find sponsors to cover all fees as well. It was indeed a proud moment that I would share with all the committee. Nothing great can be achieved without teamwork and unity. Unity leads to victory. I am proud to see the growth of the seed that we planted and the current edition looks amazing!

What were your thoughts when you found out that you won the award?

I was truly humbled and overwhelmed. I am happy to be the first ever recipient of this award outside Dublin, I hope many more would follow our footsteps to be a well-rounded doctor with participation in many co-curriculum activities as well as mastering their studies.

What’s the next step?

Right now I am still waiting for my employment, having my rest after 5 years of medical school and before housemanship starts.

And finally, what are your career goals?

As a graduate of the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland, I aspire to be a Cardiothoracic Surgeon. My career goals would definitely be the best surgeon, and in all I do, to uphold the ethical principles taught by my lectures and to treat NOT the disease, BUT the patient, who has the disease. As a recipient of the International Citizenship award, I have learnt to balance my studies and other work. Hence despite my career goals, I would focus to have a wonderful loving family as well, which would be my life goals.

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Let’s Talk About Mental Health

True or false: Women more likely to suffer from anxiety disorder compared to men.

Here’s another one: More than 1 in 4 Malaysians struggle from depression and anxiety disorder*.

You probably know that both are true statements. There is a recent increase in awareness, thanks to the efforts of our ministers to bring the issue to the forefront. Despite this, the stigma still persists. Youths are particularly at risk, according to Malaysian Psychiatric Association patron, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.

As an initiative to promote mental wellness, the PU Mental Health Day was held on 30^th October. Organized by the Counselling Unit, PU-RCSI Student Support and AMSA-PU, it was held in conjunction with the World Mental Health Day which had a theme of Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World.

“What we were trying to do was to shed a positive light into the matter of mental health.”

A colourful balloon arch welcomed visitors to the booth, set up at the lobby of Block D. Various stations offered one-to-one professional image counselling, DIY stress balls, mental health quiz, kolam drawing, and much more. The activities are meant to be an educational and engaging way to connect with the citizens of PU, and to encourage them to take charge of their mental well being.

The event was well received with participation from students from all schools, academic, and non-academic staff. The Mental Health Kolam proved popular, as participants were eager to add their own flair to the design.

According to Nur Arfah Zaini, a clinical psychologist at PU-RCSI, “It was really nice to see both students and staff enjoying themselves at the event. What we were trying to do was to shed a positive light into the matter of mental health.”

“The topic can be very sensitive that people usually tread with extreme caution for the fear of offending others. We aimed to make the booth approachable and entice audience with fun-filled activities while also learning about mental health,” she concluded.

Ms Azzah Sabrina from the Counselling Unit said she looked forward to organizing a bigger one next year due to the success of this year’s event.

*2017 National Health and Morbidity Survey

The Counselling Unit provides individual and group counselling for students and staff at no charge. Other services such as private consultations, problem solving & decision making skills, personality assessments, mental health problem diagnosis, academic or career related difficulties and personal financial planning are also provided. They can be contacted at azzah@perdanauniversity.edu.my (Ms. Azzah) or fudhail@perdanauniversity.edu.my (Mr. Arif), or at their office in Block D.

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A Chance to Change Negatives into Positives

This article is written by Dr. Esslin Terrighena for Alphamen Asia. Dr. Terrighena is a Research Associate at PU-CPM. Visit her Mind Balance website to subscribe for her articles.

Couple therapy shouldn’t be a last resort but a chance to change negatives into positives, says psychologist Esslin Terrighena.

If you have ever found yourself blankly staring at another slammed door, wondering how that escalated so quickly, you may have joined the many couples who get stuck in frustratingly repetitive patterns of unhealthy arguments. These confrontations are likely followed by guilt, sadness, anger or anxiety, and the nagging thought that somehow you should be able to fix this. What happened to the passionate love you felt so long ago?

Admitting that we are at an impasse often feels like admitting defeat, so we wait and wait, hoping the relationship will improve. Sometimes it does, but more often than not the destructive cycles worsen. We carry increasingly more hurt and anger with us and now the smallest things trigger heated conflict. We find ourselves navigating a warzone that we have created with the one person with whom we would much rather form a strong team.

Often couples come to me for counselling after all else has failed. Shrugging shoulders, crossed arms, thinking “if this does not work, I guess we have to separate”, followed by a sad sideways glance, suggestive of tender hope that somehow this love can be saved.

Couple therapy emphasizes that individuals operate in interactive relationships in which the behaviours of both people reciprocally affect each other. In session, therapists can guide partners in identifying their challenges and goals and collaboratively work toward a mutual resolution to enhance the well-being of their relationship. After all, improving relationships with loved ones can offer an immensely positive boost to individual mental

Couple therapy can be beneficial for a wide range of circumstances, including proactive measures to strengthen the foundation of healthy relationships, intervention for chronic conflict, support for respectful separations, or helping partners to live together harmoniously when they are no longer romantically involved but wish to raise their children as a united family.

The neutral space provided in couple sessions can have multiple therapeutic effects. Partners receive equal time and communication techniques they can use to share their thoughts and emotions in a non-blaming manner. This process allows individuals to both listen and be heard, thereby facilitating constructive progress rather than fuelling fiery miscommunications.

In line with this, partners can become aware of how their pre-existing experiences, beliefs and emotions may influence them in interpreting their partner’s intentions and harbour resentment, anxiety or distress. This can generate more objective views of the relationship.

Crucially, couple therapy helps to highlight behavioural blind-spots that prevent the couple from moving forward. From there, the strengths of each individual and the relationship will be magnified to become coping strategies for resilience in tough times and resources for rebuilding connections. The focus is on disentangling painful emotions, re-negotiating commitments, and creating a positive future.

A key necessity for successful couple therapy is that both partners are willing to work together in shifting dysfunctional behaviours that negatively affect their relationship. Seeing a therapist with the intention to change the partner, but not oneself, does not indicate commitment to forming a loving, equal connection. Couple therapy requires open, honest and respectful communication in the safe space of a therapy environment.

By sharing our needs, emotions, fears and boundaries, we can nurture and re-build close, intimate and trusting relationships together. Importantly, the sooner these steps are taken, the more likely they will result in satisfying, long-lasting relationships.

So, couple therapy should not be considered a last resort after all else has failed – we can rather see it as a further tool for developing, strengthening, and restoring healthy relationships with the person we love.

For original article, please see here.

Picture credit: Mind Balance

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Prof. Michael Larvin, the Dean of PU-RCSI School of Medicine, talked about his experience living and working in Malaysia in an interview with Surgeons Scope. Prof. Raghu Varadarajan and Prof. John Price were also featured in the accompanying Postcards from Perdana. The article can be found in the most recent edition of Surgeons Scope, accessible here: http://www.rcsi.ie/files/about-us/20180725050602_SurgeonsScope.pdf

Of course, living here takes a little getting used to,” says Professor Michael Larvin of Kuala Lumpur where he is coming to the end of his first year as Dean of the Perdana University-RCSI School of Medicine, “but we pinch ourselves every day. In addition to having a challenging, interesting and rewarding role, the wonderful lifestyle offers a real bonus. It’s summer all year round, Malaysian people are very welcoming, and food comes in an amazing variety.” The cost of living and taxation are lower than in Ireland. He would urge colleagues in Ireland to be open to overseas opportunities with RCSI. “It’s well worth a visit to take a proper look, to appreciate the great set-up and support from RCSI and to be sure that you could accomplish something worthwhile.”

Professor Larvin is no stranger to an expat life. Descended from Irish heritage, he was raised in the UK and trained there and in the US, Sweden and Germany. In 2012, he left his position as Foundation Professor of Surgery at the Graduate Entry Medical School at the University of Nottingham to take up the role of Head of Graduate Entry Medicine at University of Limerick. “In a sense, that was the bigger move for us as a family,” says Professor Larvin, whose youngest daughter was still at school. With characteristic enthusiasm, he and his wife immersed themselves in Limerick life, even attending Irish classes. “Looking back, learning basic Irish was difficult compared to learning Malay whose pronunciation and structure is simple and mistakes are readily forgiven.” Embracing a new culture is one thing, acclimatising to equatorial rainforest weather patterns another: “The daily afternoon showers are more intense than gentle Irish rainfall, although mercifully brief. The high humidity can be a greater challenge than the warmth, but you adjust quickly, wearing linen and knowing your destination (and car) will be air-conditioned.”

With the most recent cohort of PU-RCSI medical students on their registration day, 12th September 2018.

Choosing to live in central Kuala Lumpur (or KL as it’s popularly known), rather than closer to campus, was a conscious decision. A former colonial city, KL’s mix of preserved historical buildings and modern skyscapers is extremely attractive. Professor Larvin and his wife Keyna live in a 64-storey apartment block in the heart of the city, a great attraction for the couple’s five children and friends who visit often. As KL is the headquarters of Air Asia, it’s also a great jumping-off point for further travel. The apartment is only a 25-minute drive to campus where, since 2011, RCSI through its partnership with Perdana University (PU), licenses the same five-year undergraduate medical programme as delivered at its Dublin and Bahrain campuses. For clinical teaching, Hospital KL, the largest teaching hospital in SE Asia with 2,300 beds is just three stops from home on the iconic air-conditioned KL Monorail.

The programme is fully accredited by both the Irish and Malaysian Medical Councils. Professor Larvin is enthusiastic about driving its expansion. “The programme has 250 students, of which the first full-cycle cohort graduated in September 2016 with degrees awarded by RCSI and the National University of Ireland,” he says.

RCSI’s international experience has led to a truly global programme which is highly innovative in the Malaysian context. The aim is to produce patient-focused doctors and the talented leaders needed to transform Malaysian healthcare.

The programme is led mainly by Irish academic leads and delivered with Malaysian and international faculty teams and clinical adjunct staff. It closely matches the RCSI Dublin and Bahrain programmes, with joint examinations that are time synchronised and so held mainly in the early evening. “We liaise daily with Julie Creedon in the Programme Office in Dublin. Julie also visits campus several times each year along with the senior RCSI leadership team who are readily available for advice and support. RCSI’s international experience has led to a truly global programme which is highly innovative in the Malaysian context. The aim is to produce patient-focused doctors and the talented leaders needed to transform Malaysian healthcare.”

There are alumni of RCSI in positions of leadership all over the globe and Malaysia is no different. The Deputy Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Dr Wan Azizah binti Wan Ismail, the first female holder of the post, happens to be an RCSI graduate and gold medallist, appointed in May after Pakatan Harapan, the main opposition coalition in the Malaysian Parliament, won the majority of seats in the Dewan Rakyat, Malaysia’s lower house of parliament. This marked a historic defeat for the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition which has governed Malaysia since independence in 1957. “This represents a real change in direction,” says Professor Larvin. “This was a truly massive political changeover after 61 years, accomplished quietly without demonstrations, riots or any big fuss and a real affirmation of the power of democracy.”

The role of Dean is a busy one, focused mainly on assisting academic leads to deliver the programme smoothly, and to recruit new staff.

Professor Larvin and colleagues at Sunway Medical Centre.

An experienced pancreatic surgeon and former President of the Pancreatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Professor Larvin was thrilled to have recently assisted a Malaysian former student and graduate with the country’s first totally robotic Pancreatoduodenectomy (Whipple’s Operation), the surgical equivalent of “precision or personalised medicine”. Professor Larvin acknowledges that despite such technical advances, most pancreatic cancer patients present with disease beyond surgical cure. He hopes that some of his students might be inspired one day to develop more effective treatments, which will likely yield from laboratory research into genetic and biological therapies and less invasive therapy.

He says that for medical students and trainees to be inspired, they should experience positive as well as negative patient outcomes. “It is extremely difficult for most young doctors to deal only with patients and families experiencing a bleak outlook. For that reason, I have always balanced my practice and research interests by including benign pancreatic and biliary disease as well as bariatric (obesity) surgery. That has allowed me keep a positive perspective.”

Professor Larvin was thrilled to have recently assisted a Malaysian former student and graduate with the country’s first totally robotic Pancreatoduodenectomy (Whipple’s Operation), the surgical equivalent of “precision or personalised medicine”.

Professor Larvin has always found teaching and training satisfying. “I also enjoy meeting with students, although often my role means that they are usually in need of help with academic or personal difficulties. I like getting out of the office and working ‘on the ground’ to try and improve the staff and student experience. Life is never boring here, occasionally a single day can involve visiting all of our main teaching sites: Hospital KL, Perdana University campus in Serdang and Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital in Seremban, some 60km south of KL.” He is building on the work of his predecessor Professor David Adams, who last year retired to his native Belfast, in increasing student recruitment. Professor Larvin attended an ‘Education Malaysia’ outreach visit in Qatar earlier this year, the first marketing event of its kind: “I welcome the chance to recruit more applicants as our programme matures. Although our focus here is firmly on the Malaysian intake, I believe strongly in the RCSI global view that the student experience is greatly enriched by peers from other countries and cultures. At present we have small numbers of international students from New Zealand, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, the USA and Canada, and we are now targeting Sri Lanka, India and Myanmar.”

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Dr. Maheswaran Kalimuthu, a clinical tutor at Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar Seremban, was voted as the first recipient of the PU-RCSI Clinical Teaching Award. We interviewed him to find out his teaching philosophy, his favourite teacher, and his advice to doctors.

Congratulations on getting the first Clinical Teaching Award! How did you feel when you found out?

Thank you for the honour and appreciation. Feel truly happy to know the students benefited from me and my teaching.

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m Dr. Maheswaran Kalimuthu and I’m a physician in Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar Seremban. I graduated from University of Malaya in 2009 with an MBBS, and now I am doing a fellowship in nephrology.

What are the teaching methods that you use with the medical students? Do you have a teaching philosophy that you abide by?

Patients are the best teachers. I always emphasize on bedside teaching. Besides preparing students to better understand their day-to-day cases and deal with emergency scenarios and (of course) pass their exams, I prepare them to face the upcoming challenges in their career. I consider them as a part of my team and enrol them actively in managing patients.

What do you enjoy most about teaching? Do you have any favourite memory or story to share, particularly with the PU-RCSI students?

I do enjoy each and every teaching sessions, from the 1^st batch till today. The satisfaction of educating the students is priceless. Every teaching session is my favourite memory.

Do you have a role model in teaching and/or your medical practice?

My patients are the best teachers. They are ‘books’ with unlimited pages and knowledge. To be specific, I was privileged to work with Prof. Dato’ Seri Dr. K. Sree Raman – ‘the Guru’ with vast knowledge in medicine. He is a dedicated teacher and always provides the best for his patients and students. He is a very humble gentleman too.

What advice would you give others who are teaching medical students?

The word doctor also means ‘Teacher’. So, as a doctor it is our task to guide and teach the budding doctors so that they can continue to serve the community. Besides that it is also our duty to in-corporate moral values in them, because ATTITUDE matters!

Congratulations Dr Mahes on your well-deserved award. We hope that this recognition goes a long way in showing how much the students and the faculty appreciate the hard work done by the clinical tutors.

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Our very own Siti Safura Jaapar has won the gold medal in the Women’s Standard category in Chess, at the 19th Para SUKMA Games in Perak yesterday.

“I just want to do my very best and enjoy the excitement because I know there were many tough contenders. Precise decision is a must for every move in chess, it trains myself to be a good decision maker,” said Safura after winning the medal.

Siti Safura has been a Perdana University student since 2015, earning a Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) in Bioinformatics in 2016. She then continued on as a PhD student, studying the role of gut microbiome in spinal muscular atrophy under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Dr Mohammad Asif Khan.

The topic is of personal interest to her as she is afflicted with the same neurodegenerative disease, which has limited her mobility. She has not let it limit her spirit however, as evidenced by her achievements in and outside of Perdana University. She is also the Founder and current President of SMA Malaysia, a support group for spinal muscular atrophy patients and their families.

We sincerely congratulate Safura and wish her more success in the future. Well done!

This article has been updated with Siti Safura’s quotes.

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This news article was contributed by Jocelyn Tan Xin Yi.

AMSA PU (Asian Medical Student Association – Perdana University) recently held their 2^nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 21/11/2018 (Wednesday). Our AGM discussed the previous events AMSA PU had organized throughout 2017/18 which were Mental Health Day 2017, Teddy Bear Hospital 1.0 & 2.0, Coronary Heart Disease Day and Mental Health Day 2018. We also organized a sharing session on AMSC 2018 (Asian Medical Student Conference) by one of our representatives who joined the conference. We ended our AGM with the selection of new committees for AMSA PU 2018/19.

On behalf of AMSA PU, I hope that our team can continue to bring a new spark to our student community as well as create new opportunities for students to gain priceless experience and friendship throughout their student life in Perdana University. Do look forward to our activities and events in the future!

AMSA PU 2018/2019 Board Members

President: Jocelyn Tan Xin Yi

Vice President 1 (External): Loo Enyou

Vice President 2 (Internal): Alicia Ong Su May

Treasurer: Liau Chi Sun

Secretary 1: Adeline

Secretary 2: Reshna A/P Raman

Academic Officer 1: Maaheend

Academic Officer 2: Shuwaathi

Public Relation 1: Yen Wei Kee

Public Relation 2: Anne Nivethya Harini a/p Kilivanan

Public Health 1: Afiq Imran bin Masron

Public Health 2: Pavitra Gunasekran

Multimedia 1: Sachvinder Singh Gill

Multimedia 2: Sonia Praveena Kasinathan

AMSEP Officer 1: Jeevanisha

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This article was contributed by Jocelyn Tan Xin Yi.

On 18^th of October, JC3 students from PU-RCSI organized a JC1-JC3 Mixer Night at The Atmosphere in hopes of strengthening the bond between JC1 and JC3 students. More than 60 students from both cohorts were present. All attendees enjoyed a variety of food ranging from pizza to doughnuts as well as fun and interactive games such as beverage pong, drama session, musical chairs and charades. The night ended with a mini dance session where everyone jammed along the music played by our DJ of the night. All in all, this was a fun initiative suggested by PU-RCSI Student Support and we would like to extend our most sincere gratitude to the Dean, Prof. Michael Larvin, for all the help we received, Dr. Warren for collecting funds from the faculty, Dr. Thiru for guiding us and to the entire faculty who showed their support and donated money for the event. This event wouldn’t have been a success if it wasn’t for this entire team of lecturers and faculty members and we greatly appreciate all the support we received. We hope that the Mixer night can involve more students in the future and also become a tradition of PU-RCSI.

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This short story is contributed by PUGSOM student Kumarendran Balachandran.

Today someone learnt about PUGSOM.

As we lined up to check in, Greg and I discussed how successful one must be to be able to afford flying first class.

Just then the passenger ahead of us began abusing the helpless flight attendant checking him in. It was all Tamil to me but the harshness and anger were unmistakable. The lady at the counter had a trembling quiver in her voice as she fumbled with her microphone to beseech her manager for assistance.

“Don’t give him the power to make you feel sad. Have a nice evening,” were the inadequate words I scrapped together as she checked me in. She smiled wryly, eyes downcast.

“Enjoy the brownie on the flight. It smells tasty,” said Greg while we rushed up the escalator after an unceremoniously gobbled McDonald’s meal. With ten minutes to last call we struggled to drag our poorly exercised legs to make it in time. But I had one last stop. “Where are you off to?” Greg asked as I made a sharp turn to the check-in counter. The lady we’d seen bedraggled a few minutes ago had just finished checking in a couple of passengers.

“Did you miss your flight?” she asked as soon as she saw me at the counter.

“No, not yet,” I said. Her anxious eyebrows settled.

“This is for you,”, I held out my hand, clutching the brownies. Chocolate happiness. “Let now be when your nice evening begins.”

 “For me?” The incredulous words tumbled from her lips.

“Yes,” I nodded. “I better get running now, I really want to be on that flight.”

“Wait please! Can you tell me your name and company?” she said, as the queue of people waited and watched our exchange.

I scribbled on the scrap of paper she rummaged out of her drawer. “Kumar, PUGSOM”, was what I wrote.

As I gave way to the disgruntled man in the queue, I saw her smiling for the first time that evening.

—

An hour later, airborne, I am holding a cup of hot chocolate I didn’t order.

The outside says “For Kumar, PUGSOM”.

—

Niceness is infectious. When you go around holding doors open despite running late to class, singing songs to make someone’s day, and making multiple trips to the airport just to send off a friend, I guess being extra nice becomes a habit. When I step off the flight tonight my mum will ask me what was taught and learned at PUGSOM this week. I’ll show her this note.

P/S: To fellow colleagues of mine at PUGSOM, who give me the opportunities to question, to be kind, and to make mistakes — thank you. And to Jason, for the kindness and sensitivity that I don’t usually come across very often.

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This article was contributed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jayakumar Gurusamy for The Star, and the first to appear in PU’s own column, Health with Perdana. The article, as it was published on Dec 2, 2018, is below.

The journey to good health is but a first step away. This week sees the start of a new fortnightly column, Health with Perdana, that will explore a diverse range of issues for our health and wellbeing.

HAVE you counted how many steps you walk a day? It takes approximately 2,000 steps to walk 1.6km, and 10,000 steps to reach 8km. A sedentary person walks about 1,000 to 3,000 steps a day.

On average, a Malaysian walks 3,963 steps daily, way below the global average of 5,000 steps.

This hardly brings about any health benefit. Walking 2,000 steps burns about 100 calories. Kick it up to 10,000, and you can burn 500 calories.

For comparison, a meal of roti canai and teh tarik – the quintessential Malaysian breakfast – is approximately 480 calories.

How many steps you walk a day can be used to loosely define your activity level:

• Less than 5,000 – Sedentary
• 5,000-7,499 – Low activity
• 7,500-9,999 – Somewhat active
• More than 10,000 – Active
• More than 12,500 – Highly active

Studies have shown that taking 10,000 steps a day is a way to a healthy heart and to reduce body fat.

It can also help lower and prevent high blood pressure, prevent heart disease and reduce the risk (as well as control if you already suffer from it) of type 2 diabetes.

The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity each week (30 minutes a day). In addition, two or more days of muscle-strengthening activity is an ideal way to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

From couch potato to healthy hero

If you are a couch potato, don’t feel that you have to reach your 10,000 steps immediately.

Increase your average daily steps each week by 500 per day. If you walk an average of 3,000 steps a day, your goal for week one is 3,500 per day.

This is to be increased to 4,000 steps a day for the following week, and thereafter, 500 steps a day, and you should be averaging 10,000 steps by the end of the 14th week.

Create opportunities to increase walking in your daily activities. You can park your car as far as possible from your office or when you go to the supermarket. Use the staircase instead of the lift for low rise buildings, and go for walks with your spouse, child, friend or pet.

Working healthier

Every day, we spend almost one third of our time at our workplace. It is important to maintain physical activity and avoid sedentary habits at the workplace by trying to move 5-10 minutes every hour.

Reminders could be placed in your daily work area to take short walk breaks or at least take a walk during lunch time.

Photocopying our documents or walking to your colleague’s room to enquire about some matters instead of emailing for a response helps to prevent a sedentary habit at the office.

We may try to take a walk instead of sitting down when we are early for an appointment. The onus is on us to manage our time wisely to attain work productivity as well as to lead a healthy lifestyle during our daily hectic workday.

Source: AFP/The Star

Keeping track

These days, there are many smart pedometers or fitness trackers. These can help you count the number of steps taken.

Some are more sophisticated and can tell you how many calories you’ve burnt and how far you’ve walked. The pedometer has to be worn in the morning and taken off just before sleep at night.

Walking is a very safe activity, virtually risk-free. If you are walking for the purpose of exercise, all you need is a comfortable pair of walking shoes that fits well. As most people walk every day, you don’t need to worry too much about warming up before you start, but it may be a good idea to walk at a normal pace for five to 10 minutes before stepping up to brisk walking.

Then slow down to normal pace five or 10 minutes before you finish, depending on how long you have been walking for.

Remember that your 30 minutes of walking should be a brisk one, so a slow warm-up and a cooldown before you finish should add to the total walking time.

If you are overweight or have any other health concerns, do speak to your family doctor before embarking on any form of strenuous exercise.

Associate Professor Dr Jayakumar Gurusamy is Deputy Dean of Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine (drjkumar@ perdanauniversity.edu.my). This article is courtesy of Perdana University. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

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This article is contributed by Evelyn Toh Kheng Lin, a Research Assistant at  Perdana University-Centre for Psychological Medicine (PU-CPM). 

Research has shown that exposure to natural environments (e.g. wild nature, green spaces, and parks) can lead to enhanced appreciation of one’s body image – and this can be done within the confinements of your own house.

In a previous study conducted by Professor Swami and colleagues¹, British adults reported an improved state of body image when they were shown images of natural environments. However, static images do not provide the viewer with a realistic experience as sound and motion remain absent from them. Thus researchers sought to conduct a study on films on natural environments, as this provides a platform for viewers to feel more ‘present’ and ‘immersive’.

In a study conducted by Professor Swami and Dr Barron²  from PU-CPM, two films were shot in England to simulate a 3-minute walk. The first film was shot in Grantchester Meadows (which displayed wild meadowlands intersected by the river) to represent the natural environment; the second film was shot in Cambridge city centre (low-rise commercial buildings) to represent the built environment

Participants were 36 students from Anglia Ruskin University who completed a measure of state body appreciation, before and after watching films of either the natural or a built environment. Two weeks later, they completed the same task but watched the other film type.

Results showed that exposure to the film of a natural environment resulted in significantly enhanced body appreciation, but the film on built environment did not affect body appreciation.

Lead researcher Professor Swami suggested that this may be due to “natural environments promoting a cognitive quiet which may cultivate self-kindness, nurturance, and a compassionate view of one’s body.”

Individuals may face pressure from the media to achieve the ‘perfect body image’, thus findings of the study can enhance respect for the body and a rejection of rigid ideals around appearance. This can be done by allowing individuals to view films of natural environment in situations where it may not be easy to gain access to mother nature (either due to low mobility or not being in close distance vicinity to any natural environment).

In addition, findings from this study can be linked to future research in eating disorders; which can determine interventions to promote healthy lifestyles and enhanced body appreciation.

Professor Viren Swami and Dr David Barron are the Director and Deputy Director of the Perdana University-Centre for Psychological Medicine (PU-CPM).

References

¹Swami, V., Barron, D., & Furnham, A. (2018). Exposure to natural environments, and photographs of natural environments, promotes more positive body image. Body Image, 24, 82-94. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.12.006

²Swami, V., Pickering, M., Barron, D., & Patel, S. (2018). The impact of exposure to films of natural and built environments on state body appreciation. Body image, 26, 70-73.

Picture Source: Rocks for Kids

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This article is contributed by Alicia Ong Su May (PU-RCSI).

Earlier this month, 11 PURCSI students including recent graduates participated in the Medics Intervarsity Games (MIVG) 2018 which was held at Panasonic Stadium Shah Alam. MIVG is an annual sports event organized by Asian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) Malaysia whereby medical students from local universities meet and compete in various sports and games. This year marks the 10^th year of MIVG and it was hosted by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The opening ceremony started off with the contingent parade of every university. PURCSI contingent was led by the Contingent Leader, Alicia Ong Su May. The dean of Faculty of Medicine UKM, Prof. Dr. Zaleha Abdullah Mahdy, launched the games with a stirring opening speech at the opening ceremony. Then, all the contingent leaders stepped forward to lead the swearing of the sportsmanship oath. After the opening ceremony, a large photography session was taken before the participants dispersed to their respective venues for their games.

PURCSI students took part in swimming, tennis, badminton and futsal. The PURCSI team won 3 gold medals, 2 in swimming (Afiq Imran bin Masron) and 1 in tennis (Raveen A/L Balasubramaniam). Afiq Imran was also awarded the Most Outstanding Sportsman for MIVG 2018.

Well done Perdana University contingent!

Raveen (centre) after winning the gold medal in tennis, with the silver and bronze medallists.

The futsal team. Standing in the back row, from left: Yargdesh, Gogillan, Shannon, Irsyad. Sitting in the front row, from left: Saktivadivelu, Jamal, Kishen, Amir

Afiq (second from right) with the silver and bronze medallists from the swimming event.

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