Curriculum Vitae

Biomedical Imaging Research Development

Singapore

I was tasked by the School of Medicine and the Office of Life Sciences at the National University of Singapore to investigate and help develop the requirements for a leading programme in biomedical imaging research for Singapore.

Subsequently I developed a proposal to develop national resources for both small animal and clinical translational research imaging research programs. These proposals included:

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  Understanding the space, personnel, equipment and scientific requirements for a successful imaging research program
  
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  Recommending some technologies for the biomedical imaging research in Singapore, in particular MRI and molecular imaging
  
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  Recommending the type and level of key scientific personnel for such programs
  
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  Proposing an initial budget for such programs
  

These proposals were used as the basis for a formal submission to the Biomedical Research Council by the Singapore Bioimaging Consortium (SBIC) to develop laboratories for animal and human research imaging, the former at the Biopolis and the latter to be housed next to the National University Hospital in a new Translational Medicine building.

The national Clinical Imaging Research Centre (CIRC) was envisioned as a national resource, to focus on clinical trial and related research for quantitative and qualitative imaging analysis of human subjects. MRI and molecular imaging using PET and SPECT have been specified as requirements for this centre. I was closely involved in negotiations over the course of a year to find a suitable imaging technology and research partner for the CIRC, and this culminated in a final agreement to partner with Siemens in late 2007.

I was deeply involved in planning of the first phase and the basic floor plan of the second phase of the CIRC, including all the relevant space planning, structural and magnetic requirements, transportation and logistics, patient and staff management, equipment proposals and detailed specifications, as well as budgetary planning for the first 5 years of operation.

Sydney University

After returning to Australia, I am leading the planning and development of a research imaging facility to be based in a new $400 million building, the Centre for Obesity, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease (CODCD), to be based at the University of Sydney adjacent to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. The facility will include multimodality small animal imaging and a multimodality state of the art clinical imaging facility designed specifically for quantitative imaging research.

The imaging program will aim to be research-intensive and hypothesis-driven, will be led by scientists and clinician-scientists, and will aim to develop novel methods for quantitative and functional imaging of the heart and cardiovascular system, monitoring treatment of metabolic diseases, and regional body fat composition in humans, large animals and small animals.

1. Leadership in Radiology Education

1. Undergraduate

In 1996-97, I was involved in the planning for the IT transmission and development of new learning materials for the new postgraduate medical curriculum for Sydney University. At that time I was also involved in the process to appoint clinical academic radiologists across various clinical departments in the University of Sydney’s various medical schools.

Since 1998 I have been involved in planning medical student teaching programs for in-hospital postings to clinical radiology departments while in Singapore.

I also developed a learning syllabus in medical imaging for medical undergraduates from the National University of Singapore in 2001, and instigated a formal program to develop online teaching resources in Radiology for medical undergraduates.

From 2009 onwards I led the development of education and assessment in medical imaging for the graduate program for the University of Sydney, culminating in the completion of the undergraduate medical imaging curriculum at the end of 2009. In 2010 I was appointed Head of the Discipline of Imaging for the Sydney Medical School at the University of Sydney, and continue to progress development of vertically integrated teaching and learning in medical imaging across the 4 years of the Sydney Medical Program, with the aim of ensuring that students have access to consistent resources and undergo appropriate assessment of medical imaging knowledge in their training.

2. Postgraduate

Sydney

Since 1990, I have been conducting informal mock examination teaching sessions for Radiology trainees preparing for their final written and oral examinations for the FRANZCR and FRCR qualifications. I commenced this at my own initiative in Sydney, Australia, and continued this in Singapore.

Singapore

I proposed and helped to develop the Singapore FRCR 2B preparation course organised by the Singapore STC for Diagnostic Radiology, where radiology trainees formally underwent mock film reading and/or viva voce tutorials once a week under different instructors/tutors in the months leading up to their FRCR 2B examinations.

In 2004, I was appointed chairman of the national Specialist Training Committee (STC) for Diagnostic Radiology, which oversees postgraduate training in Radiology for all basic and advanced trainees within Singapore, and also acts as the advisory committee for Radiology qualifications for the Ministry of Health’s Specialist Accreditation Board.

Under my leadership, the supervisory and evaluation framework for trainees has been revamped, and since 2006 the STC developed a seamless 5-year training plan for Radiology trainees that was launched in May 2007. I developed new tools for progress evaluation and training assessment as part of this shift to seamless training.

The STC also ran the Master of Medicine examinations in Diagnostic Radiology at National University of Singapore, as well as the Exit Certification examinations for all Radiology trainees. In 2007, the College of Radiologists Singapore was formed, and I was elected as Chairman of the Education Board, which focussed on post-accreditation CME, CPD and training program development.
RANZCR

In 2001, I successfully obtained accreditation for the Department of Diagnostic Imaging at the National University Hospital in Singapore as a training centre for the FRANZCR qualification. NUH remains the only hospital outside Australia and New Zealand to receive this accreditation. Since that time, a number of trainees have been appointed and have successfully passed examinations conducted both in Singapore and Australia.

In September 2008 I joined the NSW Greater Metropolitan Clinical Taskforce (GMCT) as an academic representative, as well as the NSW Government Institute for Medical Education and Training (IMET) Radiology Training Implementation Group, to help improve and expand Radiology training across NSW.

In January 2009 I took up the position of Chief Censor for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists, resulting in the completion of a new curriculum and assessment program for professional Radiology training for our College trainees in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. I continue to lead this curriculum rollout and am leading changes in the RANZCR Training Centre Accreditation framework, reforming the structure and conduct of our College examinations, and planning the transition to a digitally based examination system.