Top winner: Tan (right) receiving his award from RCSEd FDS dean Prof Philip Taylor.
FINAL year students in 18 dental schools in Malaysia had the opportunity to put their skills to the test in a recent competition, held for the first time outside the United Kingdom by the prestigious Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd).
Managed by its Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS), the Dental Clinical Skills Competition, which had been hosted in the UK over the last eight years, saw the participants executing a series of challenging tasks, which included a crown preparation on a maxillary canine tooth and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) assignments.
After going through rigorous evaluation, William Tan Yan Wei from International Medical University (IMU) emerged the top winner, with Melissa Mohammad from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and another IMU student Goh Su Mein coming in second and third, respectively.
For their participation, all contestants were each presented with a certificate of participation and a one-year affiliation with the college, which is the world’s oldest surgical corporation.
RCSEd FDS vice dean Prof Grant McIntyre said the event served as a platform to illuminate and applaud the exceptional potential of the participants.
“Witnessing the triumphant execution of the competition for the first time outside of the UK, which is held here in Malaysia, and the enthusiastic engagement it garnered, reaffirms our commitment to nurturing the promising abilities of our upcoming dental professionals,” he said in a press release.
The competition, held in conjunction with the RCSEd’s 5th anniversary celebration of its International Office based in Kuala Lumpur, took place on Aug 19.
As part of the celebration, the college also hosted its inaugural International President’s Forum, where its president Prof Rowan Parks engaged with fellows, members and affiliates from the region, fostering dialogue on challenges within the surgical field.
Held at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM Advanced Surgical Skills Centre in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 21, with over 90 attendees, it featured a range of presentations by local speakers and top surgeons covering subjects such as governance and leadership, training as an overseas trainee in the UK, and women in surgery.
Prof Parks said the RCSEd is embarking on a cross-border initiative after a decade of cultivating connections through regional forums in the UK.
“This event goes beyond networking and talks – we are also offering free affiliation for medical students and trainees, extending the college’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent,” he said.
To mark the 5th anniversary, a Diploma Ceremony was held for the second time in Malaysia, recognising the accomplishments of over 90 diplomates. In addition, the RCSEd inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with IMU aimed at fostering enhanced cooperation and shared expertise, and amplifying the potential for groundbreaking advancements in the realm of medical education.
