This UKM Urologist Just Became The First M'sian To Receive A Prestigious US Surgical Award
What an honour.
By Sadho Ram — 28 Oct 2016, 03:34 PM
Meet Dr Christopher Ho Chee Kong, a Urologist and Sexual Medicine Professor at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). He just became the first Malaysian to receive the International Guest Scholarship Award from the American College of Surgeons (ACS).
While speaking to Bernama, American College of Surgeons Vice-President Professor, Hilary Sanfey, said that they were particularly pleased that this year a Malaysian surgeon received this honour
"We are particularly, pleased that one of the 2016 recipients is Dr Christopher Ho Chee Kong, the first surgeon from Malaysia to receive this honour. Dr Kong is one of 12 recipients selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants, all of whom had demonstrated a commitment to teaching and/or research in accordance with the standards of the applicant’s country," she was quoted as saying by Bernama.
Dr Christopher, whose parents taught deaf students at a school in Melaka, said he didn't expect that his application to be part of the ACS programme would be accepted with USS10,000 in scholarship
According to Bernama, he sent the application early last year and received an email answer to be in the programme at the end of the year.
He thanked College of Surgeons of Malaysia President Professor Dr Hanafiah Harunarashid, who he said had put in a good word to ACS on his application.
He was given the opportunity to carry out clinical, teaching and research activities in North America, besides attending and participating in fully educational opportunities and activities of the ACS Clinical Congress.
"I am very happy and proud as a Malaysian to be accepted in America, traditionally all doctors in Malaysia look up to the United Kingdom or Australia," the 41-year-old was quoted saying on being the first Malaysian to be recognised by American Surgeons
The award was presented by Chair of the International Relations Committee Scholar Selection Subcommittee of the ACS, Giuseppe Nigri, at a ceremony in Washington.
Meanwhile, Dr Hanafiah Harunarashid said that he along with the nation was very proud to see the young surgeon from Melaka receiving the award from the largest surgical institution in the world at a meeting attended by 30,000 surgeons from all over the world
"I hope this will be an inspiration to our young trainees in Malaysia and Dr Christopher will use this opportunity to learn some of the finer aspects of modern surgery from the institutions that have produced many Nobel laureates and transfer the knowledge for the benefit of our patients," Dr Hanifah was quoted as saying by FMT.
