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Tan Sri Datuk Dr Mohan Swami’s philosophy in life is “to live in this world and yet be above it”. This is a philosophy he acquired after meeting his Master, His Holiness Swami Rama of the Himalayas, in 1990 after reading his autobiography. He graduated in Medicine from Mysore University (India) and commenced his career in 1978 in Sabah, Malaysia. By 1980 he’d become the Assistant Director of Medical Services and later went on to establish the largest private group medical practice in Sabah. Between 1996 and 2000, Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Mohan Swami was actively involved in International Conferences and was a member of many overseas business delegations led by various government leaders and the Prime Minister of Malaysia. He headed the Business Delegation of the G-15 Conference in Harare, Zimbabwe in November 1996. He was appointed as the Honorary Consul for the Republic of Botswana in Malaysia in 1999, a position he holds till to date. He was also a member of the National Economic Consultative Council II (MAPeN II).
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| PUGSOM Class of 2015: Relay for Life (National Cancer Society) 13th and 14th October 2012 |
PU-RCSI Class of 2016: Anatomy Class session |
Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Mohan Swami, serves as Executive Chairman at TuriyaBhd. He was appointed the Director of Amcare Labs International, Inc in USA on April 5, 2010 and Director of Amcare Biotech Research Sdn. Bhd. on May 11, 2010. He is also the Chairman of the Presidential Board of Himalayan International Institute (not-for-profit organisation) in Dehra Dun, India which consists of a medical college and a 750-bed hospital and a School of Nursing. In April 2013 he was appointed as the Chancellor of Himalayan University, India. He was awarded the BrandLaureate, (Most Eminent Brand Icon Leadership Award) in 2011 and is recognised as one of Malaysia’s leading philanthropist (Forbes Asia, July 2012).Together with Johns Hopkins, he established the Johns Hopkins Dr. Mohan Swami Institute of International Medical Education (SIIME), which promotes medical education globally. He has passion and interest in the Spiritual Sciences. He was very fortunate to meet his Master, His Holiness Swami Rama of the Himalayas, in 1990 after reading his autobiography. The mystique behind his teachings of the ancient sages, the philosophy of life and the concept of living in this world and yet being above it has helped him to steer the right path in his career. One of the many defining moments in his life and career was when he initially graduated and started his career as a doctor. Learning to enjoy the hard work this soon became joyful to treat and bring relief to patients, he became involved in many voluntary organizations, finding it a way of channelling his energy for the betterment of society. However, he entered the business world to serve and look after a wider geography and population. He is not only a medical practitioner; he is also a businessman, corporate leader and philanthropist. The journey from the 1990s has been eventful, through many different types of business which has culminated in the commencement of Perdana University on September 12, 2011. Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Mohan Swami’s vision for the University is to redefine medical education and medical healthcare by bringing the best teachers and academicians to the students.
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| Members of the PU Advisory Board: First International Advisory Board meeting for Perdana University |
Tun Dr. Mahathir (Perdana University Chancellor): Visit to Perdana University |
He interacted with India Empire Magazine about Perdana University. As Chairman of the Board of Governors of Perdana University, please let us know about the vision and mission of the institution...
On the vision front, Perdana University aims to be one of the premier universities in the world contributing to the global community through the pursuit of excellence in education, research and service.
On the mission front, we want to train professionals to acquire and create knowledge, think critically, and achieve their full intellectual potential so as to be able to serve humanity in accordance with the highest professional and ethical standards.
The objective is to actualize education, research and services by redefining professional standards.
The motto is Where the past and future is present. Please throw some light on the strategic plan of the University, and how it aims to build leadership across sectors and take Malaysia forward…
Perdana University has been developed based on input from faculty members and key medical and health professionals from both the public and private sectors (from the period of 2011 and on-going). The strategic plan is in line with MOHE’s strategic plan (initiating the mission to raise the capacity for knowledge and innovation, as well as encouraging a first class mind set to the nation)and will address issues related to governance, leadership, academic staff, teaching and learning, research and development, infrastructure and networking. Please let us know about your two medical degree programmes, the PUGSOM and the PU-RCSI…
PUGSOM (Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine) is Malaysia’s first American-style, graduate entry medical school, founded in 2010 in collaboration with the world renowned Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHUSOM). The school features Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s innovative 4-year “Genes to Society” curriculum. Graduates of this programme are awarded the Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from Perdana University in collaboration with JHUSOM. PUGSOM students benefit from a world-class faculty supplemented by visiting adjunct faculty from Johns Hopkins and other prestigious universities.
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The launch
of Perdana University on 12th September 2011 |
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Unique distinctions of PUGSOM include: Bench to
Bedside—dedicated to promoting the tripartite mission of clinical, educational and research excellence in improving human health. Clinical
Experience—the curriculum blends patient-related experiences with class work to eliminate the distinction between preclinical (or basic science) and clinical coursework American
style Approach—medical students begin their training after completing a 1st degree (these students are more mature upon entry to medical school- they begin their clinical education from the onset). Central Focus on
Students—Like JHUSOM, PUGSOM divides students into colleges, where they develop camaraderie with their colleagues and build relationships with dedicates faculty mentors. Superior
Teaching—The collaboration with JHUSOM provides students with opportunities to bring renowned JHUSOM faculty to the campus in Serdang for a long-term and permanent faculty positions as well as short-term lectureships. Research
Exposure—students are exposed to research discoveries that are changing the way medicine is practiced and have the opportunity for ‘hands on’ experience in cutting-edge medical research- all students complete the scholarly concentrations course, which is a mentored research experience in the first 2 years at
PUGSOM. State-of-the-art facilities—the medical education facilities are unique and specially designed for the curriculum – the facilities bring faculty from all disciplines together in a space where a fertile exchange of ideas can occur inside and outside the classroom. Only the best for the
best—PUGSOM is committed to maintaining the high standards of Johns Hopkins to ensure a concentration of the most outstanding students and faculty. An innovative curriculum: Genes to Society · An unprecedented series of courses grounded in the Human Genome Project and Public Health principles and emphasizes on student-centred teaching and learning activities. · The constant application of scientific concepts and critical thinking to the clinical setting continues throughout the educational experience, building a confidence level in pour graduates that gives them an outstanding foundation for residency and postgraduate training. · Concurrent education in basic science and clinical medicine begins in the first year and continues throughout all 4 years (curriculum built around the advances in understanding the human genome to recognize the individual variation in susceptibility to and manifestations of disease and what treatments are likely to work best with different individuals. · Intersessions – these are 1-week self-contained modules that focus on clinical topics in the non-clinical component and on basic science topics in the clinical component of the curriculum (they are meant as a break from on-going courses to emphasize the big picture of the genes to society framework. · Opportunities in Baltimore - PUGSOM has an exchange arrangement with Johns Hopkins (students from Baltimore and PUGSOM have similar opportunities for teaching, research and clinical opportunities at PUGSOM and Johns Hopkins in Baltimore respectively.
PU-RCSI (Perdana University-Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) · PU-RCSI School of Medicine, in collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland offers a 5-year undergraduate medical degree
programme. · The curriculum features health-promotion as well as disease prevention and treatment on the individual, family and society and how to approach clinical conditions in a broad context, appreciating the personal and social dimension as well as the biomedical basis. · PU-RCSI students are exposed to a variety of clinical specialties providing them with comprehensive training in addition to enhancing their career options, both at home and abroad. · Personal and professional development is a key feature throughout the curriculum and focuses strongly on skills and attitudes necessary for practice in today’s healthcare environment. · The school delivers an outcomes-based curriculum, which adheres to the World Federation of Medical Education guidelines, for quality in medical education. · Each academic year comprises of two semesters. The curriculum is modularized in three cycles: Junior, Intermediate and Senior. The Faculty comprises of high quality Irish professors recruited from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and other outstanding local and international universities. · Students graduating from PU-RCSI School of Medicine are conferred with the primary degrees of the National University of Ireland, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor in the Art of Obstetrics (MB BCh BAO) as well as the PURCSI Degree. · Students are also awarded the historical licentiates of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. The MB BCh BAO degrees are recognized by the Irish Medical Council, the Malaysian Medical Council and other regulatory bodies throughout the world. The degrees allow the holder to pursue postgraduate training worldwide.
You have affiliations with the Johns Hopkins Medicine International and the Johns Hopkins Research Centre. Kindly elaborate on such affiliations that help position Perdana University as a premium institution…
Collaboration with Johns Hopkins Medicine involves:
· PUGSOM aims to transform medical education, research and patient care in Malaysia and throughout Asia. Our collaboration with Johns Hopkins Medicine is an essential element in the realization of this goal (The Johns Hopkins University has a storied history of leadership in advancing the medical field). · Over a period of more than a century, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine has built and sustained a reputation for innovation and excellence in patient care, education and research. · The Johns Hopkins University, founded in 1876, was the first research institution in the United States; its School of Medicine was the first to integrate a teaching hospital with a medical school. · The Johns Hopkins Hospital was founded in 1889, followed four years later by the founding of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. These events permanently altered the landscape of American medical education. What roles will Johns Hopkins Medicine play in the development of Perdana University?
Under its agreement with Perdana, Johns Hopkins will assist with the development of every major aspect of the new medical enterprise, including medical education programs, faculty recruitment and development, biomedical research programs, campus design and facilities planning, clinical affairs, student exchanges between Baltimore and Malaysia. Johns Hopkins also will guide academic development in alignment with the breakthroughs of their new ‘Genes to Society’ curriculum and will consult on other important components, including the teaching environment and infrastructure, pedagogy, administration and student affairs.
In addition to the new medical school, Johns Hopkins will provide guidance on the design and development of a state-of-the-art teaching hospital that will include a full complement of ambulatory care facilities, diagnostic capabilities and ancillary support services. A third major component of the agreement, Johns Hopkins will advise Malaysian colleagues on the development and integration of research programs across the entire medical enterprise. What is that one basic quality you see that makes Perdana University graduates stand out…
The programmes and teaching resources / curriculum at Perdana University are aimed at producing graduates with excellent knowledge, personal and interpersonal and the capacity for life-long enhancement of these attributes. PUGSOM—The GTS framework provides graduates the foundation for the advancement and understanding of individualized, 21st century medicine (medicine that sees wellness and disease on a continuum, and individual disease from the integrated perspectives of biology, culture and environment as well as the holistic approach to future clinical care and research). PU-RCSI—Graduates would have learnt to understand the influence of health and disease on the individual, family and society and how to approach clinical conditions in a broad context, appreciating the personal and social dimension as well as the biomedical basis (graduates will be prepared to take progressively increasing levels of clinical responsibilities and to develop leadership roles for future healthcare provision in Malaysia). You have plans to establish a Centre of Excellence. Please elaborate on this…
Perdana University is a research oriented university. All faculty members are expected to be involved in conducting research. Areas of research will take into account of the disease pattern in Malaysia and South East Asia. Emphasis will be on cancer (cervical, bladder, lung and colorectal), infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, dengue), metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease. An interdisciplinary approach in line with the GTS curriculum of PUGSOM using various methodologies like genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, bioinformatics, epidemiology and translational research in public health will be used. The Life Sciences Research Centre and TechnoPark of Perdana University will be built in Perdana University’s campus in Serdang. It will be affiliated with JHUSOM.
What kind of financial aid and scholarships are available to students at Perdana University?
JabatanPerkhidmatanAwam (JPA) / Public Service Department—JPA provides substantial scholarships to Malaysian citizens. There are partial scholarships by Perdana University. Scholarships are awarded based on merit subjected to recommendation by Perdana University. Public and private scholarships from both local and international bodies are available.
We understand the permanent campus of Perdana University will sit on a 141 acre site. It is obviously going to be a grand complex. Do we have a blue print/ model available to showcase before our readership?
The Perdana University permanent campus will sit on a 141-acre of lush sprawling land abutting the Malaysia Agro-Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS), a 5 minute drive from Putrajaya and/or a 25 minute drive from downtown Kuala Lumpur (to be completed by the end of 2015).It will house the University, a 600-bed private teaching hospital, a Life Sciences Research Centre, staff and student’s accommodations, Chancellery Building, hotel, apartments and a commercial complex. In the coming years, the University will move on to offer other homegrown, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes including PhD degrees in other fields of education.
Our readers would be happy to know what a Person of Indian Origin is chairman of the board of Governors of such a prestigious institution. Is there a special message for PIO students from around the world that could be interested in pursuing higher studies at Perdana?
We aspire to redefine medical education and medical healthcare by bringing the best teachers and academicians, to provide affordable but gold standard medical and health care for our patients, to make our students and graduates create history for the country by immersing themselves in high end research, and hopefully have a Nobel Prize winner in the coming years.
While making a choice about a premium institution in South Asia / Asia Pacific regions, students take into account the quality of activities that are available on campus. Please throw some light on these…
PU Student Clubs and Societies, PU supports student’s involvement in co-curricular activities. Most of student’s participation in extracurricular activities is through club and societies. The clubs include the Bowling Club, Cultural / Gourmet Club, Football / Gaelic Club, Outdoor Recreation Club, Racquet Sports Club. The Societies include Editorial Society, Debating Society, Community Social Responsibility Society, Medical Society, Music
Society.
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