• February 16, 2024
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The Official Newsletter of the University of Puthisastra (UP) Vol.130 for February 2024 Download

UP extends our best wishes to all candidates participating in the National Entrance Exam for Health Sciences Programs. May your hard work, dedication, and determination yield fruitful results, paving the way for a successful and fulfilling academic journey in the field of health sciences.

As the academic year 2023-2024 unfolds, aspiring students in Cambodia eagerly anticipate the National Examination for Bachelor’s Degree in Health Sciences, scheduled to take place on February 17th and 18th, 2024. This pivotal examination opens the doors to prestigious health sciences programs across the country, marking the beginning of promising careers in medical/health fields. With just days remaining until the examination, candidates are preparing to showcase their knowledge and skills in three core subjects: Mathematics, Chemistry, and Biology.

As the examination dates draw near, excitement and anticipation fills the air among candidates, educators, and families alike. For many, this examination represents a significant milestone in their academic journey and the realization of long-held aspirations to pursue careers in healthcare.As the examination dates draw near, excitement and anticipation fills the air among candidates, educators, and families alike. For many, this examination represents a significant milestone in their academic journey and the realization of long-held aspirations to pursue careers in healthcare.

The outcome of the examination will not only shape the future of individual candidates but also contribute to the advancement of the healthcare sector in Cambodia.

UP is proud to offer high quality health programs in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, midwifery and laboratory technology.

UP prides itself on:

• excellent student outcomes – obtaining 100% in final exit exams (2022)
• excellent training in both public and leading private hospitals
• having international exchanges – visits to Thailand, Australia, Europe etc
• including free English tuition – to ensure that graduates can practice in the international language of health – English – no extra to pay
• teaching by international experts – to be the best, learn from the best
• International recognition – top university in Cambodia and top 8 in Asia (THE)
• International qualifications – Foundation Year is recognised by UK and Australia and allows direct entry to top UK and Australian universities
• Cambodia’s largest pharmacy and Cambodia’s largest teaching dental hospital

Congratulations to 121 UP outstanding students of the academic year 2022-2023

On February 3, 2024, student services renewed the top-ranking students of the academic year 2022-2023 on the “Wall of Fame” that have delivered remarkable results for the academic year. 121 outstanding students come from each faculty at the University of Puthisastra.

The UP “Wall of Fame” was created to acknowledge those who have gone through their academic year and earned the most prominent academic achievement. This can motivate the new generation to be a hard-working student and the next honor.

MOU Signing Ceremony of the University of Puthisastra and Far Eastern University, Philippines

On February 8, 2024, there was a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony between the University of Puthisastra (UP) and Far Eastern University (FEU), which was held virtually via Zoom Meeting.

Mr. Juan Enrique J. Reyes, President of FEU, with Prof. Ian Findlay, President, and Vice-Chancellor, of UP signed the MOU and will work hand in hand together in terms of training and exchange experiences through this MOU. The purpose of this Agreement is to reflect the mutual intent of the parties to cooperate in carrying out building the capacity of FEU and UP’s students and staff, exchange programs, and other research cooperation between both universities. Far Eastern University will collaborate with UP through this MOU for a period of 5 years from 2024, to 2029.

UP signs MoU with Angkor Intellectual Academy (AIA)

UP is excited that UP has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Angkor Intellectual Academy (AIA) on 13 February 2024. This marks the official partnership between our two institutions as we work towards a common goal of promoting education and intellectual growth.

The MOU outlines the areas of collaboration between our two institutions. It serves as a framework for our future joint initiatives and projects that will benefit both our students and the education community as a whole.

We believe that this partnership will not only benefit our institutions, but also contribute to the development of our society by nurturing the next generation of leaders and professionals.

We are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and look forward to working closely with AIA. This MOU is a testament to our commitment to providing the best education opportunities for our students.

Fruitful Discussion with AIDE (AI for Innovative Design & Education)

The ICT and UP team had fruitful discussion with the AIDE (AI for Innovative Design & Education) team, affiliated with Asia Pacific University UNESCO Chair, Malaysia. The discussion aims to transform educational practices using AI tools. AIDE is an AI expert team who have developed a series of engaging AI modules that could be delivered as a series of workshops to share and collaborate on with UP in different modules.

The following modules represent the core components of our AIDE program are;

1. AI for Learning Design (AI-LD): This module simplifies and enhances instructional design using AI for personalized and engaging learning experiences. It empowers educators to create customized learning journeys, incorporate Universal Design for Learning principles, and streamline the learning design process.
2. AI for Academic Research (AI-RE): AI-RE focuses on making academic research more efficient and cost-effective by leveraging AI as a virtual research assistant. It assists with literature review, data analysis, summarizing findings, writing tasks, and personalized AI training for researchers.
3. AI for Academic Writing (AI-AW): AI-AW enhances academic writing through natural language processing. It aids in literature reviews, generates tables, citations, and research questions, and offers writing support while ensuring adherence to publication guidelines.
4. AI for Leveraging Efficiency in Administrative Productivity (AI-LEAP): AI-LEAP boosts productivity in education administration by automating tasks, analyzing data, optimizing resource allocation, scheduling, suggesting process improvements, generating reports, and facilitating data-driven decision-making.

UP staff Learn how to Learn

On January 13, 2024, Mr. Heim Mengkhim, from UP’s Faculty of Pharmacy, provided a training in Hall B, Building B to support the learning of students at the University of Puthisastra under the topic “Learning how to learn.” The purpose of this training is to share methods and experiences related to how to learn effectively.

Everyone enjoyed the following benefits:

1. Understand the mode of thinking and change the mental attitude in the study.
2. Avoid procrastination in studying or working, and know how to avoid all procrastination.
3. Understand and identify the method. How to remember
4. Technologies to facilitate and motivate students to study

UP Welcomes 23 Dentists from UK, Ireland and Australia

UP recently welcomed 23 dentists from the UK, Ireland, and Australia for a short visit as part of a study tour led by Dr Kevin Esplin. Dr Esplin is a specialist in prosthodontics with 35 years of experience. His practice received the award for “The Best Dental Practice in Britain” in 2015. Dr. Esplin has lectured in the USA and England and has been conducting dental education programs in his practice for the past 10 years.

Prof. Rodrigo Marino, the Acting Dean of Dentistry, extended a warm welcome and Asst. Prof. Dr. Sopharith, Deputy Dean of Dentistry, delivered a detailed presentation on dentistry in Cambodia, and our UP dental academic programs.

Dr. Sopharith and the Faculty of Dentistry team gave them a tour of the dental lab and the two dental hospitals, allowing them to observe our faculty of students providing treatment to patients.

We look forward to hosting more visiting dentists in the future.

The Study Tour of UP’s Medical Laboratory Students to Techo Santepheap National Hospital

On 1st February 2024, UP’s Department of Laboratory Sciences organized a Study Tour and visit for medical laboratory students’ year 3 batch 11 to the medical laboratory of Techo Santepheap National Hospital. The purpose of this visit is to strengthen students’ capacity and to acknowledge the testing in the medical laboratory and laboratory quality management system.

During the event, the Medical Laboratory Technology students explored their objectives, especially gained experience with the various machine technologies in the laboratory. For more information about the program: Please contact us via the telegram group ADL Information UP: https://t.me/+ZCFgJCnpqQI1ZDFl

UP joins CHPAA project

Nearly 200 medical professionals from the US and Cambodia, led by the Cambodian Health Professionals Association of America (CHPAA), are offering free medical examinations, treatment for common diseases, eye disorders, oral health issues, and women’s health issues, as well as free prescription drugs and eyewear, to residents in Praeh Vihea province.

The six-days medical examination and treatment programme took place from January 29, 2023, to February 3, 2023. CHPAA provided free medical check-ups at Three locations, including the 16 Makara Provincial Referral Hospital, Tbaeng meanchey District, Mlou Prey Health Center, Chhaeb District, Yeang Primary School, Jam Ksan District, Phreah Vihear Province. The free medical check-up started from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The pharmacy team consisted of thirty-three peoples. There are five pharmacists from the US; and Three pharmacist from from Cambodia and twenty-two pharmacy students from UP. As the pharmacy team had the largest number of members, We rotated to work on medication dispensing and support other teams, including pain management, Triage, baby breathing, and admin. The workflow in the pharmacy team followed the workflow practiced in community pharmacies in the US. The dispensing process for medications consisted of five main steps, including check-in, filling, verifying, pick-up, and consultation. Firstly, after meeting with doctors or dentists, the patients came to give the prescription to the pharmacy team for check in to ensure that they were for the right patients and right medication.

After that, other pharmacy team members prepared the medicines, including filling and labeling. The third step, checking the prescription and the filled medicines to ensure that the filled medicines correlate with the prescriptions. This step was verified by pharmacists from the US. Once the filled prescriptions were verified, other team members passed them on to the members who were in charge of the pickup step. They called out the patient’s name and handed the filled medicines to the members who were responsible for providing medication counseling to patients. The final step is consultation team was the last to ensure that medicines were used properly.

“It’s such a great involvement for us to explore and present to the mission of helping people in the rural areas of Praeh Vihear province. I have learned a lot of practical skills and knowledge that are crucial for their personal and professional growth. I’ve met a lot of people who do their hard work to contribute to our community and built friendships with incredible people after joining this mission.”

Level 2 at Haggove Primary School and Level 3 at the UP Clinic

UP’s Collaborating Centre for Innovation in Population Oral Health (CIPO) has collaborated with the Cambodia Oral Health Partnership (COHP), supported by Dr. Steve and his team, to provide level 2 treatment for the children at Haggov Primary School. Over the course of 5 days, our team successfully treated 243 children. These children required comprehensive treatments such as front teeth filling, root canal treatment, and tooth extraction. They were referred to the UP Hospital where they received free treatment under the supervision of a post-graduate diploma holder.

We extend our gratitude to everyone who contributed to this activity and helped bring smiles to the children of Cambodia.

CIPO provides Trainer of Training program

UP’s Collaborating Centre for Innovation in Population Oral Health (CIPO) recently supported a refreshing training program geared towards the Trainer of Training (TOT) initiative for Cambodia Smile, held at Kampong Chnang Province, on the 13th and 14th of February, 2024.

The event participation of distinguished professionals, including four esteemed members from the Provincial Health Department (PHD) – Dr. Chhai Chhean, Dr. Khoul Nithyea, Dr. Vorn Thida, and Ms. Kieng Narin, alongside two dedicated personnel from the Operative District (OD) Kampong Trolach, namely Ms. Voeuk Vanny and Ms. Chhem Sokny, and from the OD Baribour, namely, Ms. San Chandan and Mr. Chea Soayet.

The primary objective of this collaborative effort was to enhance their proficiency in administering fluoride varnish treatments to children within their respective communities, thereby elevating the quality of oral healthcare services provided.

Sharing session on Empowering Youth Across ASEAN

ICT Alumni had shared her experiences in Empowering Youths Across ASEAN and encouraged our students to join this wonderful event in Cohort 4. Participating in the Empowering Youths Across ASEAN program will be an incredibly rewarding experience that will provide with invaluable opportunities for growth, learning, and collaboration. As a young person passionate about making a positive impact in community and beyond, the program offered a platform to connect with like-minded individuals from across the ASEAN region who shared a similar vision. Sharing is caring.

Congratulations our partner, TUX Global Institute on the Official Opening of new Campus Building

ICT and UP team had joined an official opening of the new campus building of TUX Global Institute.As a partner of TUX Global Institute, we are delighted to witness this success. This is truly a momentous occasion that marks a significant milestone in the journey of TUX Global Institute towards academic excellence and innovation. Moving forward, our partnership will continue to thrive, fostering collaboration and driving positive change in the field of education.

Join the 2nd Cambodian Association of Medical Technologists Congress

Fourth-year students of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Puthisastra participated in a poster presentation at the 2nd Conference Program of the Cambodian Association of Medical Technologists (the 2nd CAMT Congress).
On Saturday, January 27, 2024, 4th year students, with the support of the staff of the Faculty of Medicine, participated in a poster presentation on two topics at the 2nd Conference Program of the Cambodian Association of Medical Technologists (the 2nd CAMT Congress). The purpose of attending this congress is to inspire and encourage students to be more pro-active and active in research activities related to medical biology in Cambodia. Especially this activity of joining will provide more experiences for students in the future.

Our pharmacy student attended a poster presentation under the topic of
1. Topic 1: Prevalence and Risk Factors of Helicobacter Pylori Infection Worldwide: A Systemic Review, presented by 4th year student Ros Poung Pich.
2. Topic 2: Prevalence of anemia among the Cambodian population: A systematic review presented by Lat Norrasatya, a fourth-year student

Clinical Pharmacy Club

Sharing experiences for the 8th week in the Clinical Pharmacy Club under the theme “Conducting Brown Bag Medicine Reviews” by the guest speaker, Ms. Eng Poliny, Manager of UP’s Pharmacy, in Hall H, Building H, University of Puthisastra, from 1:00 to 2:00 noon.

On Monday, December 25, 2023, Ms. Eng Poliny, Manager of the University of Puthisastra Pharmacy, participated as a guest speaker in a presentation at the Clinical Pharmacy Club under the theme “Conducting Brown Bag Medicine Reviews.”

The purpose of bringing this topic to light is so that students can understand many important points, such as

1. What is the Brown Bag Medicine Review?
2. Determine the amount of medication the patient is taking.
3. Pathway to do a medication review
4. Good website resources for practice in Brown Bag Medicine review.

UP detects protein in Cashew nuts for Nutraceutical Products

UP’s Pharmacognosy laboratory has developed a method to detect protein from nuts of Anacardium occidentale (cashew) which is a local plant in Cambodia. Cashew nuts are rich in protein, healthy fats, and anti-oxidants such as polyphenols. Cashews also offer several health benefits such as cholesterol reduction, heart disease prevention, stroke prevention, and diabetes prevention.

The nuts were tested with high technology of Kjedel machine to detect protein following a three-step: digestion, distillation, and titration to measures the total nitrogen content which was used to estimate the crude protein content by applying a conversion factor to the result. This study also supports and improve agricultural product in Cambodia for health benefits.

Further research is underway to develop cashews as nutraceutical products to promote Khmer product into the public and UP is looking for partners to develop this exciting opportunity.

Survey in Mondulkiri Province

On February 6 and 7, 2024, Pharmacy students from year 2 to year conducted a survey of medicinal plants use in Sen Monorom City, Mondulkiri Province.

The students put in a lot of effort throughout the two full-day activities to acquire information from a population of roughly 400 people spread across three districts in Sen Monorom. On the second day, they convened to enter and evaluate data with the assistance of faculty members.

In order to disseminate the main findings from the survey, students also presented the research study’s findings by group

on the second working day that focus on three main objectives:

1. To explore the social demographic and decision use of medicinal plant,
2. To determine the prevalence of medicinal plants among population in Mondulkiri,
3. To explore the factors associated use of medicinal plant among population in Mondulkiri.

It was such a wonderful experience for the students to learn and deep understand what is the research in health and social science.

Research Presentation at Mondulkiri province

On February 7, 2024, pharmacy students from year 2 to year 5 presented 8 research topics conducted in Saen Monorum town, Mondulkiri province.

The research was led by dean and lecturers of the Faculty of Pharmacy. Pharmacy students have been actively involved in research activities since the beginning starting from writing proposal, ethic committee request, data collection, data entry, data cleaning, data analysis, data interpretation and presentation preparation.

The eight research topics are the following:

1. Medication use review among citizen living in Saen Monorum town, Mondulkiri province.
2. The status of medicine storage by villagers in Cambodia: A study in Saen Monorum town, Mondulkiri province.
3. Hypertension risk level among adult people in Saen Monorum town, Modulkiri province.
4. Risk assessment of diabetes mellitus and its risk factors among villagers living in Saen Monorum town, Mondulkiri province.
5. The prevalence of medicinal plants uses and consultation with traditional healer among populations in Mondulkiri province.
6. Factor associated with medicinal plants used among population in Mondulkiri province.
7. Experiences and decision uses of medicinal plants among population in Mondulkiri province.
8. Voucher specimen collection in Mondulkiri province.

Mondulkiri Province was established in 1961 by His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk with 3 districts: Koh Nhek, Chbar and Oreang. It is located in the northeastern region of Cambodia, 382 kilometers from Phnom Penh. There are 1 town and 4 districts, divided into 4 sangkat, 17 communes and 92 villages. The province has a total area of 14,288 square kilometers, covered by forests, mountains and plateaus rich in valleys and streams. It is bordered by Vietnam, 312,303 km east and south, to Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Binh Phuoc provinces, to the north by Stung Treng and Ratanakkiri provinces and adjacent to Kratie province to the west. The province has a total population of 84,624 peoples, 42,087 females, equivalent to 19,807 families and a population density of 6 people/km2. 8 Indigenous peoples are living in this province, including Pnong, Kroul, Kreung, Steang, Tampuon, Jarai, Thmoun and Kavet. The population are engaged in agriculture (82%), handicrafts (1%) and services (17%) (Mondulkiri Governor, 2019).

UP Pharmacy students led Children Health Education and Charity Project at Putang Primary School, Mondulkiri

Mondulkiri Province: On Wednesday, 7th, February, 2024, Prof. Chea Sin, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy led students from the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Puthisastra as well as members of UYFC to conduct a children’s health education workshop and charity project at Putang Primary School in Mondulkiri Province.

During the health education workshop, UP Pharmacy students taught important topics on sanitary to the primary school students from grade 1 to grade 3 on sanitary topics and students from grade 4 to grade 6 on parasite topics as well as games/activities with the students after class. At the end of the workshop, Prof. Chea Sin, along with other UP Pharmacy staff members and students distributed donation gifts to 240 primary school students and teachers of Putang Primary School.

This initiative has contributed to not only improve hygiene practice for primary school students, provide needed resources to those who live in remote areas of Cambodia but also allowed UP Pharmacy students to learn valuable leadership skills, communication skills and more importantly the community engagement skills.

Science Research Program Organized a Seminar entitled “Recovery of Collagen/Gelatin from Fish Waste with Carbon Dioxide as a Green Solvent”

On Wednesday, 7th February 2024, the Science Research Program, at UP organized a special seminar entitled “Recovery of Collagen/Gelatin from Fish Waste with Carbon Dioxide as a Green Solvent” via Google Meet. The honored invited speaker of the seminar was Mr. Phon Sophat, a Ph.D. candidate in Analytical Chemistry from the King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), Thailand, and Ms. Chhun Sreynich, UP Science Research Lecturer as facilitator.

This special seminar was organized to share the recovery technique for collagen/gelatin for fish skin and bone by using carbon dioxide, and scientific research experience from the speaker. After the special seminar ended, all participants learned and gained a lot of knowledge and experience from our invited speaker.

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