A pilot programme to provide observership opportunities for Malaysian surgical trainees in the UK has officially launched.
A ceremony at the British High Commission, Kuala Lumpur, has marked the agreement (MoA) exchange between the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and Universiti Malaya (UM) for the Malaysia-United Kingdom Travelling Fellowship (MUTF).
The Secretary of State for Scotland, The Rt Hon Ian Murray MP and the acting British High Commissioner to Malaysia, HE David Wallace witnessed the ceremony.
As part of RCSEd’s ongoing commitment to promoting surgical collaborations between the UK and Malaysia, the MUTF will see Malaysian surgical trainees hosted at centres of surgical excellence in the UK.
Ian Murray, Secretary of State for Scotland in the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, congratulated the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Universiti Malaya and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia on the signing of the agreement.
He said: “The UK is recognised for its longstanding and world-class professional healthcare education, and Scotland has some of the leading institutions in various surgical specialties and dentistry.
“The Fellowship which sees the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh collaborating with top Malaysian universities is another testament of the modern partnership between both countries. There is a huge potential for cross-border cooperation in the healthcare sector, and I hope to see this Fellowship programme expand to different surgical specialties in the future.”
The first participant, Dr Wong Sui Weng of UM, will begin her fellowship at London’s St. Mary’s Hospital in 2025.
Professor Rowan Parks, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, said: “Through this programme, we’re hoping to improve healthcare systems by spreading good surgical practices and helping our members and affiliates learn new skills, foster positive relationships, and encourage long-term affiliations.
“Exposure to different learning environments is a fantastic way to achieve surgical training aims in different healthcare systems which trainees otherwise would not have had access to.”
Source: Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Image: Dr Wong Sui Weng (centre) from the Faculty of Medicine Universiti Malaya is the first Malaysia-United Kingdom Travelling Fellowship participant. In the photo (from left to right) are Dr Shanggar Kupusamy, Professor Dr Grant McIntyre, HE David Wallace, Professor Dr April Camilla Roslani, The Rt Hon Ian Murray and Dr Yeap Chee Loong. Credit: Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
