Celebrating Medical Excellence

Since its establishment on 16 November 2009, the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) has aspired to be the preferred centre of education and research for medical and health sciences. FMHS is devoted to producing competent, professional, compassionate and ethical graduates who are committed to clinical practice, research, lifelong learning and improvement, as well as the welfare of the community and the environment. Today, it has become a highly recognised faculty for nurturing well-trained doctors, nurses and physiotherapists.

The community of faculty professors, researchers, staff, students and alumni is dedicated to excellence, quality and engagement, helping to build FMHS as a premier learning and teaching institution that continues to set standards of excellence in the academic and medical fraternity. As a result, UTAR’s medical graduates are extremely well-received by hospitals, and more than 250 of them have obtained clinical training and employment thus far.

In view of the 11th anniversary of FMHS this year, faculty has gathered its Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) alumni to share their experiences of working in the medical field. They shared their professional experience, challenges encountered along the way, personal views regarding healthcare workers and much more.

Dr Sara Ruth Zachariah is one of the graduates of FMHS. She had been working in the medical field for five years. When asked what inspired her to pursue this field, she said, “I chose to become a doctor because of my family. I was inspired by stories I heard about my grandfather, who worked as a medical assistant at a remote clinic in an oil palm estate. I was further inspired at the age of 12 when I helped my parents to look after my grandmother when she fell ill.” 

“One of the challenges is working on-call shifts for 30 hours. I try to be mindful of my health and wellbeing by taking breaks in between for my meals and power naps! Another challenge is breaking bad news. It doesn't get easier! It has taught me how to assess and respond to emotional reactions, whether from the patient or their loved ones. One of my proudest achievements would be completing my housemanship in East Malaysia and having the opportunity to be part of the pioneering team in treating Covid-19 patients as a medical officer. It was an eye-opening experience witnessing firsthand the emotions and anxiety faced by these patients, who were isolated and far away from loved ones. Also, a reminder to be grateful for mine,” she added. 

She explained that the reason she chose to pursue her medical studies at UTAR was because “It is a well-known and reputable university, which provided medical education at an affordable fee. I also liked the idea of being part of the first batch of medical students produced by UTAR.” 

“There are going to be tough times where you doubt yourself and the choices made, but do take a minute and reflect on why you are in this profession in the first place, which is to treat people who are in need and unwell,” Dr Sara advised before adding, “Every doctor should have humility, whereby they must be able to accept and acknowledge the mistakes made and be willing to work at it.” Dr Sara currently works as a frontline staff in Taiping, Perak. 

UTAR alumnus Dr Eugene Tan was among the third batch of students in the FMHS. He has been serving as a doctor for almost three years now. He chose this profession as he finds it challenging, yet humbling and fulfilling at the same time. According to him, new information is constantly made available and new protocols are constantly introduced, hence making changes inevitable in the medical field. “One of the most challenging aspects of the medical field is that it is always changing; what may be relevant in the recent past may not be so today. So I believe adaptability is a quality important to all doctors in this respect,” he said.

He added, “My advice to those who wish to pursue this field is not to be afraid to talk to your peers or seniors whenever you encounter hardships as it can get quite tough and stressful in this field. We will all go through similar situations at one point or another in our journey, hence sharing with one another could offer insights or solutions to your problems.” 

When asked why he chose UTAR, he said, “UTAR was already an established university, to begin with, and had a stellar reputation back when I joined, and also the medical faculty has some of the most well-respected professors in Malaysia.”

“It is still an ongoing battle against the Covid-19 pandemic and we are still far from winning it, nevertheless I still feel honoured to be able to play a role in curbing the spread of the pandemic,” he concluded. Dr Eugene Tan is currently serving in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

“I've been working as a doctor for the past five years. I chose this profession because I wanted to help others. Indeed, being a doctor is not the only way to effectively help people in need, or the most efficient. However, for me, being a doctor means being equipped with knowledge that helps to do more good than harm,” said another UTAR alumnus, Dr Tan Loong Hui. 

Speaking of the challenges in the medical field, he revealed, “The challenge was the initial shock of being in contact with real people with real lives, which brought about real responsibilities. Often, an acute sense of inadequacy and helplessness, when faced with issues beyond my knowledge or control, would be the biggest challenge of all.” According to him, these challenges do not fade; one simply has to grow to accept them with humility and resourcefulness, and also by seeking help. 

He said, “Working in a fast-paced, ‘make no mistakes’ environment has made many of us, me included, blind to our achievements and numb to our accomplishments. Pride is a dirty word in Medicine, and rightly so, but this is sometimes skewed towards low self-esteem, and it discounts all our efforts. Nonetheless, I remember the smiles patients give us when we are able to relieve them of their ailments and when they're treated with kindness, or when a depressed patient tells me they are able to work and have a fruitful life after treatment; that gives me a reason to keep striving for my patients and myself.” 

He added, “Of course, when I was able to provide relief to the Covid-19 efforts, I felt like a young, hopeful medical student, out to ‘save the world’ again. Regardless of how much or little my efforts really helped in managing the pandemic, I believe my contribution was worthwhile.”

“There are many qualities that a doctor will hone over their years of practice to survive and thrive. Although it is impossible to list all of them down, these are some of them. Resilience, both physically and mentally, is a good safeguard for our health and sanity, and to do that, one must not go at it alone. Having a strong social support group, personally and professionally, has helped me tremendously. Being a doctor also requires one to be able to be comfortable with not knowing all the answers, to be able to set boundaries, and to be able to communicate clearly and effectively,” he answered when asked about the qualities a doctor should possess. 

Dr Tan is from the pioneer batch of FMHS. According to him, the affordable price offered by the university was the main reason why he chose UTAR in the first place. “We are conditioned as a society to believe only highly expensive things mean quality, however that is not always true. UTAR, as a not-for-profit organisation, has allowed lecturers and students to focus on the true purpose of education, with less emphasis on commercial values, fame or whatever drives the market. UTAR provided us with as much privilege as others to pursue the same dream and cultivate our potentials. And UTAR protects the rights of all to pursue an education that one chooses,” he said. Dr Tan is currently serving in Selangor.

When asked why he chose this profession, Dr Cheah Yu Wei, from the pioneer batch of FMHS, recalled an interesting event that took place during his pre-admission interview to UTAR FMHS. “Interestingly, that was one of the questions Prof Dr Alan Ong Han Kiat asked me during the pre-admission interview to UTAR. Well, it had been my ambition since primary school. My final aim is to become a nephrologist, running my own clinic or dialysis centre in the private healthcare sector,” said Dr Cheah.

“Frankly speaking, I have asked myself this question a lot of times during the last five years. This was not an easy road to take and continue on; I did not expect so many sleepless nights or separation from my family and loved one to serve the public,” he added. Nevertheless, he is grateful that being transferred to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, forced him out of his comfort zone and gave him a chance to explore the exquisite culture of Sabah, a place which truly represents Malaysia. 

According to Dr Cheah, doctors have to be versatile in many ways, be it soft skills or core clinical knowledge. As a doctor, one has to work with different people, different patients and different specialities. “I believe, in general, doctors must be able to work under pressure, doctors must be highly proficient in clinical skills and soft skills and, most importantly, doctors must possess the will to continue studying to stay current in the ever-evolving field of medicine. On the other hand, doctors must recognise their limit of knowledge and skill and the time, and be willing to get help from peers or seniors. A good doctor should be a good tutor to the junior medical practitioner and should always be ready to help other colleagues who are in need of help,” he said.

Dr Cheah added, “In terms of working, during housemanship, I believe I was a good house officer, so most of my formal medical officers liked to have me with them when on call. As a medical officer, I would try my best to ensure my patients receive the most complete care and management plan prior to discharge as well as overcoming social issues and hurdles in getting the best healthcare from the Ministry of Health (MOH). During this pandemic, I have pledged to work with the Covid-19 team since late March 2020.”

He shared the reason he chose UTAR: “Other than the reasonable tuition fees compared to all the other private medical schools, the lecturers were the most important reason why I chose UTAR. Our respectable lecturers were among the earliest batch of locally trained doctors who understood the nature of doctors the country needs. Hence, the lecturers trained us to cater to the needs of the healthcare system in Malaysia. The clinical years prepared us well to handle housemanship and even professional exams for various speciality exams (MRCP, MRCOG, MRCPCH, etc).”

UTAR alumna Dr Ang Jie Ying started her life as a medical student in May 2010. She took five years to complete the MBBS course and two years to complete her houseman training at Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru. She was among the first batch of MBBS students in UTAR. Currently, she is serving in Tawau, Sabah, as a medical officer in the Medical Department.

“I have always had a strong interest in being a healthcare worker from the time I was 12 years old. The interest was enhanced greatly when I witnessed the ‘magic’ performed by the paediatrician who cured my younger sister of her illness,” Dr Ang shared. She said that she visited a lot of education fairs with her parents when she was growing up and later discovered her interest in the medical field. “I felt like I wanted to dedicate my life to it. It was what I wanted. The medical field is fascinating as you can never know everything; there is always new information, new technologies and new cures. And I wanted to be like the doctor who attended my sister. I wanted to cure people as they could be someone’s parent or sibling,” she added.

“Only a healthcare worker knows and understands how precious and merry it is when you manage to improve a disorder or save a life. Sometimes you are appreciated and sometimes you are not, but in the end, knowing that you have actually played a crucial role in restoring their health or relieving their pain, be it the patients’ or their families’, is rewarding. You also need to know when to call for help. Healthcare workers are human too. We all have feelings and emotions like all the other humans; in order to maintain your pace, you must know when to have a break and when to ask for assistance. Also, remember this: you need your family and your peers,” Dr Ang shared.

She also said, “Building interaction and rapport with patients and their families could help alleviate their pain and suffering as well as easing their anxiety and concern. Being in the medical line can sometimes be physically and mentally exhausting. However, your soul will feel fulfilled; at some point in life, you will recall why you have chosen this line of work. The day your patients recover, you will definitely feel your role in it, strongly and deeply. These moments are the reasons why I’m holding up till now.”

According to Dr Ang, there are various areas to consider in the medical field. “You can work in a research laboratory, invent new drugs and prompt new medical discoveries; you can contribute in managing the healthcare industry or even participate in the medico-legal area for healthcare workers’ and patients’ rights,” said Dr Ang.

Advising the younger generation, she said, “I do encourage others like my younger sister, who is currently completing her final year MBBS studies at UTAR, to take up the challenge and responsibility as a Malaysian citizen to serve the people and the country. Understand yourself, discover what you truly love and truly admire; then you will remain strong and compassionate towards humanity in this eventful medical life.”

Dr Ang said that she reviewed the background of UTAR, its MBBS programme as well as the lecturers before choosing the university. “UTAR provided excellent quality in learning and teaching. The lecturers’ profiles showed that they were qualified professionals who can nurture students in different fields. Although my batch was the first to attend the MBBS course, UTAR’s ex-president, Ir Academician Emeritus Prof Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik, was highly capable and he brought UTAR to its high peak. This attracted me to select UTAR for my MBBS studies. Besides that, UTAR also gives consideration to parents by providing affordable fees for their children. If I were given a chance to go back to the year 2015, my choice would still be the same,” she enthused.