1st student volunteer training The purpose of this training session was to train the student volunteers on the objectives and processes of EMPOWERED’s door knock activity. Then, the student volunteers were divided into small groups for a role-playing exercise. Role-play is vital as the practice helps students familiarize themselves with the door knocking process, gain confidence and become fluent with the script in Bahasa Malaysia. After one and a half hours of taking turns to practice during the role-playing exercise, the session ended with a demonstration by student volunteers who speak Bahasa Malaysia as native language. -Adrian- Photo credits to Empowered Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/EmpoweredMY/?fref=ts
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First Day: Meeting the Taiwanese Hosts
On 15th of May 2015, the ten chosen delegates from IMU gathered at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) at approximately 8:00 am. The delegates chosen consisted of local students and international students currently studying Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. After gathering and confirming the correct flight details and luggage, the delegates were brought to McDonald's restaurant for a quick breakfast before checking in. After a four hour flight across the South China Sea, the delegates arrived in the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. While some delegates previously travelled to Taiwan for vacation, other delegates were visiting Taiwan for the first time. After purchasing duty free products in the airport, we were greeted by the host students from NYMU. Despite continuous communication through Facebook, both delegates and hosts were nervous meeting each other for the first time. However, that would soon change in the coming days. From the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the host students brought us directly to the entrance of NYMU. The delegates were awestruck at the design of the campus; building from ground level that sprawl towards the top of the mountain. Much larger than IMU, students of NYMU, specifically medical students, have a dedicated bus route within the university to travel between facilities. After transporting our luggage to the Faculty of Medicine, we sat down to enjoy local Tau Fu Fa and converse with the local students. Despite an early waking and long journey, the day had just began for the delegates as the host students from NYMU and FJU prepared a Welcoming Ceremony. The aim of this night was to encourage communication among the Taiwanese hosts and Malaysian delegates through a series of performances and interactive games. The performances by local students were amazing and highlighted hidden talents of medical students. The games and activities had the students laughing and rejoicing well into the late hours of the first night. Despite all the fun and laughter, the night had come to a close so the local students could organise the transport and accommodation of the delegates. After transport to the hosts’ accommodation, the delegates settled themselves into their temporary homes and called it a night, knowing that student exchange was only just beginning. Second Day: Exploring the Mountainous and Rural Regions of Taiwan The 16th of May represented the first cultural experience day with hosts from FJU. Following much needed sleep after the previous days’ activities, the delegates awoke early to prepare for their journey to Taipei Metro Shilin Station. Despite most delegates living apart from each other, they gathered at the station at 8:00 am through various modes of transport (i.e. train, car and motocycle). After a quick breakfast, both parties boarded the train for their first stop at Fulong. Separated from the mainland of Taiwan, land primarily composed of sand was the perfect location for the International Sand Sculpture Exhibition held from 2nd of May to the 12th of August. Tourists and local families crowded the vast sand sculptures that stretched the entire length of the sand; equipped with selfie sticks and cameras to capture themselves with these beautiful pieces of art. The sculptures ranged from historical images of Chinese dynasties to a large iPhone playing Candy Crush Saga. With cameras, sunscreen and slippers on, the delegates went to explore the various sculptures. Inland from Fulong, Yuanwangkeng of Yilan County was the next pitstop. While the town was small, crowds of families, tourists and local filled the small streets for one purpose: Caoling Historic Trail. This mountainous area was famous for the scenery of rolling hills that extends beyond the horizon. Single-seat and dual-seat bicycles were rented out for the hosts and delegates to journey across the mountainous region. After an exhilarating ride through the hilly road and windy tunnel within the mountain for one and a half hour, the arrival at the beautiful coast of Dali was worth the effort. Delegate and hosts rested their worn out legs and enjoyed the scenery of the coastal line with some refreshing drinks. Then it was back to cycling; this time a shorter journey due to the high speed from travelling downslope. The day was not over, as the hosts of FJU brought the delegates to a famous location for shopping. Jiufen was first established during the Qing Dynasty as an isolated village, but now exists as a central point for tourists to buy Taiwanese foods and souvenirs. After letting the delegates loose, mainly found themselves wandering the narrow streets, occasionally bumping into the hosts and other delegates. However, shopping was not the only attraction of this area. After climbing staircases to the top of the shopping district, a breathtaking view of the mountains and ocean could be seen. The last stop for the day was Shifen Old Street. Located at the end of the Pingxi Branch Line, this famous tourist destination is located close to the Shifen Railway Station and is home to souvenir shops and restaurants. The two main attractions are the Jingan Suspension bridge, which connects Shifen and Nanshan villages together. While we all viewed the bridge from a distance, most delegates were not game to travel across the narrow bridge. The location was also famous for the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival which is held every year. Despite missing out, the delegates took their time to write prayers of good luck, health and fortune to their families and friends before sending them into the starry night sky. Day Three This day represented another adventurous across the various areas of Taipei. Gathering at Taipei Metro Shilin Station, the delegates and hosts made their way to the first destination: Little White House. The sun blazing down gave a beautiful view of the bayside near Tamsui with Guanyin Mountain towering in the distance. The Guanyin Mountain is famous in Taiwan, not only as an extinct volcano but as a famous landmark in the past, as indicated by historical paintings. A short windy and hilly walk brought both parties to the Little White House. This building is famous for the architecture, which is highlights the period at which this building was development. During the Qing Government, British customs were hired to oversee the Chinese tax customisation. After gaining independence from Britain, the Little White House became desolate, but also a historical reference. After exploring the rooms, art pieces and peaceful scenery, it was off to the next destination. Located nearby was Tamkang Senior High School. Formed partially through the marital union of Doctor George Leslie Mackay and a local Taiwanese women, the school has produced a large number of successful alumni. Jay Chou, one of the most famous Taiwanese singers, graduated in 1997. Strolling through the school, it was amazing to note how large the high school was in comparison to other schools in Malaysia. From there, the delegates and hosts made a stop at a local cafe to sit and enjoy some waffles and drinks. After a well deserved break from the blistering heat, their next destination was World Chocolate Wonderland located close to Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf. It was an indoor museum dedicated to everything chocolate and non-chocolate related. Split into various open areas of different themes, amazing sculptures of chocolates were showcased. From cars to dresses, there was nothing that these sculptors couldn’t produce. As part of admission, the delegates and hosts were given a free tutorial in making their own personalised chocolate lollipops, which they brought back to Malaysia to give friends and family. Many photos later, everyone made their way to the scenic destination of Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf. This location was home to long boardwalks and various restaurants overlooking the ocean. With crowds and local music playing, a festival vibe was ringing in the air as the delegates and hosts made their way to the most famous attraction: Lover Bridge of Tamsui. Many superstitions have been noted about this bridge, especially for couples going through difficult periods. However, it didn’t stop both parties from enjoying the view. It was time for today’s journey to end but to rest everyone's fatigued muscles, a boat ride was taken to reach Tamsui Metro Station. It was a peaceful journey back, allowing the delegates to rest for another full day of activities and adventures tomorrow. Day Four This was the third and final day that the delegates spent with the hosts from FJU. Although there was a hint of sadness in the air, the activities and journeys kept both parties busy. Compared to the previous days, the delegates met the hosts at Fu Jen University Station located directly in front of the university proper. Before entering the enormous campus, a quick stop was made at a local Chinese cafe for breakfast. FJU was constructed founded in 1925 and re-established 1961. As the name states, the university upholds the principles of catholicism in both teachings and classes. Compared to IMU, this university consists of multiple departments/colleges ranging from Arts and Law to Management and Communication. The College of Medicine was recently established (in 1990), but has received support from students. Making their way through campus with photos and all, the delegates reached the building housing the medical facilities. A brief introduction was given by a doctor, who explained the history of FJU and the various courses held there. After a quick meal, the delegates were given the opportunity to sit in with senior medical students in their class. An hour-long lecture gave the delegates an insight into the medical classes held in FJU. Unlike Malaysia, a classroom-based approach is implemented to facilitate active learning by the students. While the lecture was in Mandarin, the delegates were allocated to students who kindly offered to translate. Though the content of the lecture was difficult (i.e. blood-borne parasites), the lecturer used songs and unique techniques to help students remember the information. Following the medical class, the delegates were given a tour of the anatomy lab by senior medical students. A unique point of the anatomy lab is that the students are split into groups, where they will focus on the anatomy of one cadaver for an entire semester. The cadavers are referred to as ‘teachers’ as these people devoted their body for science. To pay respects, the students are asked to visit the family to give thanks and learn the history of their ‘teachers’. In addition to cadavers,the anatomy lab consists of real and plastic models for the students to use for revision outside of class. The next stop was Lo Sheng Sanatorium and Hospital located in the Xinzhuang district. This hospital and sanatorium represents the historical management of people diagnosed with leprosy. To prevent the spread of leprosy, the previously in-charge Japanese government forced leprosy patients to live in an isolated hospital and village separated from society. While leprosy is more understood and can be medically treated, many diagnosed people remain confined to the sanatorium due to fear of discrimination. The village in it’s current state is preserves the previous age where many lepers were forced to live out of small buildings. The delegates and hosts were given the opportunity to tour the sanatorium and learn of the current debate regarding the construction of a depot by Taipei Rapid Transit System where the sanatorium is located. From there, both parties made their way to Mengjia Longshan Temple in Wanhua district. This temple serves as a popular site for tourists and worshippers of Buddhism and other Chinese folk religion. As exams and assignments were drawing nearer for the delegates, many prayed for success and good results. The temple showed beautifully sculptures along the pillars and walls. The final stop for the day was Ximending district; a fusion of branded stores and street markets winding within Taipei City. This was the second chance for delegates to shop and experience the street food offered. The delegates split up trying their best to keep their wallets in their bags and pockets but to no surprise, their effort was futile. Though today was the final day with FJU, the delegates and hosts would see them before leaving Taiwan. Day Five Today was the first full day with the hosts from NYMU. The delegates were looking forward to spending time with the NYMU students as the previous days had been allocated to the hosts from FJU. Though everyone’s feet were aching from the long distances of walking and exercising, everyone swallowed their pain and moved on to another exciting day in Taiwan. Everyone at this point was used to their method of transport to NYMU and therefore, gathered at the medical faculty for a quick breakfast and a lecture. English is the universal language around the world with nearly all countries implementing the language as a compulsory subject in schools. The modern era of medicine ushers and promotes medical students learning different languages to help better manage patients of different backgrounds. For NYMU medical students, learning english is part of their course curriculum. Hence, the delegates and hosts participated in an english literature lecture that focused specifically on emotions and meanings behind names. This lecture helped us understand each delegate and host better by sharing thoughts on their own names. Next on the academic schedule was a visit to the Institute of Biophotonics located in NYMU. Doctor Arthur Chiou, the Director of the Biophotonics Interdisciplinary Research Centre, briefed the delegates on this specific branch of science and the relation to medicine. Biophotonics focuses on the use of light particles (photons) to detect, modify and image biological material. By using the techniques of Biophotonics, it is possible to identify abnormal and normal cells and tissues in the human body. Additionally, these particles could be used to treat cancers and other various diseases. While this scientific knowledge was beyond the field of medicine, the delegates were amazed at the technology and its integration into medicine. A tour and explanation of the current experiments were given by PhD students. From NYMU, both hosts and students made their journey to the National Palace Museum located in Shilin district. As one of the key national museums of China, the security in and around the location was extremely strict. The walkway up to the museum was beautiful; sprawling mountains with a building composed of ancient Chinese architecture standing in the horizon. With its popularity, many tourists around the world were making their way to the entrance taking photos and videos along the way. With strict security, no visitors are allowed to bring bags or take photos of any art pieces. With earphones on and a dedicated tour, the delegates made their way around the museum, housing various remnants of history from each dynasty. It was amazing to see the contrast between each dynasty and the story telling through art pieces. After a lengthy stay in the National Palace Museum, both parties eventually made their way to one of the most famous tourist locations: Shilin Night Market. Known for the street food and sprawling boutiques, the delegates and hosts made their way into the heart of the market, not forgetting to shop and buy food along the way. Some of the food the delegates tried included the famous XXL chicken and the J-cone ice cream. With sparkles in their eyes, the delegates shopped at the night market for the rest of the night before leaving to their accommodation with heavy arms. Day Six As per normal, the delegates arrived at the medical faculty in NYMU to meet the respective hosts for another day filled with activities. Similar to the previous day, academic activities were held in the morning and cultural activities were held after lunch. While the delegates from IMU are currently studying western conventional medicine, the hosts from NYMU explained that medical students are expected to understand Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as part of their curriculum. This is only natural, with majority of the population in Taiwan being chinese. Hence, the students were treated to an academic class held by senior medical students in TCM. The delegates enjoyed learning a different side of medicine that is not covered in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in IMU. The academic class covered identifying popular herbs used to treat conditions and pressure points associated with certain medical conditions. Everyone’s knowledge was tested when a surprise practical quiz expected the delegates and hosts to identify the pressure points associated with each condition. The hosts and delegates made their journey to Taipei Veteran General Hospital, located very close NYMU. As one of the biggest and busiest hospitals in Taipei, crowds of patients and visits filled up the walkways and atrium. Our first destination within the hospital was the atrium where a choir consisting of NYMU students were performing. Drawing a large crowd of patients and visitors, their harmony and soulful sound carried to all those in the vicinity. It was surprising for the delegates, as they were able to identify the some of the hosts who were active members of the choir club. After the performance and a quick lunch, the students were greeted by an associate of the hospital who briefed the delegates on the hospital history. Both parties made their way to two geriatric wards, where a doctor described the intricacies of designing a geriatric ward to benefit elderly patients. It was an interesting experience, learning about the subtle details of paintings and hidden medical machinery, aimed to improve the patients’ quality of life. The delegates participated in two exercises designed to help them understand the common morbidities affecting elderly people, such as poor visual acuity and fractured legs. Lastly, the students were shown the clinical skills division of the hospital. This division was left for students and doctors to improve their skills in emergency procedures such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The academic activities were complete for the day and the next destination was the famous shopping centre, Taipei 101. Sitting in the bustling city, the delegates and hosts made their way to the shopping centre using the Taipei Metro. While the weather had been kind for most days, today was the rainiest day of student exchange. Finally reaching Taipei 101, everyone decided to have dinner at Din Tai Fung before heading out to shop at the famous mall. As one of the high class shopping centres, stores such as Louis Vuitton, Versace and Prada lined the many floors. After exploring Taipei 101 for an hour or more, the delegates and hosts made their way back home, all while being drenched in the pouring rain now filling the city of Taipei. Day Seven: Skating, Partying and Shopping Despite being the seventh and second last day in Taiwan, the delegates and hosts were enthusiastic for today because without no academic activities planned for the day, today was a full day devoted to leisure and travelling around Taipei. First arriving in the NYMU campus, the delegates were treated to a special movie focusing on the scenery and history of Taiwan. With beautiful accompanying music and scenery, the delegates enjoyed a peaceful morning after their journey through the relentless rain last night. While the hosts had planned to take the delegates to a museum, they suggested the alternative of ice skating in Taipei Arena Ice Land; an offer that the delegates could not refuse. For many delegates, this was their first time ice skating, however, they were assisted by delegates and hosts who had experience before. The ice rink was more spacious and less crowded than the rink located in Sunway Pyramid. With enjoyable music, good friends and many laughs, an hour flew by faster than expected. After gathering ourselves outside the large arena, the group explored the nearby shopping plaza and streets before searching for a specific shop called SunnyHills. After walking around nearby streets, we reached a small, but crowded cafe selling a single product: pineapple tarts. These scrumptious treats are famous in Taiwan, with this store being one of the popular places to order them. Before purchasing, the store allowed each person to enjoy a pineapple tart with green tea. It was not long before the delegates were lining up to buy boxes to bring for friends and family back in Malaysia. As it reached sundown, it was time to settle down for dinner. Despite enjoying the fine food of Taiwan, it was time to find a place to fill our grumbling stomachs with nothing better than an open buffet at Pizza Hut. The discussions and laughter at the table went long into the night, as this was the last meal with the kind hosts of NYMU. However, the night was not through yet. With stomach now full and brimming with energy, some delegates wanted to do last minute shopping for family, friends and themselves, while other wanted karaoke until the early morning. After a quick journey to Shilin night market, the delegates and hosts gathered at a local karaoke junction to sing to their hearts’ content into the early hours of the morning. Final Day: Gone but not Forgotten The journey was finished quicker than it had began. After seven days of traveling through the wonderful city of Taipei and interesting medical classes, it was departure day for the Malaysian delegates. Suitcases previously sparse were now filled to the brim with clothes, snacks and souvenirs bought at the many visits to malls and night markets. Despite being the final day in Taiwan, the hosts of NYMU were kind enough to entertain with one last activity: making mochi. These delectable sweets originated in Japan and are described as glutinous rice balls with stuffing and coatings. As this was the last activity, the hosts and delegates enjoyed bonding and laughing while following instructions to make mochi (even though some mistakes were made). Before leaving to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport for the 4:00 pm flight, hosts from NYMU and FJU gathered to say farewells. While the delegates had only stayed for 8 days, the bonds formed with the hosts were enough to make this farewell emotional. After multiple photoshoots and exchanging of souvenirs, one final bus ride was made to the airport. From there, checking in luggage took only a few minutes before it was time to enter the gate for the four hour journey back to Malaysia. Exhausted from the journey, most delegates slept on the way back, knowing that soon they would be back to reality of studying for their upcoming exams. Not only did we bring back filled suitcases, but also filled hearts full of memories from this enjoyable trip. On the 7th of October 2015, students from IMU visited University of Malaya to learn about their medical programme and to foster friendship between the two universities.
‘Time goes flying by when you’re having fun’. It’s a cliche idiom, but never truer words have been spoken. It had only been 7 days and 6 nights in Malaysia for the guests, but the adventures and memories made with the hosts and guests would last a lifetime. Though both parties had shy beginnings, it took less than a week for strong bonds to form among guests from different cultures.
The AMSEP helped both guests and hosts communicate with medical students from different walks of life. Communication is a pivotal point in creating health professionals that are holistic in medical care. Additionally, the students were able to understand the culture and living conditions of Malaysian society, which relates to the different backgrounds of patients that doctors encounter during their career. The field of medicine requires knowledge, skills and communication. However, many students and doctors neglect an important side of medicine: friendship. The stress that medical students and doctors put themselves through is immense and incomparable against other courses. Having friends and family to speak and share experiences helps alleviate these personal problems and maintain mental wellbeing. During their stay in Malaysia, the guests had a good mix of academic, social and cultural activities. On the academic side, we have decided to streamline all the academic activities to diseases of the cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of death in Malaysia and in Taiwan, but yet in Japan the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular diseases are lower. Hence, we hope that through this exchange, we will be able to provide a platform for our guests and us, as host to exchange knowledge about cardiovascular diseases. Through a range of academic activities, including pathology lectures, Problem Based Learning and Medical Museum Sessions, our guests were given an overview of cardiovascular diseases and got their taste of how our students from IMU learn on a daily basis. To allow them to apply their knowledge, a Clinical Skills session was also specially arranged into the Clinical Skills Stimulation Centre where guests were given the opportunity to use the K-Sims to listen for heart sounds in pathological conditions. To many of them, this was very exciting as they have yet to have clinical skills exposure in their universities. A visit to Hospital Seremban also gave them an insight into the Malaysian healthcare system and hospitals. We also brought them to visit the Institute of Medical Research, Malaysia where our guests were exposed to the field of research in Malaysia and the advances that IMR has made thus far. It was a very insightful trip as the director and his staff patiently explained the various machines , procedures and experiments that they were engaged in. As for the cultural and social activities, our guests thoroughly enjoyed it all. They especially liked the variety of food that we brought them to try out. Be it the Penang cuisine such as Char Kuey Teow and Assam Laksa, or authentic Malay cuisine such as Nasi Lemak, or Mamak such as Roti Tisu, Roti Pisang, Rojak etc and even the Malaysian special, Bak Kut Teh; they tried them all. After one whole week of non-stop eating, a few of them developed tolerance to spicy food and can eat even spicier food now. We couldn’t be any prouder of their willingness to try out the local cuisine: our guest were very adventurous and even tried their first durian! They loved it (of course). The highlights of the places that we brought them to include the historical tour to Malacca where they learnt about the foreign powers that occupied Malacca back in the days. Our guests were also given a tour in the Baba and Nyonya Museum, where there were exposed to the traditions and cultures of the Baba and Nyonya society. We also visited Jonker Street, and our guests had a great time treating themselves with local delights such as Durian Puffs, Klebang coconut milkshake, Chicken Rice Balls, Cendol, the Nyonya Cuisine et cetera. Our guests were also very delighted to try a very famous shop that sells delicious crepe cakes in Malacca. The guests and hosts explored the city central of Malacca including the ancient buildings associated with the various battles, including St John’s Fort. It was important for our guests to appreciate that Malaysia is an amalgamation of various races and cultures united under the umbrella of 1Malaysia. Religion plays a pivotal part in the melting potpourri of Malaysia hence we brought our guests to the various places of worship. Our guests were given an extensive insight into the Catholicism by the local parishioners of the Church of Visitation. Learning about the principles, teachings and the various figures through catholic history helped the guests understand one of the largest religions in the world. We also brought our guests to visit the biggest mosque in Malaysia, which is also the second biggest mosque in Southeast Asia, called the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque. Iconic for its electric blue onion-shaped dome, this mosque is also called the “Blue Mosque”. Doning the traditional clothing of Islamic culture, they were given a tour inside the mosque and gained a better understanding about Islam, the official religion of Malaysia. To expose them to the Hindu religion, we also brought them to Batu Caves, a limestone hill with cave temples. Being one of the most popular shrines outside India, our guests huffed and puffed their way up the flight of 272 steps. In addition to the long vertical journey (depending on your finesse), our guests were entertained by an unexpected host of macaques, who would take every opportunity to grab any food and drinks you had for their afternoon snacks. One of our guests had his drinks stolen not once, but twice! They were also shown postcards of Thaipusam, one of the biggest celebrations in Malaysia celebrating in Batu Caves. They were amazed by the devotees spirituality and sincerity to their Gods as the pictures on the postcards depicted devotees piercing their bodies with kavadis, their offerings to give thanks to their Gods. A visit to Malaysia is not complete without visiting our nation’s pride and joy, Petronas Twin Towers. The world’s tallest twin-towers was majestic at night, towering over Kuala Lumpur like two watchful parents. When tourists and foreigners around the world hear of Malaysia, they picture these this iconic building housing a shopping centre, hotel, business office and bar. The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Park outside the Petronas Twin Towers offered the perfect photo opportunities among colourful fountain show and bright building lights. To showcase the Malaysian rainforest, we were very lucky to have two tour guides to bring our guests for hiking at Bukit Tabur. It was physically challenging and demanding especially to those who had no hiking experience prior to this, but the view when we reached the peak was worth all the challenge, as the view took our breaths away. We are very proud to say that our guests were able to experience Malaysia not just as tourists, but locals. The most authentic way to experience Malaysia is not through tour groups or internet websites, but through meeting and communicating with friendly local residents. As Malaysians, we pride ourselves as being inviting to everyone visiting our country. We are very thankful for the good times spent with the guests from Osaka University and National Yang Ming University. We hope to meet up with the guests in the future, not as representatives of our universities, but as friends. On the 10th of October 2015, AMSA-IMU organised Post-AMSC 2015 at International Medical University with the theme Geriatric Medicine - Embracing the Silver Tsunami. There were 137 participants from different medical schools such as NUMED, UMS, UPM, UKM, UPNM, UTAR, UMS and Perdana University. The event started off with registration and breakfast from 8.00am to 9.00am where participants received files with books and pens courtesy of IMU. The event was officiated by Dr Arun Kumar, AMSA-IMU's lecturer advisor. After a short ice-breaking session, our first keynote speaker, Associate Professor Dr Tan Maw Pin, a consultant geriatrician from UMMC delivered an informative talk about 'Health Services for Older People' followed by a question and answer session from the participants. After a 15-minute break, the conference resumed with the next talk by our second keynote speaker, Dr Elizabeth Chong, a geriatrician from HKL who delivered a speech about 'Ageing Successfully' which was also followed by a question and answer session. After lunch break, students from UPM presented their scientific paper entitled 'Female Sexual Dysfunction among Elderly Women in Malaysia'. They emerged as the first runner up in AMSC 2015 which was held earlier this year in Singapore. They answered questions from the participants and shared their valuable experiences when carrying out their research. After that, there was a roundtable discussion where participants were divided into several groups. Each group discussed one of the issues related to Geriatric Medicine which was facilitated by our AMSA ambassadors. They received materials such as newspaper articles and journals to help with their discussions. Many participants found the roundtable discussion very interesting and useful as everyone shared their opinion and knowledge during the discussion. It was also a platform to forge friendships with students from different medical universities. The conference ended at about 5.00pm with the distribution of certificates to the participants and a group photo session. We hope this conference was insightful and informative to all the participants. We would like to thank the the participants for joining our conference and also to the AMSA ambassadors for volunteering! And thanks to IMU Editorial Board for featuring our conference in the October Issue of Synapse Magazine! Available here: http://issuu.com/editorialboard/docs/oct_2015 More photos of the events can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bdhz11t87tatn0a/AAAAYOJxC3r5sg4JSOYxN417a?dl=0 IMU's first Anti-Drug Campaign was held from the 21st to the 23rd of September which was a collaborative effort between AMSA-IMU, IMU's Peer Support Group and IMU's Student Representative Council. On the 21st of September, the Vice President of IMU, Professor Peter Pook officiated the Opening Ceremony followed by a free buffet-styled lunch to all the participants. On the 22nd of September, we invited a policeman from the Royal Malaysian Police Force to deliver a speech about drug trafficking in Malaysia, how raids are conducted and the punishments related to drug abuse and illegal trafficking. On the final day of the campaign, we invited Mr. Hafizi Harun, a former drug addict who has recently completed his Master's Degree in Psychology. He is a Manager of Training Division of PENGASIH Malaysia. He shared with us his inspiring story about overcoming his drug addiction and the many obstacles he faced in the process. He also explained to us the effects of drug addiction which was very informative. The talk ended with a question and answer session from the crowd. We also invited the National Anti-Drug Agency to set up an exhibition to educate the students and staffs of IMU about drugs. AMSA Ambassadors from ME215 did an amazing job organizing fun games and photo booth competition to attract more people to join our Anti-Drug Campaign. The campaign was a huge success thanks to the help of our volunteers and the organising committee! We hope the students and staffs of IMU are more aware about the perils of drug abuse. SAY NO TO DRUGS GUYS!
Do you know that conferences are part of AMSA's biggest annual events?
Following the East Asian Medical Students' Conference (EAMSC) 2015 held in Indonesia in January this year, the post conference, as known as Post-EAMSC, was hosted by University Putra Malaysia, Serdang on May 31, 2015. This year, the EAMSC is themed 'Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs): Halt the Disease, Help the People'. On May 31, 7 medical students from IMU joined the Post-EAMSC as participants. Through this post-conference, medical students from various universities gathered and discussed on topics related to the STIs - their causative agents and the ways to prevent them. Apart from gaining knowledge, we believe that the participants have also fostered valuable friendship with medical students from other universities through game sessions & opinion-sharing and thought-provoking activities like debates and sketches! Hopefully the post-conference was a fruitful one for the participants; and we look forward to the Asian Medical Students' Conference (AMSC) coming up in July which will be held in Singapore! On the 4th of June 2015 the AMSA AMBASSADORS OF ME 115 held IMU's very first MEDICAL TRIVIA NIGHT! I am glad to announce that the night was an absolute success & that the turn out was great! There were 21 teams & a minimum of 4 people from each team 🎉 Here's hoping everybody learnt something from the many interesting questions (most of which we too didn't know the answer to!) Also, CONGRATULATIONS & THANK YOU to the winning team! Who kindly returned their winnings to AMSA-IMU. Thank you to all the participants & a big big thank you to the AMBASSADORS OF ME115 because without all of you none of this would be possible We look forward to this becoming a yearly event! AMSA-IMU Health Day 2015 was carried out on the 2nd of May 2015 (Saturday) from 9am-1pm at Section 17/13, Petaling Jaya. A group comprising 19 medical students, 5 nutrition & dietetics students, 1 dietitian and 4 medical doctors volunteered on this day to measure blood pressure, blood glucose level , body mass index, give dietetic advice, perform physical examinations, as well as educate the public regarding certain diseases. The activities carried out were in line with AMSA Malaysia Health Day 2015's theme: Non-Communicable Diseases.
This was AMSA IMU's first time carrying out the AMSA Health Day, and our first time conducting health screening in Section 17, Petaling Jaya. Given the long weekend, we are delighted (and surprised, really) to let you know that we received a great response - over 100 people (which is over half the number of residents) showed up! Of course, this would not have been possible without the hard work and effort of all the volunteers, dietitian and doctors, so we would like to take this time to thank you once again. We also greatly appreciate the support of the IMU SRC and SSD in our event. In all gladness, we consider AMSA IMU Health Day 2015 a success!! EMPOWERED MALAYSIA, the Cancer Advocacy Society of Malaysia has been actively involved in assisting the under-privileged community to combat cancer since 2009.
Ever since year 2010, AMSA IMU has been actively involved in projects organized by EMPOWERED. Their projects involve cancer awareness carnival, talks, and most notably, colorectal cancer screening for the community. This year, EMPOWERED has organised Screening Day on the 26th April and Awareness Day on the 19th April for colorectal cancer for the community of PPR Hiliran Ampang. AMSA IMU has sent more than 100 student volunteers, mostly of medical students to help out for both days. We received overwhelming responses from students who volunteered to be door-knockers, ushers, registrars and FIT-KIT instructors. They participated in the training sessions organised by EMPOWERED here in IMU to familiarise the students with the flow of the event, making sure all the volunteers understand their respective roles. It has been an enriching and exciting experience to work with EMPOWERED, one of the established NGOs working for the community tirelessly, to share the burden of combating cancer of the poorer community. I specially extend my gratitude to Dr. Christina Ng for providing opportunity to IMU students to play a role in this meaningful event. Many felt privileged to be part of this great team as they were given the opportunity to communicate and help the community, gaining valuable knowledge and experience along the way. Student volunteers involved are immensely grateful to work with a NGO and to serve the community. Thank you all for joining EMPOWERED's Screening and Awareness Day for Colorectal Cancer 2015! Your contribution and commitment has indeed played a major role in the success of this event! Do you or your child always fall sick? Does anyone around you have two or more serious sinus infections within one year? And, is it just an infection?
In conjunction with Malaysian Patient Organisation for Primary Immunodeficiencies (MyPOPI) and Malaysian Society of Allergy and Immunology (MSAI), AMSA-IMU has sent our medical students to participate in the 'Regional Walk-About' on April 10 & April 11, 2015) as part of the World Primary Immunodeficiency Week (WPIW) Our medical students have travelled to Hospital Serdang, NU Sentral and KLCC to distribute brochures to the general public, in hope to educate and raise awareness about Primary Immunodeficiencies among the public. Thanks to this bunch of enthusiastic medical students for making this event successful! CONGRATULATIONS AMSA AMBASSADORS!! Out of 40 over applicants, we have selected 13 determined and enthusiastic ambassadors from the ME115 cohort based on their performance during their interview by the AMSA executive committee members. There were so many capable candidates who applied and we truly had a tough time shortlisting our ambassadors. Thank you all for applying!
We wish them all the best as they undertake their duties as an AMSA ambassador. Last Friday on the 10th of April, AMSA-IMU organised a welcoming party for the new cohort, ME115 which was held in LT1. The purpose of the welcoming party was to introduce the new committee members of AMSA-IMU to its members and to explain to the junior medical students about AMSA and the many events that will be organised this year. A scrumptious, buffet-styled lunch was served for free to our members afterwards, giving them an opportunity to mingle with each other as well with the senior medical students who also attended the welcoming party.
We would like thank everyone who came and we are really looking forward to work with all of you in the future! Let's do this together!
Five medical students from International Medical University (IMU), Ng Yen Wing, Mohammad Hazwan Bin Yuan, Ng Chang Ern (Ernest), Koh Khai Ling and Wong Zhi Xian, had the opportunity to be the lead committee and travel to Osaka, Japan for the Asian Medical Student Exchange Program (AMSEP) between IMU and Osaka University for 9 days. The purpose of this programme is to provide cultural and knowledge exchange at an international level amongst the medical students. The students relates their experience in Japan. “Upon arrival, we were greeted by Kazushi Fujiyama, the local AMSEP Japan Director, and later joined by Takeshi Sakata. We were efficiently accommodated and provided with great hospitality. We were then brought to the beautiful Suita Campus of Osaka University where we were given the opportunity to attend a lecture on statistics of cancer in Japan, by Dr Tomotake Sobue. At night, we were brought to Nakanoshima (Central Island), a place where the river splits into delta dividing the business and commercial areas in Osaka. Despite the cold temperature in autumn, the views were breathtaking. This exchange programme widened our perspective in terms of academics, especially as medical students. We were privileged to learn in one of the most prestigious emergency departments in Japan-the Emergency Department of Osaka University Hospital. Dr Mitsuo Onishi showed us the advanced medical technology by which they use for treatments (even in Accident and Emergency Departments), like the CT scan, X-ray machines and platform for emergency gadgets converged into one room. Besides that, he gave us a lecture on disaster management (which was absolutely new to us Malaysians) and introduced us the emergency management system called Disaster Medical Assistant Team (DMAT). Besides the hospital visit, we experienced the other side of Japan’s healthcare at the rural area with Dr Tomoyuki Kido’s clinic at Itakano. We were briefed with high enthusiasm on the operations of the clinic, and the visit ended with casual conversations over warm tea session and more so the company. Moreover, we were also able to enter the Immunology Research Department of Osaka University. Prof Suguru Ishi explained to us cell imaging under the state-of-the-art 2x photon microscope. Medical assistants were there to demonstrate to us the entire process, from preparation to the actual imaging. We were extremely honored, as Prof Kishimoto was amongst the first who developed the method to use cell imaging microscopy. The days in Osaka were undeniably not only filled with academics but very enjoyable moments as tourists. We were brought to places such as Universal Studios of Japan, Osaka Castle, Dotonbori, Kyomitsu Temple at Kyoto, Umeda and Namba. Culture was amongst one of the many that attracted our hearts to Osaka and Kyoto. The people’s politeness was definitely admirable; our Japanese hosts and friends were more than glad to show us hospitality, even though language was, in the beginning, an obstacle to communication. Our Japanese friends told us that we were very fortunate to have visited Osaka at a time when the brownish-red autumn leaves begin to fall. In that kind of chilling climate (it even fell to 7 Celsius on the second night), we tried the mouth-watering dishes including okonomiyaki, takoyaki, kaiten sushi and matcha flavoured desserts, not forgetting the various fresh sashimi. We unanimously agreed that we had the best Japanese food during this exchange; we truly enjoyed each and every meal. 10 November marks the end of the journey. It was the last day, and we had to say goodbye to one if not the best city that we had been. We definitely are going to miss the friends that we made and the experience itself of traveling around Japan like the locals. We appreciate the chance given to us by AMSA, AMSEP and all the members that made this programme possible. We are now looking forward to host the Japanese students here in Kuala Lumpur in March next year.” All for a good cause. 2 main beneficiaries: Make-A-Wish Malaysia for children diagnosed with cancer and donating items for Paediatric cancer patients of Hospital Kuala Lumpur.
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