The Official Newsletter of the University of Puthisastra (UP)-Vol.89 June 2022 Download

University of Puthisastra would like to inform new students who have not yet registered for the Foundation year AY 2021-2022 that the 2nd intake for Foundation Year at UP starts from the 30th of May, 2022! Class starts: 13 June 2022.

Register NOW via the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchyJhX6Z2fRiXRswu-8pCPxO0dUjunudPMha-Pc9E9Ms5ngg/viewform

You need to make sure that the information filled in the form is clear and accurate. For students who have registered for the 1st Intake, there is no need to register again. Deadline of Registration and Payment by 17th June!

For more details, you can join the university’s official Telegram Group via the link (UP Admissions ព័ត៌មានសិក្សានៅ ពុទ្ធិសាស្រ្ត) https://t.me/UPAdmissions

Foundation Year Students are invited to the Big Launch 2022!

The first day of university is your first chance to find your way around the campus, or learn the pathways to new classes in university. It’s a lot to learn in one day, so don’t be surprised if you need a reminder or two.

The Big Launch will take place in University of Puthisastra campus on the 7th of June 2022. This event will largely communicate and contribute as a welcoming, supportive environment, get to know UP policies, get familiar with available resources such as offices and people with academic expectations of the university.

In addition, University of Puthisastra will build community awareness activity and confidence input for new students to be ready for their university life. It might help to write a few notes to yourself, so you’ll remember the important stuff, like the visit and discover of all university’s LAB available!

Management team, staff and lecturer of the University of Puthisastra is very glad to welcome our upcoming foundation year students to join UP Family. Join us now and don’t miss this major event!

UNIVERSITY OF PUTHISASTRA DENTAL STUDENTS GOING TO USA WITH ROTARACT

Rotaract is an international organization of service clubs for men and women aged 18-30 that fosters leadership and responsible citizenship, encourages high ethical standards in business, and promotes international understanding and peace. Rotaract stands for “Rotary In Action”. It is a program of Rotary International and has grown into a major organization of over 10,904 clubs spread around the world and over 203,000 members in 189 countries.

The University of Puthisastra (UP) addresses the future by focussing its class-leading education only in health and technology – the three disciplines that are transforming our 21st Century lives.

With over 2,200 students, UP educates, trains and most importantly inspires the next generation of doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, midwives, laboratory technicians, computer scientists and technology entrepreneurs to become our future Leaders and create a positive, bright, and healthy future for all of us.

UP is large enough to make a real difference yet small enough to care and nurture each individual student.

UP graduates make highly valuable employees and future leaders – with skills ready to seize the 21st Century:
1. Degree – in their chosen field.
2. English fluency – English is the International Language and the Language of Success. No need to study elsewhere.
3. Critical thinking – to evolve as our technological world evolves.
4. Professional Communication Skills – ensuring that health professionals communicate effectively to maximize patient outcomes.
5. Employability skills – advantages in gaining and maintaining successful careers.
6. Professional and ethical practices – to enhance reputation and be the best.

The University of Puthisastra Rotaract Club was formed before the Covid pandemic, but has been limited in what it could do over the past two years. However, the student members have been involved in several projects including the Days for Girls project, donating food (to a Food Bank), Kampong Preh mission (joined with RCPPM), Joyful Toy Share project (joined with RCPPM), and Krochab school project. The Rotaract values match those of UP – which is about giving back to the community, and developing leadership among young people. For example, UP mounts about 50 missions per year to help disadvantaged communities, orphanages and other needy groups.

The inaugural president of UP Rotaract was Dr. Chhray Mengkheng (a UP part-time lecturer) who is now the Charter President of the club. The club is sponsored by two Rotary clubs: the Rotary Club of Phnom Penh Central and the Rotary Club of Phnom Penh Capital.

The UP Rotaract club has an elected executive with the following members:
• President: Horm Sotheareak
• Charter president: Chhray Mengkheng
• Vice president: Houn Maradin
• Public Relation director: Tan Bunho and Nhil Yuk Yl
• Treasurer: Lorn Pichmarrynet
• Community service director: Eang Sokun, Ho Puthyka, Dhep Sereyratana, Chomto Nyta
• Fund Raising director: Pen Keopanha, Chay Lyhour
• Media: Hout Techhong, Chen Raksmey, Leang Hengpiseth, Chin Sovanmony
• Administration Director: Eong Rongsonid
The UP Rotaract club has set the following priorities for its activities:
• Promote peace
• Fight disease
• Provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene
• Save mothers and children
• Support education
• Grow local economies
• Protect the environment.

The club was very excited to be invited to attend the annual Rotary International Convention from 4-8 June 2022 in Houston, Texas. Over 20,000 participants are expected from all over the world. Seven UP students have been invited to attend: Bunho, Bunhuch, Maradin, Kimchheang, Raksmey, Yuk Yl and Sileng. They are flying to the US on Tuesday 31 May.

The students hope that during the trip they will learn more about the vision and work of Rotary International and Rotaract around the world, gain insight into how to develop successful projects, make new friends, establish new connections, promote Cambodia, and experience a taste of life in the USA. A farewell for the students at UP was overseen by the President Professor Ian.

SPEECH CONTEST ON TOBACCO TAX – FINAL ROUND

The tobacco tax speech contest came to the final round last week. The event took place at CKCC in front of about 250 people, including many UP staff and students. The honored guests were H.E Professor Thea Kruy, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Education, H.E Vann Puthipol, Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry of Economics and Finance, and Professor Ian Findlay, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Puthisastra. President Ian Findlay opened the event with a challenging speech highlighting the detrimental effects that tobacco use has on people’s health and longevity, as well its financial implications, which are both personal and national. He said “Tobacco kills people. It causes major economic loss, contributes to environment disaster, and causes a very substantial and very real threat to economic and health development”. To conclude the President thanked the invited guests, the five finalists, the organizing committee, the Cambodian Movement for Health, and the audience for making this event successful and for raising the awareness of this important issue among the general public.

His Excellency Professor Thea Kruy in his speech congratulated the University of Puthisastra and the Cambodian Movement for Health for making this event possible – and indicated his support for this type of “upstream intervention” (increasing tax on tobacco) in order to reduce the harm that tobacco causes. He added that UP is the only health science university that has “done what should be done, and not done what should not be done”. He indicated his strong support for UP and the Cambodian Movement for Health to organize more such events in the future.

H.E Vann Puthipol was also supportive, but pointed out that simply increasing tax is not without its challenges. He said that such an intervention could lead to an increase in smuggling of tobacco products from abroad, and would also impact on the livelihoods of Cambodian farmers who grow tobacco. Each competition finalist spoke for about five minutes on the topic of tobacco tax, and put forward many convincing arguments. After the scores were submitted by the 4 judges – Dr Chea Sin (Dean of Pharmacy, UP), Ms Chuong Chanboramey (President, UP Student Senate), Dr Ray Rany (MOH) and Dr Mom Kong (Head of Cambodian Movement for Health) – the winners were announced:

– Sim Sreyleap (Net Yang High School, Battambang) : 1st place
– Roth Channet (University of Puthisastra): 2nd place
– Pailin Leakhena (University of Indrawichea, Siem Reap): 3rd place

UP congratulates all five finalists, and hopes in the future to use its position as a health science university to continue to promote better health for all Cambodians.

EXTENDED OPENING HOURS BRINGING IN MORE PATIENTS

This semester the UP Dental Hospital extended its opening hours until 7.30pm six nights per week. This is to provide more options to patients, who sometimes are unable to take time off work to come during the day, and also to provide more
opportunities for students to develop their clinical skills. At first not many patients were coming in the evenings, but this has been gradually increasing in recent weeks, and some evenings are now quite busy, especially on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings when we also have our orthodontic clinics.

If you would like to see a dental student, general dentist or dental specialist during the evening, please call our receptionist on 012-414563 for an appointment.

Understanding Cervical Cancer & Cervical Cancer Vaccination

According to the World Health Organization, there were around 604 000 new cases of women with cervical cancer globally in 2020. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine plays an important role in reducing the number of cases of cervical cancer among women. Thus, the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery will be conducting a training course: “Understanding of Cervical Cancer and Cervical Cancer Vaccination” in order to disseminate important information to students and healthcare providers.

The training will be delivered by Dr. Lim Chanmoniroth, who specializes in Gynaecology and Obstetrics. The training will focus on (1) Causes (2) Clinical manifestation (3) Pathophysiology (4) Diagnostics and (5) the role of the HPV vaccine.

The training will be held on 4th June, 2022 from 9:00am to 11:00am, and will be free.

Memorandum of Understanding between City University, Malaysia & University of Puthisastra

The University of Puthisastra has grown in terms of collaboration with both local and international universities over the course of the year, providing more opportunities for its students to complete standard clerkships, learn about health sciences and healthcare in other countries, and develop networking skills.

Therefore, on March 31, 2022, the University of Puthisastra signed another Memorandum of Understanding with a well-known university in Malaysia, City Malaysia.This Memorandum of Understanding links both institutions in the following areas:

• Identifying potential progression pathway for students (Undergraduate and post graduate)
• Student exchange and staff exchange
• Joint research collaboration
• Extending research facilities to students and faculties

Moreover, both parties have expressed strong interest in this collaboration and look forward to working together to improve the quality of education, particularly in the health sciences, not only within the border but globally.

UP Supports Groundbreaking Live Motion-Capture Theatre Performance, Mixing Dentistry, Music & Art In Hi-Tech Show!

James Speck, an award winning animator and designer, recently worked alongside staff members from the Faculty of Dentistry and the Faculty of English, to produce an interactive art, music and theatre production, My Dentist is Groovy (Teeth! The Story of Life), which premiered on 21st May, 2022 at Meta House, the acclaimed German-Cambodian cultural centre.

Mr. Speck says that the show was directly inspired by his own experience of undergoing periodontal surgery in Phnom Penh, which he characterised as a “very positive” one, stating that Cambodia has some of the best dentists in the region, thanks to ground-breaking programmes like those at UP.

“Upon seeing my dental x-ray, I could clearly see my entire life story in front of me. Decades of dental care, decades of the story of my life – all right there on the X-ray. And the other thing was my pleasant surprise at the excellent and affordable dental care available here in Cambodia.”

Mr. Speck is hoping to schedule more performances both locally and internationally in 2022-2023.

“The main concepts of the play, which is based on traditional Khmer storytelling, are the Buddhist philosophy of ‘acceptance’ and the abstract ‘absurdist concepts’ of French author Albert Camus,” Speck says.

The play enjoyed live actors and production support from UP, including long-serving English lecturer Mr. Dave Spencer, and Mr. Eng Sokchan playing the role of ‘Dr. Groovy Luv’ – Sokchan is also a lecturer in English alongside Dave. Traditional Khmer dance and spoken word acting were also provided by Ms. Norin Rathana (also a lecturer within the multi-talented Faculty of English!) and the play was further supported by Mr. Daniel Gillard (Head of the Faculty of English) and technical support was provided by Professor Callum Durward (Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry).

Sokchan stated: “It has been my pleasure to work with James and be a part of this play. Having worked with James for weeks, I have learned that we both believe in dedication, teamwork and discipline.”

Speck says that having Sokchan step-up and agree to act in the play was a stroke of luck and he’s been impressed by Sokchan’s courage and openness to trying out anything while developing the role.

“His strong knowledge of traditional Cambodian music has been the bridge to mix and connect it with today’s western-style music,” says Speck

“I love listening to Cambodian chapei musicians, including Kram Ngoy, Prach Chhoun and Master Kong Nai,” says Sokchan, adding that he never learned how to sing formally and had taught himself by singing along with recordings.

Speck says that the students, teachers, and faculty from the UP have been “amazing” and that Head of English, Daniel Gillard fully embraced the play as a positive humanities-oriented project.

Daniel Gillard added that the University of Puthisastra is always happy to support productions like these because it gives our students and staff a unique opportunity to get outside of their comfort zones and learn from new experiences.

Smile transformation in the UP Dental Hospital

Midwifery CPD training workshop on Pre-Pregnancy Care

On 21st May 2022, Midwifery department has organized a training workshop on Pre-Pregnancy care via zoom for everyone, especially for midwifery who join will receive 3 CPD point which recognized by Midwifery Council in Cambodia.

Purpose-Driven Leadership Camp available for UP students

Brighton Academy is a Singapore-Cambodia non-profit network that aims to nurture Cambodians as future-ready leaders through connection to resources and mentorship. The Brighton Academy calls for application to join Leadership Camp on 25-26 June 2022!

Do you want to:
1. make meaningful friendships with student leaders from Singapore?
2. learn to become a leader to impact Cambodia and the world?
3. have loads of fun?

WE WANT YOU!

Brighton Academy and Youth Leaders from Singapore
Date: 25-26 June, 2022 (9am Saturday- 5pm Sunday)
Participant: Year 2 UP Students Only
Food and Lodging: Provided

Learning Objectives:
• Develop Your Leadership Style
• Recognize Your Strengths and Weaknesses
• Understand the Art of Effective Communication

UP signs MOU with UiTM in Malaysia

UP has signed an MOU with UiTM, one of the largest and most highly regarded universities in Malaysia. The MOU will confirm our ongoing collaboration which have included in recent years a student exchange program, a UP lecturer acting as an External Examiner for their MPH course, and UiTM lecturers teaching our dental students in the fields of Dental Pharmacology, Special Care Dentistry, Oral Maxillofacial (OMF) Surgery and OMF radiology.

Their specialists have provided our students with the latest information in these areas online. We are very happy to be collaborating with UiTM, and look forward to the student exchange program starting again in 2022. Thanks for Prof Callum Durward and Prof Dato’ Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abu Hassan, the Deans of each school, for their efforts in bringing about the signing of this MOU.

UP ICT and English Department join the Annual Career Forum at Passerelles numériques Cambodia (PNC)

The annual Career Forum took place on Sunday 22 May 2022. This forum helps graduates from Associate Degree
programs seek employment and further their academic pursuit especially in technology sector. The Forum organized annually by Passerelles numériques (PN), a non-profit organization under French law, created in 2005, operating in three Asian countries: Cambodia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Their mission is to provide education, technical and professional training in the digital sector to young underprivileged people by leveraging their potential and willpower.

Continuous Medical Education Session by Dr. Lak Samnang Organized by the Faculty of Medicine

Dr. Lak Samnang, general surgeon at Sunrise Japan Hospital, presented “The Early Detection and Management of Colorectal Cancer by Endoscopic Mucosal Resection and Hot Polypectomy” on Saturday 7th May 2022. Dr. Samnang, UP alumnus, highlighted in his presentation that, even though the disease can occur at any age, it is important to get a colonoscopy from the age of 45 years as the incidence of colon cancer increases with age. Older people should have their colon checked regularly every 10 years.

An early diagnosis allows for less invasive treatments and is linked to a better prognosis. Advanced stages with metastases require surgery and chemotherapy.

Dr. Samnang ended his presentation by illustrating three cases that were treated successfully at his hospital. At the end of the session, he answered questions from the audience.

UP Pharmacy prepared to launch Master’s Degree in November

A Master is an advanced degree conferred by universities around the world for completion of graduate study in a specific discipline. Master’s degree programs typically take one to two years to complete and further prepare graduates for a career in their chosen field.

Obtaining a Master’s degree offers numerous professional, personal and academic benefits to students who graduated from a Bachelor program. Masters degrees are available across various fields of study, including the Arts, Business, Engineering and Technology, Law, Humanities, Social Sciences, Biological and Life Sciences, and the Natural Sciences.

Within each of those fields of study, Faculty of Pharmacy (Fop) University of Puthisastra is preparing to launch the two of master’s degree programs in November.

1.Master of Medical Biology (MMB): refers to a medical specialty that uses laboratory techniques (analysis, microscopy, immunology, bacteriology, virology, hematology, etc.) to contribute notably to the evaluation of a patient’s health, the diagnosis of pathologies, the follow-up of treatments, etc.

Medical biology covers several specialized branches:
• Biology of infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, parasites and hospital hygiene)
• Reproductive biology (analysis of seminal fluids and technical assistance for medically assisted reproduction)
• Immunology (study of the body’s defense mechanisms, essential during transplants and grafts)
• Biological hematology (diagnosis of blood pathologies)
• Molecular biology (study of molecules supporting hereditary coding – DNA and RNA nucleic acids)
• Cytogenetics (study of chromosomes).
2. Master of Pharmaceutical Science (M.Pharm.): is a 4-semester thesis-based program for students interested in a broad range of scientific disciplines critical to the discovery and development of new drugs and therapies that impact our global health.
Programs areas include:
• Quality Assurance and Quality Control
• Pharmacokinetics and Clinical Pharmacy
• Public Health and medication
• Hospital Pharmacy

Faculty of Pharmacy, UP and PillTech Solution Co., Ltd., together for Counting Professional Development (CPD) of Cambodian Pharmacists in 2022

University of Puthisastra (UP) is a private university in Cambodia focusing on health sciences and information technology. For many years, Faculty of Pharmacy (FoP) cooperated with various companies and other external partners such as community pharmacy, medical laboratory, hospitals, private clinics, and so on with memorandum of understanding (MOU) to exchanges the professions, improve the capacity of the students and develop the pharmacy professionals.

One of our partners, PillTech Solution Co., Ltd. which is a pharmacy platform which representing innovative ideas designed and developed to help identify and resolve daily pharmacy operation problems, specifically for the young pharmacy owners, together with FoP, we will host continuing professional development (CPD) in July, 2022 on the topic related to the importance of digital transformation for SMEs Pharmacy.

The training will build the capacity of the participants on healthcare application to process the ordering and pharmacy management for pharmacists who are currently working in community pharmacies, hospitals, and other health care centers in Cambodia. Moreover, the training will provide the appropriate continuing education to develop professional competency in pharmacy practice.

The expectation after the training, FoP and PillTech Solution Co., Ltd. is that pharmacists who participate in the training will gain more knowledge and valuable experiences in using smart technologies for their pharmacy profession.

UP Pharmacy simulation lab

The Pharmacy Simulation Lab is a laboratory located on the 5th floor of Building L, Room L53 of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Puthisastra, Phnom Penh. This Lab is designed and developed directly by the faculty staff; it has the same qualifications as a real community pharmacy.
The purpose of establishing this Pharmacy Simulation Lab is to:
• Apply directly to the knowledge of community pharmacy.
• Practice as pharmacists by following the OSCE exam.
• Learn about any common disease cases in community pharmacies.
• Share medical knowledge with each other
• Learn how to organize by classification of the drug and how to manage stock which is important in a community pharmacy.

More than this, the Pharmacy Simulation Lab of the Faculty of Pharmacy is planning to equip a new management system that is useful for general management, as well as stock control, all of which really provide advantages and benefits for pharmacy students who have a goal and plan to open a community pharmacy or work in a community pharmacy in the future.

The Pharmacy Simulation Lab will be open for students to study and practice soon, as well as the preparation of different types of medications and decorations. The Faculty of Pharmacy hope all the students will gain a lot of additional knowledge with this lab.

The Faculty of Medicine Establishes a New Club for Its Students

After the success in running pre-hospital training courses for MD year 4 to year 7 students, the Faculty of Medicine has established a new club named “UP Simulation Training Club”. The main aim is to form a practical competency team composed of UP students. This club will help to strengthen the MD students’ clinical skills and to train them to be the future pre-hospital training instructors.

Joining this club will be beneficial to the students as they will:
• Improve their simulation and clinical skills.
• Become simulation trainers.
• Have an opportunity to be pre-hospital training instructors.
• Be allowed to access all the manikins and equipment of the Faculty.
• Have a better understanding of the administrative work of the Faculty.
• Improve team work and communication skills.

There will be 3 phases in the path to become a competent simulation instructor. The beginners will receive training of the trainers (TOT) and will be introduced to the pre-hospital training organization.

They will have to help with administrative tasks twice and act as facilitators before being upgraded to the intermediate level. At this level, they will be instructor assistants during the simulation practice.

After two times, they will reach an advanced level and will be in charge of one station with a qualified instructor. Joining this club will be an important experience for the students and will be beneficial to their future career.

Pharma Career Club week 1:
Clinical Pharmacy – Roles of a clinical pharmacist in Cambodia

We are excited to announce that UP Pharma Career Club is back! UP Pharma Career Club is run by the Faculty of Pharmacy to help pharmacy students determine their career pathways. Students have opportunities to meet inspiring pharmacy professionals who work in different fields of pharmacy every week. In the very first week of UP Pharma Career Club 2022-2023, we invited Miss. YEM Samneang, an alumna of University of Puthisastra (UP), as our guest speaker.

Miss. YEM Samneang received her bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from UP. She is currently working as a clinical pharmacist at Sunrise Japan Hospital Phnom Penh.

Her talk during the previous session helped students gain more insights into the roles and the responsibilities of a clinical pharmacist and hospital pharmacy workflow. We believe that the information she provided will help prepare students for their future careers, particularly for those wishing to work as clinical pharmacists in standard hospitals.

Monument Books has partnered with the University of Puthisastra

Are you a bookworm in search of new and fascinating titles to read?

That’s wonderful news! The University of Puthisastra has just signed an agreement with Monument Books with the joint goal of promoting the reading habit for the UP community.

Monument Books in Cambodia is renowned for its books in English but also offers a selection of books in a variety of other languages. It carries a wide selection of books, including an up-to-date range of popular fiction and non-fiction, children’s books, and books on the history of Cambodia and Southeast Asia. Travel, Cookery, Health, Parenting, Self-help, Religion, Art, Design, and general reference books, including dictionaries and atlases.

From now on, all Monument Books purchases made by UP students, staff, and alumni will receive a 10% discount. It’s as simple as walking in and presenting your ID card.

Let’s get reading and have a positive impact on those around us. “A book is a gift you can open again and again.” – Garrison Keillor
Monument Books: #111, Norodom Blvd, Sangkat Chaktomuk, Phnom Penh 12207, Cambodia