Prof K.L. Goh (front row, centre) and the GI Endoscopy Unit at UMMC.
I had not intended to join the Department of Medicine at Universiti Malaya. After completing a clinical fellowship training in gastroenterology in Leeds, England, in 2003, I had naively thought that I could get a post in the Health Ministry upon returning to Malaysia.
A chance encounter and brief placement stint with Prof K.L. Goh in 2001 subsequently led to a job offer as a lecturer at Universiti Malaya in 2003 – which was the only job offer I obtained at the time. If I sound unhappy for this opportunity back then, it was due to the impression I had of academic gastroenterology, from my experience in England. But all that changed after working at the Department of Medicine at UM, and with Prof Goh.
Prof Goh was a researcher and a clinician, who made academic work clinically orientated. His motto was “research makes a doctor a better clinician”.
Through sheer hard work, dedication and a vision for excellence, he had gained international recognition for his research in the field of gastroenterology. Research was so important to Prof Goh, that he continuously encouraged his juniors/colleagues to participate in projects, often covering their clinical duties to facilitate this.
Prof K.L. Goh was a researcher and a clinician who made academic work clinically orientated. His motto was “research makes a doctor a better clinician”.
Additionally, through the organisation of world-class academic conferences/workshops/ seminars, he put Malaysia on the global map in the field of gastroenterology. Some of the recognition included the “Centre of Excellence” award by the World Digestive Endoscopy Organisation for the GI Endoscopy Unit in Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (one of seven in the world), council representations at World and Asian Gastroenterology Organisations and leading positions at Asian Academic Foundations (JGH Foundation).
For a junior specialist or “fellow”, the opportunities to learn and network through these academic events were immense. Such opportunities were few and far between during my GI (gastrointestinal) fellowship days, due to the stiff competition from large numbers of fellows/trainees in Britain. If only local fellows/trainees realised how lucky they were.
But academic medicine remained the heart of his work, and Prof Goh strived to nurture that interest among his juniors. Although not all doctors are interested in research and teaching, there were some who did develop these interests, and I consider myself to be among the fortunate few.
Our relationship dynamics changed somewhat when I later became the Head of Department, and technically (but not really) his boss! But even then, I respected him for not flaunting his “senior status privilege” like some other senior professors in the department.
As always, he remained supportive of the younger generation of academics and administrators, even though it could not have been easy for such a prominent individual like him.
He would have retired from government service without a fuss if he had his way. But as his “boss”, I am glad that I had insisted on a grand farewell, which resulted in the first grand retirement Festschrift (a collection of writings published in honour of a scholar) that the Faculty of Medicine at UM had organised for a member of staff.
I recently attended my medical school’s 30th year reunion gathering. Most of my classmates could not have imagined me becoming a professor in Medicine, let alone be internationally recognised for my academic work. I had to explain to them of my unintended career path in Malaysia and of the chance meeting with an extraordinary boss (and later colleague) who had led me in this direction.
Sadly, Prof Goh passed away on June 5.
He's nothing short of a legend in the medical speciality of gastroenterology. However, his legacy as a global leader in the field of gastroenterology and an outstanding mentor lives on in the brilliant careers of other academic gastroenterologists in Malaysia, many of whom are internationally renowned for their research and achievements. Many owe a great debt to this extraordinary Malaysian. I know that I do.
Prof Sanjiv Mahadeva is a consultant gastroenterologist at Universiti Malaya. He was nominated (among many others) top 2% scientists worldwide by Stanford University in 2022, which he credits entirely to his mentor, Prof K.L. Goh.
