Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) proudly announced that its Provost and Chief Executive Officer, Prof Dr. Vishna Devi Nadarajah, has been honoured with the prestigious Ian Hart Ottawa Award for Innovation in Medical Education at the Ottawa 2024 Conference held in Melbourne, Australia, on February 27.

The Ian Hart Award recognizes individuals who have significantly advanced medical education through exceptional creativity, diligence, adaptability, leadership, and effective communication. Awardees are celebrated for their substantial contributions to curriculum development, teaching methodologies, assessment practices, and educational administration at national, regional, or international levels.

Prof Vishna Devi expressed her gratitude for receiving the award, stating, "For me, it's the recognition of the significant work my colleagues and I have done for health professions assessments from the national to international level. This includes contextualizing assessment best practices based on sociocultural, educational, and healthcare needs, harnessing technology as an enabler for enhancing assessment outcomes, and bringing medical education scholarship from our part of the world to others. For NUMed, I hope this award is seen as an endorsement of the expertise and commitment of the senior leadership and that it will motivate both our staff and students to pursue health professions education as part of their professional career. We are training the clinicians and medical educators of tomorrow."

With over 24 years of experience, Prof Vishna Devi is an accomplished educator and administrator who has made significant contributions to biomedical sciences, medical, and health professions education. Her work includes faculty development, assessment, and innovative teaching methods.

Reflecting on her journey, Prof Vishna Devi remarked, "I wouldn't change anything; the journey has included some high points as well as lots of mistakes. I don't think I'd be here today if I didn't go through that journey. If anything, I would say spend more time with your family because they make you who you are."

When asked for advice, Prof Vishna Devi emphasized the importance of maintaining a professional identity within the healthcare team. She stated, "I believe every profession in a healthcare team has their own identity, so don't stray from that path. Keep to your identity, bring your work and unique value forward, and your voice will be heard." She expressed pride in the multiprofessional team she has built and the global teams with whom she collaborates, highlighting the importance of respecting contextual differences in practice.

Prof Vishna Devi also discussed the evolving landscape of medical education research, encouraging researchers to tackle problems with practical solutions. "In a research setting, more and more journal editors are opening their minds, so it's not just medical education for research in medicine; it is research across the professions. Keep doing things that have value for the professions, institutions, and healthcare. I think the most important thing is to solve the problem that you have at hand, because that problem that you have, others also have it. Do it in the right way, and others will want to hear about it."

Prof Vishna Devi’s dedication and contributions have previously been recognized with awards such as the Malaysian Women’s Weekly Great Women of Our Time award in 2012 and the National Private Educator Award in 2018. Most recently, she was honored with the Association for the Study of Medical Education (ASME) Gold Medal 2023 for her outstanding contributions to medical education. She currently serves as a trustee at the International Association for Health Professions Education (AMEE) and deputy editor of the impactful journal Medical Education.

With a First-Class Honours degree in Biochemistry from the University of Malaya, a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Cambridge, and a Masters in Health Professions Education from Maastricht University, Prof Vishna Devi’s remarkable academic journey and significant contributions to biomedical sciences and medical education exemplify her dedication and expertise in her field.

Her receipt of the Ian Hart Ottawa Award for Innovation in Medical Education further solidifies her position as a leader in advancing healthcare education.

From viral videos to trending topics, we've got it all covered. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and WhatsApp Channel for the latest updates and breaking news!

To those who has an interesting tale to tell or know someone who deserves to have their story shared with the world, do drop us an email at [email protected].


Source / Image Credit : The Star , Linkein