PSD students among 100 in first intake for Johns Hopkins

WASHINGTON: The first intake at the Malaysian campus of world-famous teaching and research medical institution Johns Hopkins University will be in September with 100 students.

The students are expected to include 50 Public Service Department scholarship holders.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the university's opening would send ripples through the region and be a “phenomenal lure”, adding that it was would also attract students from as far as the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent.

“I am confident the Johns Hopkins medical programme will be a phenomenal lure,” he said at an event to mark the establishment of the John Hopkins Dr Mohan Swami Institute for International Medical Education.

Also at the event in Baltimore, Maryland, were Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin, Malaysian Ambassador to the United StatesDatuk Jamaluddin Jarjis, Tan Sri Dr Mohan Swami and the university'schief executive officer Edward D. Miller.

The Johns Hopkins medical programme will be a collaboration with Perdana University, which offers the first private teaching hospital with world-class medical facilities to be established in Serdang under Dr Mohan's Chase Perdana group.

Glad you’re here: Najib meeting Malaysian students at Johns Hopkins University (from left) Sanjay Rampal, Gooi Zhen, Tai Ken Lin and Tan Ik Lin Tan during the ‘Dedication of the Johns Hopkins Dr Mohan Swami Institute for International Medical Education’ at the Anne and Mike Amstrong Medical Education Building in Baltimore, Maryland. Looking on is Jamaluddin (right). – Bernama

Najib was pleased to note there had been good response not only from the local faculty in Baltimore but from others around the world to teach, work and practise in the Malaysian campus.

He said his administration had embarked on a plan to seek out and encourage Malaysians abroad to return home and at the same time, step up efforts for skills training at home.

“That is the reason why I am so excited about this partnership and why I couldn't be more pleased with your decision to establish not only a graduate medical school but also the first private teaching hospital and, more so, a centre for cutting edge clinical research,” he added.

Najib said Johns Hopkins was known for its pioneering work in medicine, which included the use of rubber gloves during surgery that had now become universal practice and had a positive impact on Malaysia's rubber industry.

He said the campus would also encourage more top graduates of Malaysia's universities to stay home as they now had the chance to participate in the world's best medical school curriculum and advanced clinical research without leaving the country.

Dr Mohan said 100 students would be reporting at its temporary campus near the Mardi headquarters in Serdang while the permanent campus was expected to be ready by 2013.