Stage 4 Woes: Are you doing a Clinical Audit or Research?

Stage 4 students, congratulations on finishing one of the toughest exams in your Med School life! The two-week holiday seems too short for a break after such a long, tough, and trying semester… Haaaaaaaa… You can barely breathe a sigh of relief however, as another “problem” crops up - SSC 1. What is the best topic of choice for your Clinical Audit, and not fall into the Research “trap”?!

Unless you are eager to do a research (your dream/ambition/goal), and is very confident about completing it in just 6-12 weeks, by all means please do it. Nothing is impossible. The majority however, chooses to do a Clinical Audit for their SSC 1. So, in this article I will give you some quick tips on how to differentiate between a Clinical Audit and Research.

The Origin of Audit

The word Audit is borrowed from Economics, and in that context it means examination of records to check their accuracy. In 2002, National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) published the first manual of Clinical Audit and defined it as “Clinical Audit is a quality improvement process that seeks to improve patient care and outcomes through systematic review of care against explicit criteria and the implementation of change”.

In fact, one of the first clinical audits was carried out by Florence Nightingale during the Crimean War of 1853-1855. Using a methodical approach (a compilation of coxcombs), she recorded mortality rates among the hospital patients, then making changes to decrease a mortality rate of 40% all the way down to 2%! To do this SSC 1 well, you should understand why you are doing a Clinical Audit and what benefit it brings to better healthcare practice. Take the task seriously, - not just for the sake of completing an assignment, - and you’ll be surprised at the contribution you would’ve made in the end! 

Clinical Audit or Research

A Clinical Audit answers the question “Are we following the agreed best practice?”, i.e. it measures current practice against a defined standard. It forms part of Clinical Governance, with an aim of safeguarding a high standard of clinical care for patients. A Research answers the question “What is best practice?”, i.e. discovering new knowledge about which treatment works better in a given clinical situation.

Here is a comprehensive table of the similarities and differences of Clinical Audit and Research:

Be careful of how you define your SSC Topic/Title! If you are unsure, just ask for help (supervisor, tutor, peer parent, friend, cat, dog, coffee, TNT…). It is worth having a Plan B, but the best suggestion is to get it right in the first place. If you are checking in with your best friend (Google), be creative with your search keywords. Hope this is helpful and good luck on kicking off your project!

References:Clinical Audit in Primary Care: From Evidence to Practice. http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs-wm/35858.pdfAudit and Audit Cycle. http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/audit-and-audit-cycle

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Can you get Fresher's Flu in Malaysia?

For the freshmen out there who have just entered university, you’re all set out to make your mark in this “new life” by first making new friends from all over the world, then partying hard, getting drunk, attending lectures half-awake..... Three to four weeks in, you realised “Oh no, what is Prof X talking about???”, then you face-palmed while muttering “I really need to start getting my sh*t down...”. No problem, but there is a problem - you have contracted the Fresher’s Flu and it’s only helpful in getting you to sleep.

Yes this is a more common scenario abroad, not in Malaysia, “Fresher’s Flu” itself is a British term. However, I haven’t been a Freshman in Malaysia so I am not sure if you current students are experiencing the same... Fresher’s flu is simply, a bad cold. Now medical students, name me the common symptoms! No? Get out of the class!

I am not writing this article to tell you to take preventive measures against this, because, you cannot really - as many as 90% of the students would contract the illness. Yes, the number is very high, but why? When the academic year starts in UK - around the end of September to the beginning of October - there is a convergence of large numbers of people coming from around the world bringing in various pathogens. Obviously, not everyone will have acquire the necessary immunity yet. In addition to that, poor lifestyles including diet and late nights, homesickness and stress from trying to adapt to a new environment makes one more susceptible to the infection as your immune system is weaken.

Question is, what about the other 10% of students? How did they resist the flu? Or maybe, the 10% of you can just give us the answer. Medical students, work your brain and leave some suggestions!

I would give you some tips myself, but chances are, you'd rather enjoy your fresher's week than go for these "boring" recommendations I have in mind. Good Luck!

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Review: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog

By Zulhilmi Ibrahim

The first time I laid eyes on the book, I was hooked. I guess it is mainly because of my interest in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, thus giving me the notion that, well, not everyone would want to read this kind of writing. Boy, was I wrong. After having finished reading it, I cannot help but think that everyone should read it.“The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog” by Dr. Bruce D. Perry and Maia Szalavitz is a compilation of carefully selected cases from the notebook of Dr. Bruce Perry, a child psychiatrist.

Though I have to say, it is somewhat dry, a bit medical and factual that if you are going for leisure reading, this might not be a good book (which explains why I took so long to finish it). He explained the cases through a neuropsychiatric point of view, which I think could serve as a revision for your neurology (TSM) block in a very, very interesting way! Some of the points are quite repetitive, but hey, that is what the author wanted to emphasize, and it also means that the root of the problem is pretty much the same. In contrast to what some parents believe, that children need to be exposed to many new things to learn, they actually need repetition, routine and things they can comfortably predict. Make things unpredictable and chaotic, they will go haywire. You see kids who appeared naughty and spoilt and you quickly pass a judgment. This book will change your perspective and open a door to the possible reasons.

Mind you, it is about traumatized and neglected children, and a lot of those cases will make you gasp and shake your head in disbelief, some are heart wrenching and some will attract invisible ninjas chopping onions around you, if you know what I mean. Some are deliberate sexual and physical abuse, and some are innocent, unintentional acts from parents and caretakers. I even need to filter which chapter is "safe" for my wife to read, afraid that it will overwhelm her. The cases perhaps are a bit on the extreme side, but really, the fundamentals are there; what can go wrong and how. And these are the gems from the book that I find each and every one of us should know. Especially the unintentional ones, as they can be avoided by simply… knowing.

Children have always been my passion as truly, they are the leaders of tomorrow. We shape them, hence, we shape the future. I refuse to believe that it is all about the parents as to what will become of their children. Yes, a big chunk of their lives are influenced by the parents/caretakers, but the community, you and me, also play important roles in their upbringing as well. I don’t think I can do justice to his writing by trying to explain it here, so I will just let you read it yourself.

P/S: I never really understood how “Munchausen-by-proxy” syndrome or “fabricated illness”  is a form of abuse towards children until I read this book. So read it!

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We Are Ready.

Finals spanned over a dreadful three weeks. The 10th of June, 2014 was the last day of the last examination - MOSLER or in its full form called Multiple Observed Structured Long Examination Records - of which many of us may have just found out from reading this. But, it no longer mattered. Two days later (today), the Pass List would be out. The very validated key of freedom from five gruelling years of Medical School, is finally handed over to NUMed’s first batch of graduates. 

And, we celebrate! 

Massive congratulations to the lovely seniors. It has not been easy to earn this valuable degree from NUMed. As Professor Reg Jordan said, the examination is a fair process and the outcome really determine our readiness to embark on a doctor's career. In fact, NUMed is very much engaged in supporting its students to achieve that, taking a student's future into consideration, and in their best interest. 

The NUMed Class of 2014 would like to extend their most heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for all the effort the academic staffs and NUMed management have put in for this success. They hope to continue making everyone proud.

What trails after this would see the graduates busy preparing applications to the Public Services Commission of Malaysia (SPA) and Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) with their choices of local hospitals for their service as a houseman.

“Are we ready? Yes, we are.”

Image credit: theramp.org

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Careers Day

On the 5th of December, 2013, NUMed's first formal Careers Day was held for medical students in their clinical years.

The day kicked off with a welcome address by the Deputy Director of Medical Studies, Dr Steve Jones.

Seven guest speakers were invited for the event, including Associate Professor Dr Punna Wong Yin Onn, Dr Louis Ling, Dr Zaiton bte Salleh, Dr Ong Ah How, Dr Diong Seng Kwok, Dr Elaine Chiang and Stage 5 medical student Ho Ka Liang.

The day saw the speakers focusing their presentation on their respective career pathways and advices for medical students, especially to those who will be graduating next year.

For the soon-to-be graduates, the highlight of the day may be Ho Ka Liang's summary of the Housemanship Training Seminar conducted by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) on the 16th of November, 2013.

The new housemanship training system is called "Flexi Hours", which will see an increase in working hours from 60 to 75 hours. Each houseman needs to go through a minimum of 2 years of training in 6 different core rotations, each rotation lasting 4 months should they survive the drill. What would be new in year 2014, is the addition of Psychiatry and Primary Care rotations as options for the remaining 8 months of training other than the already existing Anaesthesia and Emergency Medicine rotations.

It is important for medical students, or anyone for that matter, to equip themselves with sufficient knowledge in order to better prepare themselves a career plan. With this said, fellow readers should keep in view to attend the next Housemanship Training Seminar which will be held in 2015.

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Of Prisons and the Mouse Brain Slicer.

by Paik Hwa

Research may not be for everyone.

20th of November, 2013 - Academic Medicine Society (AMS) held a Projects Evening where NUMed students who have been involved in research projects shared their respective experiences to the audience. The following is the lineup for the night:

Student (Stage)	Subject
Thelma Tembo (4)	Delineation of risk factors in paediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia with favourable cytogenetics. (Public Health)
Ng Zee Yong (3)	How does the brain respond to the melody of speech?
Andrea Lim (3)	Defining the functional role of the autophagy regulatory gene Ambra-1 in melanoma invasion and metastasis.
Jaya (4)	Neuroblastoma
Alireza (2)	Kajang Prison Project
Paik Hwa (5)	The role of colour in object recognition. SSC 1 Research (Pathology Department)
Ho Ka Liang (5)	SSC 1 Audit (Emergency Department)
Muzammil (2)	Immunohistochemical analysis of hypoxia, glucose transporters and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus of the TASTPM and P301L mouse model of dementia.

The evening aimed to give the audience an overview of their peers’ experiences with their research projects and hopefully spark their own interest to take the same initiative in future. Whether you are sure or unsure about your passion in research, any new lesson gained in life is certainly worth its while. Nearly two hours of presentations later, here is obviously why you should not be hesitating and leave yourself behind in the pursuit to be on a discovery cloud nine. 

1. “Fun!” “I really had a good time doing the summer research project.” “Fun!” “Interesting!"

2. Scholarships 
  If you were at the lecture theatre, you may have jaw-dropped at least once. Not to mention it is a nice addition to your CV.

3. New skills
 Perhaps a rare ability like slicing mice’s brain, practical in real-life or not. It was not an easy feat as Muzammil revealed in a picture, “It was performed in a cold box, almost like a freezer.”  A presenter also said, “I probably learnt more about research methodology during the short period of project (6-8 weeks) as compared to an entire duration of a course (years).”

4. Making new friends from around the world who share the same interest.
 Zee Yong said, “I was in the UK doing a research project, but none of my colleagues including my supervisor are from the UK.”

5. Being in an intellectually stimulating environment.
 Gotta deviate from the usual routine and one-up it sometimes. GO and step on a different soil.

6. Be prepared for mistakes or accidents, learn from them, and meet the deadline.
 Things often go awry as the deadline approaches. It happens to almost everyone, but no one quite understands why that is the case. Except, it is a common way for discoveries to be made for civilisation: by mistake or accident. You either find out that you have been collecting data from the wrong specimens in a blind experiment; the stem cell culture did not turn out as expected no matter how rigid you followed the procedures; flies that did not like the food you cooked for them despite following the same recipe everyone else was using.

7. Getting published.
 Last but not least, you should aim for this if given the opportunity.

I made the list with its corresponding elaborations in a lighthearted manner. In all seriousness, I often looked back to that summer in 2011 when I was first involved in a research project, and really appreciate the invaluable knowledge I was exposed to. It was one of the best times of my life. 

Depending on your involvement, it may bring you to new places, for example our fellow Alireza who had the opportunity to visit a prison in Kajang. He had this to say, “Contrary to what people think of research, it has no rules and structure, it’s chaotic. If you want to do any sort of research, you need to be passionate about your idea and your work.”

Have I encouraged you enough? The next step for you is to talk to someone who can help give you a head start with organising and planning. The Academic Medicine Society, obviously, is a good start.

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NBC Badminton Tournament 2013

by Paik Hwa

Muzhaffar in action. :D

On the 22nd and 23rd of November, 2013, NUMed Badminton Club (NBC) organised their very first Badminton Tournament which took place at Perling Badminton Court. As many as 36 participants signed up for the event.


There were 4 categories and the following are the winners:

Men's Singles: 
1st: Ho Ching Khai (Stage 1)                          
2nd: Chan Khang Yeon (Stage 2)                           
3rd: Muzhaffar (Stage 5)


Men's Doubles: 
1st: Ho Ching Khai/ Shaun Ee (Stage 1)                             
2nd: Muzhaffar/ Afdhal (Stage 5)                             
3rd: Lau Xian Zhuang/ Jeremiah Hii (Stage 2)


Women's Doubles: 
1st: Freda Bella Chen/ Lim Pei Shan (Stage 1)                                   
2nd: Tiffany Koo/Low Li Li (Stage 1)                                   
3rd: Fiona/Tong Shu Theng (Stage 2)


Mixed Doubles: 
1st: Lau Xian Zhuang (Stage 2) /Freda Bella Chen (Stage 1)
2nd: Shaun Ee/ Lim Pei Shan (Stage 1)
3rd: Chan Khang Yeon(Stage 2)/ Low Li Li (Stage 1)



NBC would also like to thank the following volunteers for making the event a successful one!


Linesmen: Peter Cephas and all the players 
Umpires: Seah Hwei Hwei, Sabyasachi, Lee SiQi, Sam Low, Ho Ching Khai, Chan Khang YeonPhotographers: Ong Shi Yu, Ng Zee Yong.

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Founders and Benefactors Day 2013

by Darshini

16^th of November 2013- The students of Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia attended the Founders & Benefactors Day, which was organised by the newly elected student council board.

From 6pm onwards, groups of students were seen walking towards the Numed campus dressed in their respective colour codes for the evening. The freshers looked lovely in white while the Stage 2s were ice cool in blue. The Stage 3s stood out in their red apparels, as did the Stage 4s who looked elegant in their black outfits. The Stage 5s who were also heads of their respective families were dressed for the occasion in royal purple.

The car park ground beside the amphitheatre was set up with tables and chairs in large tents to cater to the large volume of students who showed up. As the crowd started filling in, the ushers guided the students to their respective family tables and the sound of noisy chatter filled the air.

The event kick started at 7pm with Mohit Mohan, Education Representative of Student Council, presenting the welcome speech. This was followed by family photo taking sessions at the photo booth, which was specially set up for this event. The respective families then queued up for the delicious Iranian food and drinks that was served.

The peer parents and peer kids from all stages bonded over dinner at their respective family tables. People laughed and conversed with each other; some families even came up with games to play during dinner.  All in all, it was a pleasant and heart-warming evening of togetherness and campus spirit.  The night ended with a bang, literally, as huge fireworks lit the sky above the tents.





17^th November 2013- Today was all fun and games as the various families gathered to compete against each other, in true sportsmanship.  Although the turn out was small in number due to the various commitments and exams faced by most students, the event was still enjoyed by all who showed up.  At the end of the games which lasted from 2pm to approximately 6pm, food and goodie bags were distributed to all students. The peer kids then personally delivered the food to their peer parents who were not present at the event.  The event would not be possible without the student council who organised and managed both days efficiently. 

Here’s to more memory making events in the future! Cheers! 

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NUMed Carwash Bonanza!

by Benjamin Oh

Medical school provides no shortage of evidence that students are a versatile and adaptable lot. 

On the 15^th of November, under a sleepy afternoon sky in the car park area next to the Clinical Skills Lab, the NUMed Student Council’s Carwash Bonanza kicked off.

Armed with sponges, buckets of water, cleaning fluid, and a powerful car wash hose, the volunteers attacked the dirt and grime on the cars surrendered to their care. The persistent rain falling on the car park grounds did little to stifle their enthusiasm as they swept off layers of detritus from windshields and polished wheel rims until they sparkled brand new. 

The volunteers worked steadily from 2.00pm to 5.00pm, moving rhythmically and systematically. As new cars were registered, one or two volunteers would drive the cars into the designated ‘cleaning’ lots. Then the exterior of the cars would be soaped up, scrubbed clean, and rinsed off with the hose. Once the cars were clean, they would then be driven to the nearby parking bays for collection, freeing up space for new cars. From amidst clumps of soap and a powerful deluge of water, cars emerged sparkling and fresh, to the satisfaction of their owners and the delight of our students-turned-car wash attendants.

In total, about 20 cars were washed during this event. With the price at RM 10 per car, this represents sizable takings of about RM 200. These funds will be channeled into future activities for the student council.

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A Run For Life

by Paik Hwa

Aren’t we glad? The General Election 2013 had not taken over that fine day, 27th of April where we had determined to “Run for Life” and raise awareness about Lysosomal Storage Diseases (LSD) instead. 

Students started trickling in at Bell’s Court to register themselves at the event as early as 7am. There were well over 100 participants who came, most donning the event’s official t-shirts given out some days prior. Besides the NUMedians as the majority of the participants, invitations were extended to Southampton University’s students as well. A Golden Retriever and a Dachshund joined the run too.

The run which was scheduled to start at 8am had to be delayed as the traffic police were missing in action. But of course, this typical phenomenon hardly affects Malaysians anymore (unless you are an international student and is still in culture shock), it did not dampen anyone’s spirit. However, the key people to ensure our safety while runners are on the road were finally ready. With the President of the Student Council leading them in a series of loud cheer, the even more energised runners were set to go as the honk blazed! All these were clearly audible from the ISV. If it did not wake you up and excite you, we empathise that you may have had a long day at the hospital the day before ... (poor medical students...) 

Now that the runners have dashed out of the starting line, they cannot wait to finish the 6km route. It was estimated to take under half an hour for the competitive runners to complete the route, or under an hour for various reasons, though still achieving the day’s objective. 

Proceeds from the NUMed Run for Life were donated to the Malaysia Lysosomal Disease Association (MLDA), a non-profit organization that advocates for patients’ right and to educate people about the various life threatening LSD. MLDA was formed in April 2011 where 8 LSD families decided that there should be increased awareness of the issue where LSD patients have difficulty accessing medical care from multiple disciplines, thereby compromising their quality of life. There is no cure for the rare inherited disorders, however, bone marrow transplantation and enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) have been tried with some success in some cases.

At the end of the day, MLDA received RM1228.90 in total from the event. The amount will be used to purchase a colour laser printer (to be named NUMed), an important asset to help the association print out colourful stories about LSD patients to all that are involved in the budget approval for ERT funding.

The event ended before noon with the prize giving ceremony. Dr. Dominic Johnson, the Dean of Clinical Affairs, won first place for the male category, beating all other younger participants (time for reflection!). The winner of the female category was Aisyah Abdul Rahman, a Stage 3 student while Professor Bradley was the fastest over 60 runner of the day. Congratulations to all winners and cheers to MLDA who has benefitted from this event. NUMedians sincerely hoped to have assist in making a change in LSD patients’ life. 

To support the MLDA in their cause, like their Facebook page (search “Malaysia Lysosomal Diseases Association) or visit www.mymlda.com for more information.

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North East Malaysian Night 2013 (2)

A Slice of Malaysia in Newcastle (One Night Only).

- by Alvin Chua 

Greetings from Durham,

I’m Alvin Chua, a second year student of Ancient History and Archaeology at Durham University. Here is an article on the North East Malaysian Night, which was held at the Northumbria Students Union on the 24^th of March 2013. Basically, the event can be divided into 3 parts – the play, ‘pasar malam’, and more performances.   

The Play

Adnan Rahim gives a uniquely Malaysian twist to the age-old tale of star-crossed lovers in "Beautiful Pretence". Two figures from diametrically opposed backgrounds are brought together by fate. A harmony of contradictions, or a recipe for disaster…? 

Jet Kee, a member of the notorious “Super Sepet 808” gang, meets Nur Ain, daughter of the “minister in charge of the state police”(if one ever existed). Love blossoms between the two (obviously). 

Alas, “The course of true love never did run smooth.” Jet is eventually caught in a dilemma, and has to decide between loyalty to the gang and love. 

I missed the ending, unfortunately (duty called), but I understand that the audience is left to guess whether Jet was killed or not. In a proper tragedy, he’d be dead.

In all honesty, the play was not my cup of tea, though there were many who loved it. (A more thorough piece of writing on the play will be on the DUMAS blog.) 

The ‘Pasar Malam’

From what I can tell, the ‘pasar malam’ was a great success. Great Malaysian food (When you’re in the UK, more so in Durham than Newcastle, ANY Malaysian food is likely to be great.) Perhaps the only thing lacking, atmosphere-wise, was the open-air setting. With the UK weather, though, you’d think twice before selling or indulging in ‘nasi lemak’ or ‘teh tarik’ outdoors. The pleasure soon turns to pressure, I can assure you. 

The Other Performances

Unfortunately, the last train heading to Durham was the 2145 one, so quite a few Durhamites had to leave early. From what I’ve heard, though, the various performances were spectacular. One particular act (so I’ve been told), which involved female dancers, generated a vast amount excitement amongst the audience, so much so that, to quote a spectator (not in verbatim, but more or less) “I shout until my throat sore.”

Well, there’s my take on the North East Malaysian Night in about 400 words. I hope you enjoyed reading it.

P.S. Durham is pronounced “Dar-em” (ˈdʌrəm), and not Dar-ham. 

(Try inserting the former into the ‘Pink Panther’ tune, if that helps.)

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North East Malaysian Night 2013 (1)

By Sin Eu

For the first time ever, the universities of Newcastle, Northumbria and Durham collaborated to bring a magnificent event to the Malaysian student community in the North East. The North East Malaysian Night has been a stellar achievement by the universities students of the North-East region. Not only have we endured a great time planning and executing the amazing project, we have forged a lasting, concerted relationship among the universities and Malaysians here.

The event is a combination of introducing a contemporary-themed play and a sumptuous food fair. The main aim is to introduce the enriched value, culture and customs of Malaysia as well as providing a platform for Malaysian students in this region to reminiscent what they have been missing since leaving Malaysia to study in the UK. 

The Play

A theme of love, friendship and sacrifice, Adnan Rahim brought us a play that explores the flip side of the Malaysian society that was less chronicled in most Malaysian plays. The show of true grit, survival and dilemma-laden milieu of three underworld characters, Jet Kee, Vicky and Jallelah embarked on a journey that will forever change their life.

It was a portrayal of the stratified society which Malaysians can recognise and relate to. One can empathise with the characters in the show and applying the values and morals learned in one’s life. Not only have it showed the au courant environment that we Malaysians live in, it has given a food-for-thought element that made us reflect upon the situation that we are exposed to.

The Pasar Malam

Malaysia is deemed as ‘Truly Asia’ for a lot of reasons. One of them, the most important one actually in my opinion, is the food. A thing that is much appreciated and more so when you are studying in the UK, the ‘Pasar Malam’ provides the North-East England region students a nostalgic feel of the food that has been largely missed. Ranging from nasi lemak, rendang chicken, chendol, milo drinks (trust me, it’s not a big thing in the UK), roti canai to the more modern fascination of bubble milk tea, the audience is spoiled with variety of food available.

Art and Dance Performance

Jeffri and the Jammers brought us a truly memorable and empowering performance in R’n’B, Pop and Soul style; an awesome variety of songs that Malaysians can truly connect with.

Next up, we have the power couple of Rebecca Khoo and Machi Yu who brought us a string of Latin dances. Their display of a strong, solid yet flexible performance kept the crowd asking for more. 

The Orchid Chinese Dancing Group meanwhile brought us Chinese traditional dance that can be seen during Chinese cultural shows in Malaysia (and other parts of the world). It is a classy performance that is much appreciated which reminds us of the multi-cultural aspects of the Malaysian community.

Last but not least, we have the North-East Malaysian Dance Crew bringing us a set of modern dances that is being endorsed by the youths of today. Bringing the energy and entertainment that gave the night a strong climax, the dances are greatly pacey and enthralling. The contemporary dances kept the audience truly entertained to the end.

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Lecturers' Farewell

By: Sze Lynn

Interviews were conducted for both Dr. Ameya and Dr. Sapna as we heard about their leaving from NUMed soon. Here are their experiences in NUMed as well as some final advice they would like to share with all of us. Their advice would be kept close to our hearts. 

An Interview with Dr. Ameya

“Good Afternoon Dr. Ameya, I was just wondering if you could share your experience here in NUMed?”

“We arrived in April, when Educity was still rather deserted. There was rarely any car that was passing by. And I was thinking, ‘Am I really going to be teaching here?’ It is really amazing how time flies and how Educity has developed to what we see as of today. It has been an enjoyable experience in both Educity and NUMed. It is really a good place to teach because the students here are really of good quality. One of the best students that I have taught was in NUMed. I feel that the NUMed curriculum is in the lead. It is in line with the global curriculum, a flagship project, that is transforming the way we look at medical education in Malaysia.

There is really a lot of student-teacher interaction and I believe this is what makes NUMed different from other Universities. It has a very student centric approach, which is very different from my past experience. Asian has a very introvert-teacher centric approach that is definitely a change that I have to adapt coming into NUMed.

I have never felt out of place in NUMed, although I am an expatriate working here. The NUMed family embraces the variety in cultures of both staffs as well as students. I feel that the culture here in Malaysia is not very different from the culture of India. I feel quite at home here as the Malaysians are of a pretty culturally international standard culture. Everyone is regarded the same in spite of diversity.”

“It is true how wonderful that we all blend in as one even though we are of different cultural ethnicity. I believe it is our respect for one another that precipitates such culture. Doctor, I was wondering what would you miss most in Malaysia?”

“Well, the food definitely. Also I would miss the infrastructure of the Malaysian Universities. It has been interesting.”

“I see… Do you have any advice that you would like to give the students?”

“Well, keep the hard work going on. You will need patience, continuous hard work and focus by your side throughout your life as a medical student and a doctor. It would be a long journey. So you should always be goal-orientated and disciplined. Just stick to these and you’ll do fine. The road ahead will be tougher as you go along, but don’t forget to enjoy life at the same time. I never studied on Friday evenings, just went on outings with friends. This is the time for you to enjoy. There should always be a good balance of fun and work.” 

“Thank you for the advice doctor. You will be missed. And thank you so much for your time doctor. Take care.”

An interview with Dr. Sapna

“Good Afternoon Dr. Sapna, I was just wondering if you could share some experiences in NUMed with the student?”

“Yes, sure. Well, it has been an enriching experience. I could still remember the first time I came. The NUMed building was empty and students were not arriving until months down the line. Memories would stay with me as I did witnessed the starting of NUMed from scratch alongside with Professor Bradley.

I found it challenging to deliver the UK teachings to the students and on top of that integrate it with the Malaysia content. There was a lot of support given to me from the UK. When in doubt I Skyped my colleagues and they are very helpful in clearing my doubts on matters of the curriculum. I feel that there was very good teamwork in delivering the curriculum.

There are many differences when comparing NUMed with other universities. There are differences in not just the number of students but also the difference in the types of assessment. This is my first time delivering such a curriculum. The NUMed students are in a good course. They are a really good lot. The students have been responsive and interactive.”

“Doctor, what would you miss most from NUMed?”

“I would definitely miss all of the students here and also the Malaysian culture in terms of hospitality.”

“We would miss both of you too doctor! Is there any advice you would like to give our students?”

“Hmm… This is an outcome-based course. Hence, it is important that you have a strong foundation. It all comes down to the basics. You must do it as well as possible for your learning experience in the upcoming years to be more enjoyable. The course is more that just lecture notes. You have to do your own further reading. Refer to the reference books when in doubt. There is no harm in knowing more than you do. It is important to do this early in the course itself. Knowledge is crucial and it is not only about smart work but the effort you put in as well.”

 “Thank you so much doctor for these advice. We will keep them close to our hearts. Thank you for you time! Take care. I hope to see you again in the future.” 

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World Health Day: Hypertension

by Paik Hwa

7th of April was the World Health Day, and in conjunction of that, a Health Tour Carnival was held at Padang Complex, Hospital Permai. This year’s theme was “Hypertension”. 9 NUMedian volunteers thus set out to the site with a mission: health screening for the population at the carnival. 

The event started early morning with aerobic exercises to the beat of catchy Malay and Bollywood songs. There were 20 booths set up with various activities including a Quit Smoking counseling booth, treasure hunt games, oral health promotion and so on. The NUMedians were in luck as the Health Screening booth was just next to JOHO, who put up some great band performances. 

Being dedicated to a worthy cause, the volunteers had brought their stethoscopes with them. But there was no use for the ultimate equipment (of medical students or health care professionals). They soon found that going through a long list of health screening questionnaires with the public was more challenging than they thought. 

One of the volunteers said, “I am actually thankful for the opportunity to practice communication skills. Some things were awkward and difficult to explain.”

The volunteers worked together with the nurses from Health Clinics to measure BMI, and to take blood pressure and glucose readings.

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Bahasa Malaysia Intermediate Class

By: Andrea Lim

In the seminar rooms at the Sir George Smart Building, a group of 20 students partake in a student-led class to learn Bahasa Malaysia. An hour-long session, the class aims to help students increase their fluency with Bahasa and to provide advice on clinical scenarios that are likely to be encountered by NUMed students.

Starting in late January, the class provides an official session to help facilitate students to converse in Bahasa and to guide them on approaching clinical scenarios done in the national language. Unlike the beginner

Bahasa Malaysia class, the Intermediate class does not have a formal tutor to teach Bahasa. Instead, teachers are mostly made up of Stage 4 students who already have 2-3 years experience in the hospital, making them ideal to teach and provide assistance on any common clinical scenarios. The class currently has 15 volunteer tutors and around 12 tutees, of which the number increases with every session. Most of the tutees are made up of Stage 2 students, who will be starting their clinical years soon.

Although there are more teachers than students, not everyone will be involved in teaching every week. Tutors are divided into small groups consisting of 4-5 tutors and are assigned to a certain week. “Each week has a different theme or a topic, and one lead tutor will be chosen to be in charge of the session,” says Nafisah, a Stage 4 tutor. “We did it this way to allow us to interact with the tutees so that we can deliver effective teaching.” So far, the class has completed 3 sessions, which focused on basic topics such as family relationships and daily activities. “We will be conducting Clinical classes after the Easter break, which will focus more on actual clinical scenarios such as physical examinations and history-taking,” Nafisah says.

Despite the rocky first-start, attending students have found the sessions useful. “It has allowed me to gain better fluency and exposure to the language,” says Sabyasachi, a Stage 2 medical student. Being an international student from India, he also attends the beginner Bahasa classes, but says that the benefits provided are different from the Intermediate Bahasa class. “In the beginner Bahasa classes, we mostly learn new words, but not how to string them into sentences,” he says. “In the Intermediate class however, we learn how to put the words into sentences and it allows us to practice conversing rather than just learning words.”

Sabyasachi also comments that the small student-to-teacher ratio has made it easier to learn new words and meanings, as well as allowing better interaction between tutor and tutee. Malaysian students who attend the classes also find the sessions useful, as they not only help increase fluency in Bahasa, but also to receive advice and tips on how to approach common clinical scenarios in the national language.

“We feel that a class like this is essential for students who believe that they need help in Bahasa,” says Afandi, another Stage 4 teacher. With the way the course is structured, NUMed students have plenty of contact with patients, as evident from the Family/Patient studies in the first two years and in the clinical years.

As students have found out, most patients do not have a good command of English and can only converse in Bahasa. “Although this is an English university, we have to admit that not every patient is able to speak English. Thus, having a good command of Bahasa will surely help students to get through the MBBS programme,” Afandi continues.

The class is held every Thursday, at 5:30PM in Seminar Room 2.11.

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