In this section:
If you are looking to start your journey to becoming a physician, make an enquiry today!
Provide feedback on policy and advocacy issues that matter to you.
Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Haji Mohamed Ismail Merican is currently the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Board of Governors of MAHSA University. He is also practising as a Consultant Hepatologist and Internal Medicine Specialist at Prince Court Medical Centre, Malaysia. From 2005 till 2011, he held the post of the Director-General of Health of Malaysia, President of the Malaysian Medical Council and was a member of the Promotion Board of the Malaysian Civil Service. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of the National Heart Institute, Chairman of the National Committee for Clinical Research, Chairman of Drug Control Authority, Chairman of National Poisons Board, Chairman of Medicine Advertisement Board and Chairman of Pharmacy Board. After successfully obtaining his postgraduate degree in United Kingdom in 1980, he underwent endoscopic training in London and Tokyo and was selected the ‘Most Outstanding Fellow of the Year’ by the Japanese Council for Medical Training in 1987. He subsequently received the Commonwealth Fellowship Award by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission for training in Hepatology at the Royal Free Hospital in London in 1991. On his return to Malaysia, he set up the first specialised Hepatology service in Malaysia, initially at Kuala Lumpur Hospital and later at Selayang Hospital. He has received numerous state, national and international awards and several Fellowships from the Royal College of Physicians of London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, the Academy of Sciences and Academy of Medicine of Malaysia, the Academy of Family Physicians of Malaysia and the Malaysian Science Association. He was also selected to participate in the ‘Leaders in development Course: Managing Political and Economic Change’, held at John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Ismail is a Founding Member (on behalf of Ministry of Health of Malaysia) of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) for 10 years, together with Medecins San Frontieres (or Doctors without Borders), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil, Kenya Medical Research Institute in Kenya, Indian Institute for Medical Research in India, Institute Pasteur France and the WHO/TDR Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO-TDR). He is currently appointed to be a Friend of DNDi and Advsior for MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and Asia. Ismail has bee the Overseas Advisor for the Royal College of Physicians of London and Official Examiner for the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians (United Kingdom) Examination since 1997. Tan Sri Ismail is a well-known investigator in liver disease research and was responsible for setting up the Network of Clinical Research Centres within the National Institutes of Health Malaysia of the Ministry of Health, Malaysia. To this day, he is still deeply immersed and committed to undertaking research work especially in chronic hepatitis B and C and has been Principal Investigator for numerous multi-centre international clinical trials on hepatitis B and C. He has, to date, numerous publications in local, regional and international peer-reviewed journals on various topics especially those pertaining to epidemiology, sero-prevalence and treatment of chronic hepatitis. The innate flair and talent for writing that he possesses has seen him being appointed as the Editor-in Chief of the Malaysian Health Guide. He has published more than 100 papers in peer- reviewed national and international scientific journals and is a popular guest speaker at various national and international conferences and forums. He has authored and co-authored several books including ‘Management of common gastroenterological problems: a Malaysia & Singapore perspective’ which is now in its 5th edition. Academically, he is deeply involved as an honorary clinical consultant with several Medical Faculties in Malaysia. His expertise and leadership qualities are well acknowledged and respected, and his guidance frequently sought after by various international organisations such as the World Health Organisation, United National Development Programme and the World Bank. His special expertise includes crisis management, communication skills, health care financing, health care reforms, health administration and management, clinical research, medical and postgraduate education, as well as his clinical expertise as a Hepatologist and Internal Medicine specialist. He is one of the few who has suited action to good intentions and made visible changes for the better, within and outside the Ministry of Health. Of his management style, many would describe him as a man of few but well-chosen words, conveying vision with brevity and clarity. Holding to the principle that one should not only be knowledgeable but also sensitive to the needs of subordinates, he is well known for his no nonsense attitude and is obsessed with punctuality, discipline, and decorum.