Monday, 31 October 2016

M’sian receives ACS scholarship after 22-year gap

BY ROYCE TAN

 

KUALA LUMPUR: The first Malay­sian doctor to receive a prestigious scholarship from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) after 22 years is hoping that this will pave the way for others.

Urologist Assoc Prof Dr Christo­pher Ho Chee Kong (pic), who got the International Guest Scholarship Award, wants to encourage other doctors, surgeons and trainees from Malaysia to apply for it.

The 41-year-old consultant urologist and sexual medicine physician at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) said: “This will open up your minds and make it better. So, I hope that this award has already opened up the opportunity.

“It has already created the awareness and if there’s anyone who wants me to be the referee or the middle person, I’m more than happy to do so.

“If I can do it, I’m sure you can. I’m just a normal person, I have been trained locally, I did my undergraduate as well as my post-graduate studies at UKM.

“I don’t have anything special but we need to persevere and work hard and I believe that you also need the backing of your seniors,” said Dr Ho, who was among the only 12 surgeons out of some 10,000 applications to receive the award at the ACS Annual Congress in Washington DC from Oct 16 to Oct 20.

Dr Ho said he had the opportunity to mingle and network with surgeons from US and other countries, adding that these ties opened up more links for students, researchers and doctors from Malaysia to attain training overseas.

He also presented his paper Surgical training in Malaysia: Challenges and roadmap, which detailed its history and current programmes, during the congress.

“By sharing with them what is going on, I hope that I will be able to further collaborate with them, using my position to help my juniors and trainees who want to go to US.

“Now, most of us traditionally go to either Australia or Britain to do medicine. Very few have actually gone to America for training,” he said, adding that by getting more exposure, it was hoped that more surgeons with different types of training could come together and improve the service in Malaysia.

Dr Ho also visited the world-renowned University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre where he observed robotic surgery on prostate and kidney cancers –performed by prominent urology professor Dr Claus Roehrborn.

UT Southwestern has produced six Nobel Laureates – more than any other medical schools in the world.

“That speaks a lot for how prestigious and good the university is. They also have world renowned surgeons such as Prof Dr Roehrborn and Prof Dr Margeret Pearle,” he said, adding that robotics surgery was second nature there.

During his stay there, Dr Ho was also mentored by Prof Dr Arthur Sagalowsky, another prominent urologist.

Thanking College of Surgeons of Malaysia president Prof Dr Hanafiah Harunarashid who had been instrumental and given him a good referee report, Dr Ho said he felt proud as a Malaysian to be recognised by the ACS.

The award – totalling US$10,000 (RM42,00) – allows young surgeons from countries other than the US or Canada to attend clinical, teaching and research activities and take part in ACS Clinical Congress’ activities.

Only two other Malaysians have received the award – Dr Goon Hong Kooi in 1987 and Dr Robert Patrick Jalleh in 1994.

Video on International Guest Scholar Award

http://www.thestar.com.my/videos/2016/10/31/award-winning-surgeon-hopes-to-pave-way-for-others/

American College of Surgeons International Guest Scholar Award

Thursday, 27 October 2016 | MYT 12:44 PM

Dr Ho becomes first Malaysian to receive award from American College of Surgeons

Ho (left) receiving the International Guest Scholarship Award. certificate from Nigri

WASHINGTON DC: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Urologists and Sexual Medicine Professor Dr Christopher Ho Chee Kong became the first Malaysian to receive the International Guest Scholarship Award from the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

The award was presented by Giuseppe Nigri, who is also Chair of the International Relations Committee (IRC) Scholar Selection Subcommittee of the ACS at a ceremony during its annual congress recently, in the United States capital.

American College of Surgeons Vice-President Prof Hilary Sanfey said: We are particularly, pleased that one of the 2016 recipients is Dr Christopher Ho Chee Kong, the first surgeon from Malaysia to receive this honour.

Dr Kong (Ho) is one of 12 recipients selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants, all of whom had demonstrated a commitment to teaching and/or research in accordance with the standards of the applicants country,” she told Bernama when contacted.

On being the first Malaysian to be recognised by American Surgeons, Dr Ho, 41, of Malacca said: I am very happy and proud as a Malaysian... to be accepted in America, traditionally all doctors in Malaysia look up to the United Kingdom or Australia.

Dr Ho was given the opportunity to carry out clinical, teaching and research activities in North America, besides attending and participating fully in educational opportunities and activities of the ACS Clinical Congress.

The son of parents who taught deaf students at a school in Malacca, did not expect his application to be part of the ACS programme would be accepted with US$10,000 (RM41,820) in scholarship.

“I sent the application early last year to be in the programme, and only received an email answer at the end of the year,” he told Bernama while thanking College of Surgeons of Malaysia president Prof Dr Hanafiah Harunarashid, who he said had put in a good word to ACS on his application.

During the five-day congress beginning Oct 16, Dr Ho also presented a paper on ‘Surgical Training in Malaysia: Challenges and Roadmap’ which was also attended by Dr Hanafiah.

While in the US, he also had the opportunity to visit the world-renowned University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre, where he observed robotic surgery on prostate cancer and kidney cancer performed by the distinguished Professor of Urology, Dr Claus Roehrborn.

He also took a tour of the facilities and the set-up of this spanking new state-of-the-art university hospital and was mentored by the illustrious Professor Dr Arthur Sagalowsky, another prominent urologist in America.

Meanwhile, Dr Hanifah said the Malaysia College of Surgeons and indeed, the nation was very proud to see the young surgeon receiving the award from the largest surgical institution in the world at a meeting attended by 30,000 surgeons from all over the world.

I hope this will be an inspiration to our young trainees in Malaysia and Dr Christopher (Ho) will use this opportunity to learn some of the finer aspects of modern surgery from the institutions that has produced many Nobel laureates and transfer the knowledge for the benefit of our patients, said Dr Hanifah when met in Washington recently.

Dr Hanifah, who has also won the International Medal for Distinguished Award from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, is the first Malaysian to have received the award. - Bernama

American College of Surgeons International Guest Scholar Award

Thursday, 27 October 2016 | MYT 12:44 PM

Dr Ho becomes first Malaysian to receive award from American College of Surgeons

Ho (left) receiving the International Guest Scholarship Award. certificate from Nigri

WASHINGTON DC: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Urologists and Sexual Medicine Professor Dr Christopher Ho Chee Kong became the first Malaysian to receive the International Guest Scholarship Award from the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

The award was presented by Giuseppe Nigri, who is also Chair of the International Relations Committee (IRC) Scholar Selection Subcommittee of the ACS at a ceremony during its annual congress recently, in the United States capital.

American College of Surgeons Vice-President Prof Hilary Sanfey said: We are particularly, pleased that one of the 2016 recipients is Dr Christopher Ho Chee Kong, the first surgeon from Malaysia to receive this honour.

Dr Kong (Ho) is one of 12 recipients selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants, all of whom had demonstrated a commitment to teaching and/or research in accordance with the standards of the applicants country,” she told Bernama when contacted.

On being the first Malaysian to be recognised by American Surgeons, Dr Ho, 41, of Malacca said: I am very happy and proud as a Malaysian... to be accepted in America, traditionally all doctors in Malaysia look up to the United Kingdom or Australia.

Dr Ho was given the opportunity to carry out clinical, teaching and research activities in North America, besides attending and participating fully in educational opportunities and activities of the ACS Clinical Congress.

The son of parents who taught deaf students at a school in Malacca, did not expect his application to be part of the ACS programme would be accepted with US$10,000 (RM41,820) in scholarship.

“I sent the application early last year to be in the programme, and only received an email answer at the end of the year,” he told Bernama while thanking College of Surgeons of Malaysia president Prof Dr Hanafiah Harunarashid, who he said had put in a good word to ACS on his application.

During the five-day congress beginning Oct 16, Dr Ho also presented a paper on ‘Surgical Training in Malaysia: Challenges and Roadmap’ which was also attended by Dr Hanafiah.

While in the US, he also had the opportunity to visit the world-renowned University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre, where he observed robotic surgery on prostate cancer and kidney cancer performed by the distinguished Professor of Urology, Dr Claus Roehrborn.

He also took a tour of the facilities and the set-up of this spanking new state-of-the-art university hospital and was mentored by the illustrious Professor Dr Arthur Sagalowsky, another prominent urologist in America.

Meanwhile, Dr Hanifah said the Malaysia College of Surgeons and indeed, the nation was very proud to see the young surgeon receiving the award from the largest surgical institution in the world at a meeting attended by 30,000 surgeons from all over the world.

I hope this will be an inspiration to our young trainees in Malaysia and Dr Christopher (Ho) will use this opportunity to learn some of the finer aspects of modern surgery from the institutions that has produced many Nobel laureates and transfer the knowledge for the benefit of our patients, said Dr Hanifah when met in Washington recently.

Dr Hanifah, who has also won the International Medal for Distinguished Award from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, is the first Malaysian to have received the award. - Bernama