In Focus: Hello 2024!

 



By Sanjay Devaraja, Editor, The LKCMedicine


 

The year 2024 is set to unveil a new chapter for the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) as we enter the 14th year since the medical school was established. From the roll out of our enhanced Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) curriculum to the launch of new centres and initiatives, this year will see the School carve out new niches and forge new areas of strengths via various efforts and initiatives.

Our five-year MBBS degree programme has been refreshed for a new cohort of students to be enrolled this year, and who will graduate with an NTU medical degree by 2029. It will be infused with the latest tech-enabled teaching tools and enriched with new courses in data science and artificial intelligence, among other enhancements. These innovations will play a crucial role in producing doctors who will shape the landscape of healthcare delivery.

To ensure a well-rounded education, the tech-centric approach will be complemented by a deeper dive into medical humanities. This aspect of the curriculum aims to mould our students into medical professionals capable of navigating uncertainties and challenging situations in their practice. It instils a commitment to providing empathetic and patient-centered care, with an increased emphasis on ethical standards, professionalism, and patient safety. The overall objective is to equip students with the head and heart for medicine – caring, compassionate doctors who are proficient and confident users of technology.

In alignment with the Healthier SG initiative, the School will dedicate additional resources and efforts this year towards the development of Continuous Education and Training (CET) programmes for doctors and allied health professionals. Through these initiatives, a more conducive environment for continuous learning and growth will be created, thus providing more opportunities for development capabilities of healthcare workers.

We are delighted to announce that LKCMedicine will develop more quality postgraduate programmes. In the near future, the Holistic Palliative Care Programme (HoPE) is set to be launched, encompassing the Graduate Certificate, Flexi Masters and Masters in Science programme. This HoPE programme will cater to the needs of upskilling healthcare workers in palliative care in the framework of a stackable multi-disciplinary postgraduate programme.

LKCMedicine has also teamed up with the Department of Cardiology in Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) to develop the Graduate Diploma in Cardiovascular Medicine Programme (GDCVM). The GDCVM is a postgraduate medical programme, not leading to specialisation, that is targeted at upskilling family doctors in cardiovascular medicine. The content in the GDCVM will be developed and delivered by Cardiologists from TTSH, our primary hospital partner, and other participating specialist institutions and clinics.

In the area of student life, students can look forward to a vibrant campus life with the string of activities planned for the year, including cultural and sports programmes. One of the upcoming events is the annual talent show, Peanut Butter and Jam, scheduled for March 2024. For the first time ever, this event will be open to the public. Surfs Up, an annual beach day event by students for students, will offer participants a delightful day of fun and camaraderie. Potential new students joining LKCMedicine can look forward to the ever-exciting Freshman Orientation Programme, while current students can look forward to the annual Dinner and Dance that celebrates the year’s achievements.

After a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Overseas Community Involvement Projects (OCIPs) returned in full swing in 2023, with student-led trips to Indonesia, India, Cambodia, Thailand, and the Philippines. These student groups conducted public health screenings and health seminars for the communities they visited, and also raised funds to support their beneficiaries and partners.

For this year, we are looking forward to a team of LKCMedicine students leading an upcoming OCIP to Vietnam. Named Project Tien Len, it is an initiative that works with partner universities in Hanoi to conduct essential health screenings and education programmes in rural villages. The primary aim is to confront urgent health challenges with a particular focus on communities grappling with high rates of community-based renal diseases. Students will be collaborating with Hanoi Medical University to organise a biomedical healthcare fair for patients with chronic kidney disease. To support this OCIP, students are currently engaged in fundraising efforts from 15 to 19 January 2024, selling various attractive merchandise. All proceeds will go towards patients with chronic kidney diseases and their caregivers in Vietnam.

Research ambitions of the School is also set to soar with new centres and initiatives getting ready to be launched, and current programmes sharpening their edge such as TARIPH and ACSI. The TARIPH Centre Co-Academic Lead and LKCMedicine Vice-Dean, Research, Associate Professor Sanjay H. Chotirmall said, “With the launch of the TARIPH Centre and the TARIPH Patient Network, the first respiratory medicine patient panel in Singapore, we are well-poised to advance respiratory medicine research in 2024.  Through partnering with patients to co-develop patient-focused research and through collaborations with 46 local and international organisations, we would be developing more personalised treatment for Asian populations and the individual patient, improving quality of life for people with asthma, bronchiectasis and COPD, among other lung diseases.”

Associate Professor Sunny Wong who has been facilitating the establishment of ACSI with NHG said, “The Academy of Clinician Scientists and Innovators (ACSI) was launched in 2023 to develop research and innovation capabilities of medical students, doctors, nurses and allied health professionals, and create better care for our patients. In the coming year, ASCI will continue identifying and supporting talents to make significant contributions in the areas of population health, mental health, infectious disease, medical innovation, artificial intelligence and our other areas of strengths.” 

In March, the School is pleased to host Professor Soumya Swaminathan, most recently WHO’s Chief Scientist, for the fourth edition of the James Best Distinguished Lecture. In that role, Prof Swaminathan, a paediatrician from India and a globally recognised researcher on tuberculosis and HIV, built the Science division with a focus on research, quality assurance of norms and standards and digital health. She played a key role during the pandemic in coordinating scientific efforts at the WHO, as well as in setting up Covax, with a focus on equitable vaccine distribution to LMICs. This event is set to bring together thought leaders and industry experts to address thought-provoking issues in medicine with the perspective of fostering dialogue and advancing discourse in the transformation of medicine, medical education, and research.

Another exciting development the School looks forward to is the strengthening of its relationship with several NTU Schools, and its primary clinical partner, the National Healthcare Group (NHG). At NTU, AI in Medicine is set to see new initiatives in place, with LKCMedicine working closely with the School of Computer Science and Engineering (SCSE), College of Engineering (CoE), and Wee Kim Wee School of Communication & Information (WKWSCI).

At the same time, LKCMedicine’s association with NHG is set to evolve into a more mutually supportive partnership. As NHG welcomes a new Group Chief Executive Officer Mr Joe Sim,  the School is looking forward to new beginnings and fresh ideas to take us further in the training of future doctors and transformative medical research. Other than working together on healthcare delivery, areas being explored include improving mental health services by early detection of depression and cognitive impairment, behaviour and healthcare.

Meanwhile, our relationship with Imperial is entering a new phase. While the Imperial-NTU collaboration agreement to set up LKCMedicine tapers off by 2028, LKCMedicine's partnership with Imperial will progress into a new era of expanded research cooperation, concentrating on Infectious Disease and Respiratory Medicine, Metabolic Disease and Microbiome Medicine, Neuroscience and Science of Learning, Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, and Climate Change and Health. The recently granted CREATE programme between NTU and Imperial is poised to establish a robust foundation for innovative collaborations in the field of AI in Medicine, of which LKCMedicine is delighted to be a part of.

Corporate excellence will also reach new heights in the new year. Having been awarded Champion status for Eco Office certification by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) at the 24th Singapore Environment Achievement Award Ceremony in 2023, LKCMedicine now joins a growing list of reputable organisations such as the National Environment Agency, Economic Development Board, and Health Promotion Board which are classified under this same category.

With the Green Committee established last year to further emphasise the School’s dedication to making sustainability an integral part of its culture, more initiatives showcasing the importance of going green will be planned in the coming months. A Recycling Day will be organised at Novena Campus on 11 March 2024, after which the Committee will draw out its new calendar of events for the rest of 2024.

LKCMedicine Cares – the School’s holistic employee wellbeing programme that organises activities focusing on mental health, physical wellness, and social wellbeing of staff, will see more activities planned for staff to break away from the daily routine, and connect with colleagues from various divisions and departments. In acknowledgment of LKCMedicine Cares’ efforts, the team received the Singapore Business Review (SBR) Management Excellence Awards 2023 for the Health & Wellness Initiative of the Year (Education category).

With more new staff having joined the LKCMedicine family last year, the LKCMedicine Cares Coffee Chat, which provides an informal platform for staff to come together and engage in friendly conversations amidst the demands of work, continues to grow in popularity as they play a crucial role in promoting a positive and collaborative work environment. Staff can expect more of such sessions this year to connect with each other and unwind.

The corporate team is also planning a big celebration to mark the 100th year anniversary of its headquarters building. A heritage building built in 1924, this iconic structure at our Novena Campus first served as a hostel for senior medical students of King Edward VII College of Medicine which is known today as the Faculty of Medicine at University of Malaya. Nurses and hospital administrators also inhabited the building before it underwent meticulous restoration, safeguarding over 15 architectural elements of the Palladian-style edifice. Currently, the HQ building is undergoing refurbishment works, preparing for its centenary celebration which is expected to take place later in 2024.

From its humble beginnings in 2010, LKCMedicine has since evolved to become a premier medical institution in Singapore that continues to enhance its offerings and involvement with the medical and scientific community-at-large.

The future is promising. An independent survey conducted recently shows our graduates are rated highly as competent medical officers and residents. LKCMedicine Dean Professor Joseph Sung shares, “Respondents largely perceive LKCMedicine to be distinctive in offering an engaging curriculum that promotes problem solving and a culture of collaboration among students. The training and teaching of our students in artificial intelligence and digital health is also acknowledged. We are humbled by these findings and aim to stay the course while strengthening our pedagogy of self-motivated learning and critical thinking.”

As we embrace the year ahead, members of the LKCMedicine community share their hopes and aspirations for 2024:

“We uphold our values and stay true to our mission of transformative research for the betterment of health. No part is too small and no endeavour too trivial. May 2024 bring greater success and joy to all in LKCMedicine.”

-        Assoc Prof Yusuf Ali, Metabolic Disease and Assistant Dean (External Affairs)

“This year will continue to be an exciting year for the School with the ongoing work for the single degree MBBS and in rebranding. I hope that in 2024, colleagues continue to see how their work creates impact. May all of us enjoy camaraderie and friendship at work!”

-        Hannah Soh Yeing Yeing, Deputy Director, Plans & Governance

"Wishing LKCMedicine a transformative 2024, a year of excellence and shared success!"

-        Lim Kong Meng, Senior Assistant Director, LKCMedicine Medical Library

"I hope LKCMedicine will continue to thrive as a joyful and collaborative environment, fostering scientific breakthroughs and teaching innovations. Personally, I wish to contribute by supporting our existing faculty and facilitating the retention and recruitment of top talents in my role as Assistant Dean of Faculty Affairs."

-        Assoc Prof Yasunori Saheki, Cell Biology and Neuroscience and Assistant Dean, Faculty Affairs

“I joined LKCMedicine in 2023 and it very quickly became evident to me that our faculty and staff are dynamic and very dedicated to cultivating doctors of a distinct calibre. I am excited to see the LKCMedicine community reach new milestones and make its mark in Singapore and beyond.”

-        Retna Devi, Senior Assistant Manager, Communications & Outreach

“I hope to see how we can continue to integrate an innovate approach in medical education to help address evolving needs and challenges of the healthcare landscape!”

-        Dr Olivia Ng Xie Wei, Education Associate, Digital Learning Pedagogy

"I’m looking forward to another year of collaboration and shared commitment to achieve innovation in Education."

-        Jowe Chu, Senior Assistant Director, Admissions & Assessments

“In my two years at LKCMedicine, it has quickly become my second home, fostering both my personal and professional development. As we enter 2024, I hope our School continues to be a vibrant space for students to learn and grow, cultivating a community of doctors who do right by our patients and give back to the community.”

-        Joy Loke, Outreach Director, LKCMedicine Students’ Medical Society