LKCMedicine hosts visit by NHG Chairman

LKCMedicine today warmly welcomed the Chairman of National Healthcare Group (NHG) Mr Tan Tee How, for a visit to our Novena campus, for an overview of the research and medical education programmes at the medical school.

NHG is the LKCMedicine’s primary clinical partner since its inception in 2010 and has played a critical role in the School’s development and successes over the years.  

Hosted by Dean Professor Joseph Sung and Chief Operating Officer Dr Serene Ng, the visit signals the increasingly symbiotic relationship between LKCMedicine and NHG, which are exploring developing an Academic Health System together in the near future. Accompanying Mr Tan was NHG’s Group CEO Professor Philip Choo, Deputy Group CEO for Education and Research Professor Benjamin Seet and NHG’s Group Chief Corporate Development Officer Mr Darion Chong. Prof Choo and Prof Seet are also members of LKCMedicine’s Governing Board. 

Mr Tan, who was appointed NHG Chairman in April last year by the Minister for Health, started his visit with a tour of the School’s modern teaching facilities at our Clinical Sciences Building (CSB) led by Vice-Dean for Clinical Affairs Prof Pang Weng Sun, including the cutting-edge Learning Studio, the Practical Skills lab, the Communications Suite as well as the one-of-a-kind Anatomy Learning Centre where he managed to observe an ongoing anatomy lesson utilising the School’s unique teaching tools such as the plastinated specimens and the Anatomage Table. 3D printed specimens were also mentioned to him, as an alternative to teaching the human anatomical structure.   

Mr Tan then went on a tour of several research labs and centres led by Assistant Dean for External Affairs Associate Professor Yusuf Ali, who first brought him to the Dementia Research Centre (Singapore), then to A/P Yusuf’s own lab focused on diabetes research, before being presented work on respiratory and pulmonary health at Associate Professor Sanjay Chotirmall’s lab, and the School’s Health Screening Centre at Level 18, host to HELIOS or Health for Life in Singapore Study. Professor John Chambers who is leading HELIOS SG100K initiative – to collect and map out disease profiles of 100,000 Singaporeans – took Mr Tan on a quick tour of the screening stations for HELIOS. 

The visit took a pause at Level 20 of the CSB, where the Medical Library is located, for Prof Sung to show the panoramic view of the Singapore skyline as seen from LKCMedicine’s vantage point. 

The delegation was then led to the MedLib’s meeting room for presentations and discussions on the School’s current and future research ambitions in particular those in partnership with NHG; its medical education pursuits covering undergraduate and postgraduate studies, as well as professional training, also to be developed further with NHG’s deep expertise; and the School’s aims to develop an overarching talent management system with NHG.  Presentations were made by Vice-Dean for Research Professor Lim Kah Leong, Vice-Dean for Education Professor Jennifer Cleland and Vice-Dean for Faculty Affairs Associate Professor Andrew Tan. 

Mr Tan’s two-hour visit was an extremely packed programme that not only spotlit the School’s major endeavours but also provided a snapshot of collaborations between LKCMedicine and NHG working hand in glove. The meeting ended on a promise of more to come, of future joint projects and potential game-changers in Singapore’s healthcare landscape.