SELANGOR RESEARCH DAY
A DAY TO REMEMBER
Selangor Research Day
Venue: Hospital Selayang (Main Auditorium)
Date: 16 July 2010 Friday Time: 8am to 5pm This inaugural event brought together a total of 284 participants from all over Malaysia; 171 participants from Hospital Selayang and 56 participants from other hospitals within the Selangor state. Apart from this, 19 participants from the Selangor regional healthcare offices or “klinik kesihatan” and 38 participants from CRCs of the other states as well as other local institutions, all came together to join-in this series of very informative and motivational talks on research. Research posters were exhibited, which detailed the research work from various researchers in Hospital Selayang working on a multitude of research agendas, ranging from gastroenterology, nephrology, paediatrics, medical, dermatology, hepatobiliary, ophthalmology and pharmacy. Other research posters from local institutions such as Institute of Health System Research were also displayed alongside with them. Various external organizations such as Quintiles, also set up their exhibitor booths to exhibit what their companies had to offer. Program highlights:-

(1)Dr. Goh Pik Pin, Acting Director of Clinical Research Centre, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, delivered the opening speech to welcome the participants who had gathered from the four corners of the country. She marked the occasion as a good starting point for researchers to begin their journey in seeking a career in clinical research.

(2)The Director-General of Health, Malaysia, Y. Bhg. Tan Sri Dato. Seri Dr. Hj. Mohd. Ismail Merican, delivered the keynote speech by outlining the history of the development of clinical research activities in Malaysia. He also commented on the current achievements attained by the clinical researchers thus far and also the future direction towards which the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, is heading. In his keynote speech, he promoted the concept of “self-dynamism” in all clinical researchers, who will in future spearhead many new unexplored arenas of clinical research. (3)Y. Bhg. Dato’ Dr. Maimunah A. Hamid, the Deputy Director-General of Health (Research & Technical Support), Ministry of Health, Malaysia, provided a very succinct but informative account of how clinical research can help shape up and achieve progress in clinical medical practice.

(5)Dr. Jamaiyah Haniff, head of the Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Clinical Research Centre, explained the difference between epidemiology and clinical epidemiology. She further elaborated on the clinical utility of epidemiological data and also the functionality of clinical epidemiological research in public health domain. She also provided many examples of how clinical epidemiological research can help shape up research output and subsequently medical practice in many domains of public health. She further elaborated on the versatility of clinical epidemiological data in various facets of public health research thus shedding light on the vast utility and applicability of such data.

(6)Ms. Loh Choon Shane, Research Administrative Manager of One Stop Centre, CRC, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, concluded the day by detailing the functions of One Stop Centre in assisting in the conduct of and coordinating the various activities within a clinical research from its grassroots. Her speech inspired many young potential clinical investigators, in that the One Stop Centre promoted clinical research by providing relentless efforts in administering, coordinating and supporting all the various activities within a clinical research. Therefore, her speech outlined the support rendered by One Stop Centre in ensuring that clinical research is scientifically, ethically and purposefully conducted.

(7)Finally, the Hospital Director of Hospital Selayang, Dr. Hjh. Siti Zaleha Mohd. Salleh, wrapped up the day’s session by offering concluding remarks on the various speeches delivered by all previous speakers of the day. She also offered words of encouragement to young clinical researchers and investigators in their pursuit for future research endeavours.