M'sian Eye Doctor Is First Asian In Elite American Programme

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 (Bernama) -- A Malaysian eye specialist has done the country proud by being the first Asian to be selected for the Leadership Development Programme conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), the world's largest association of eye doctors and surgeons.
Dr Wong Jun Shyan, a consultant ophthalmologist and part-time lecturer in retinal services at Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, is in fact the only international participant among the 19 selected doctors for the 2006-2007 programme which began in Las Vegas last month.
His candidacy for the programme was proposed by the Ophthalmological Society of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) to the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology, which after considering a field of other eye specialists throughout the region, picked Dr Wong as the sole Asia Pacific representative.
"This is a great opportunity for any ophthalmologist who wants to continue building his skills," Dr Wong was quoted by the MMA in a statement today.
"I hope to use what I'll learn to bring the practice of ophthalmology to the next level in Malaysia," added the specialist who has published more than 20 articles in scientific journals.
The Leadership Development Programme identifies and prepares ophthalmologists with the skills they need to lead their society in future. Nominees must have demonstrated a commitment to their society and have shown potential to lead their organisations.
A recognised leader in his field, Dr Wong had also been a clinical fellow at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne, Australia as well as at the Beetham Eye Institute at Joslin Diabetes Centre, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School in Boston, United States.
He is also the only Malaysian to join the ranks of the Retina Society and is a founding member of the International Retina Foundation.
The Retina Society is an exclusive US-based organisation that promotes the education and professional interaction of vitreo-retinal specialists, providing optimal patient care and encouraging -- through clinical and basic research -- the discovery and development of new means to further patient care.