Traversing “A Gateway into Paediatrics” at NUMed

Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) chalked up another milestone for the university when it hosted the first ever paediatrics conference at the university on 21 October 2023. Organised by its Paediatrics Society with the support and collaboration of the NUMed’s Department of Child and Young People’s Health, the conference was titled “A Gateway into Paediatrics”, and explored the pathway to becoming a paediatrician as well as important issues in paediatric care.

The conference took place at the NUMed Baylis Lecture Theatre and attracted 120 attendees, with the majority of them being NUMed students who were eager to delve into the world of paediatrics. Other participants included doctors from Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) Johor Bahru and NUMed Child Health lecturers comprising Dr San Thidar Mon, Dr Swe Zin Aye, Dr Myat Su Khaing, Dr Tin Swe Aye, and Dr Santhi Sivalingamoorthy.

In line with the objective of the event to get medical students and junior doctors better acquainted with the field of paediatrics and increase interest in this speciality, a panel of esteemed paediatric specialists from Hospital Sultan Ismail (HSI) Johor Bahru and Hospital Segamat were on hand to share their knowledge and expertise, covering a range of child care topics.

Dr Chia Lee Ser, Head of the Neonatal Unit and Neonatologist in HSI, shared about “Neonatal Sepsis”, while Dr Intan Nor Chahaya Bt Shukor, Head of the Paediatrics Department in Hospital Segamat brough to the limelight the role of “Paediatrics: Guardian of the Children”.

Dr Priyalatha A/P Balakrishnan, General Paediatrician (with special interest in Paediatric Neurology) in HSI, delved into the intricacies of seizures in children with the topic “What are Seizures? How to Approach?”. Finally, Dr Susan Pee, Paediatric Nephrologist in HSI, shared her expertise in “Managing the Oedematous Child”, offering valuable insights into the care and management of childhood nephrotic syndrome.

A heartwarming touch was added to the conference, with Just Glory, a home-run training centre and school for children with Down Syndrome and learning disabilities, very kindly sponsoring handmade soaps crafted by their students with help from their teachers. These, along with other items, including customised lanyards, lanyard pins and NUMed baseball caps sponsored by the NUMed Accommodation team, were distributed as door gifts at the conference.

Another notable activity was a Kahoot quiz session based on topics presented during the day, which was hosted by the NUMed Paediatrics Society. The top 3 winners received cash prizes amounting to RM100, RM75 and RM50 respectively.

The Paediatrics Society also took the opportunity to organise a charitable initiative in aid of Just Glory.

“At the end of the conference, a total of RM800 was successfully raised! This is going to help Just Glory in their quest to purchase their own property so they can expand their operations further to help more children!” explained Bhumika Jethnani, President of the NUMed Paediatrics Society, enthusiastically.

“A Gateway into Paediatrics” was sponsored by the NUMed Paediatrics Committee, NUMed Student Association and NUMed Child Health lecturers. The conference not only enriched participants with instrumental medical knowledge but also displayed their compassion and commitment to make a difference in the lives of others.

Images source: NUMed Paediatrics Society