'The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.' - Plutarch, Greek philosopher, c 46 AD 120 AD Teaching is one of the most important professions in the world. The teacher is actively involved in shaping the minds of the next generation, thereby contributing to the growth and advancement of society. Indeed, the teaching profession is more a calling than a vocation, resulting from a strong interest and commitment to education. The vision statement of the National University of Singapore (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSoM) lists impartation of core knowledge and skills as one of its major educational goals. This is certainly an important objective in teaching. Expanding on this, I agree with Plutarchs view that education should not simply be a matter of transferring factual information from the teacher to the student. Thus, as an educator, I strive to go the extra mile towards stimulating the minds of my students, stoking the fire of learning within them so that they will become lifelong independent learners. Looking back, I see that many of my own teachers, who are excellent educators that have inspired and successfully taught numerous generations of students, shared the same ideologies that shaped my teaching philosophy. In my teaching career, I have focused upon the following fundamentally important areas of education: 1. Provision of relevant core knowledge and skill training in the subject. 2. Stimulation and encouragement of learners to master the subject, and to apply their knowledge and skills towards achievement of future career goals. 3. Development of critical thinking skills as well as research and problem-solving strategies in students, empowering them to become independent lifelong learners. Over the past thirteen years, I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Students groups that I have taught include: 1. Undergraduate students a. Medical b. Dental c. Pharmacy d. Biomedical Science e. Bioengineering 2. Graduate students a. Doctor of Philosophy b. Master of Science c. Master of Dental Surgery Students from the various groups have different educational backgrounds, study styles, learning goals and course requirements. Thus, I tailor my methods of instruction to capitalise on the strengths and experience of each group of students to maximise the learners potential. Undergraduates who take the Anatomy course in NUS are first year students who have just completed their GCE A level examinations to enter the university. The didactic methods of instruction in junior colleges are very different from those used in a tertiary institution. Thus, when teaching these students, I go slowly in the first few lessons in order to give them time to adjust to university life and the essential new styles of learning. In my classes, I ensure that well-defined and achievable learning goals are set to cater to the needs of students from different courses. I encourage students to draw on their life experiences to make learning more effective and enjoyable. For example, when students are taught about the anatomy of the knee joint, I encourage them to picture their elderly relatives who suffer from osteoarthritic knee pain. By doing this, students are immediately able to appreciate the clinical relevance of the subject matter. To inspire and stimulate interest in learning, I show them clinical photographs of patients with knees deformed by osteoarthritis, and knee X-rays that illustrate degenerated joint surfaces. In addition, I challenge them to read beyond their textbooks, and to critically analyse how clinical signs and symptoms may be correlated with pathological changes in the knee joint. Possible treatments and ways to improve patients quality of life are also discussed through problem-based learning methods, thereby encouraging students to be creative and innovative in their problem-solving skills and to apply their knowledge to areas beyond what are covered in textbooks. These study objectives are particularly relevant for medical students in their professional development. In my experience, I have found lectures to be very effective for imparting core knowledge. However, for mastery of the subject matter, skill training and development of critical thinking, other instructional modalities such as small group tutorials and practical classes, as well as computer and multimedia learning aids, simulations and role-plays, produce excellent results. These teaching modalities encourage students to think through and apply what they have learned, and at the same time provide them with opportunities for discussion and clarification of doubts. I conduct my classes in a stress-free manner, providing students with a safe environment where they feel comfortable with asking questions to clarify their doubts. Humour is one of the tools in my armamentarium for a lively and interesting class, and helps to put students at ease so that they can focus on learning and freely express their thoughts. In addition, I emphasise the importance of having a thorough overview of the subject so that students will not be overwhelmed by minute details, thereby missing the wood for the trees. Active learning, as opposed to passive attendance of classes, is achieved through the use of learning aids and discussions. I make it a point to know every student in my tutorial groups so that I can monitor each persons progress and provide additional coaching when necessary. To ensure that students achieve their learning goals, I actively solicit feedback from them. In addition, I provide them with formative assessments throughout the course so that they can monitor their own progress and take responsibility for their learning. I adopt a similar approach when supervising undergraduate and graduate students who carry out research projects under my guidance. Comments from past and present students have confirmed that once the teacher has captured the learners attention and shown him the importance and relevance of the subject, the student will proactively and independently seek to learn more, as well as develop the capacity for critical and analytical thinking. Indeed, students have often approached me for further in-depth learning and research opportunities during their vacation, even after they have passed their examination and have advanced to the next stage of their studies. It has often been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. This is especially true in the teaching of Anatomy, where the subject requires students to understand the three-dimensional spatial relationships between various organs in the human body. Learning becomes even more challenging in the subject of Medical Embryology, where the anatomy of the embryo changes rapidly over a short period of time during development. I make use of a wide array of technologies to address these issues. Diagrams and photographs are extensively incorporated into PowerPoint presentations in my lectures and tutorials to help students visualise the various body structures being studied. Interactive, custom-designed Flash animations and other multimedia learning aids are used regularly in my classes, as these help to capture the attention of the students, accelerate their learning and stimulate their creativity. In addition, students are able to access these teaching materials in computer clusters on campus, as well as download them onto their laptops for independent learning and revisions at home. I use the NUS Integrated Virtual Learning Environment (IVLE) for class management, communication with large groups of students and distribution of notes and assignment. Besides scheduled classes and consultations during office hours, students are welcome to ask questions related to their studies through e-mails at other times. E-mailing also provides reserved students the opportunity to seek clarifications in their studies, as they may be hesitant to ask questions in the classroom environment. In addition to module teaching and development of teaching materials, I am actively involved in curriculum development. Currently, a major undertaking is the overhaul of the undergraduate medical course to ensure that students receive the necessary and relevant training for them to rise up to the demands of the medical profession in the new millennium. Started more than five years ago, revision of the first phase of the curriculum aims to achieve horizontal integration of the various subjects taught within each level. For first year students, this is done by integrating the three basic biomedical science subjects, namely Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry. Having successfully completed the first phase, the curriculum is now ready to move on to the next stage of its reform in 2008, which is vertical integration of subjects taught across all five years of medical school. I am an active participant in teaching workshops, seminars and conferences. These include the weeklong NUS-Harvard Medical International Program for Educators workshops held in 2006 and 2007, during which a wide variety of educational topics was covered, including curriculum planning strategies, student assessment, and educational research. At the 5th Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference (APMEC) in 2008, I was shortlisted for the Best Poster Prize for my presentation on development of novel learning aids. In addition, I have been shortlisted for the Best Oral Communication Award at the 6th Asia Pacific Medical Conference to be held in 2009. I believe that a teacher should be fully dedicated to his teaching, and devote time, energy and resources for his students. Students are able to detect their teachers enthusiasm for teaching, and this in turn inspires them to put in greater efforts in their learning. I am happy to have had the opportunity to teach, grateful that my undergraduate and graduate students appreciate my efforts by nominating me for best teaching over the past few years (2004-2009), and thankful that my previous and current departmental chairs have nominated me for the NUS Annual Excellence Teaching Award (Academic Years 2006/2007 and 2007/2008). Teaching is an art, and I would say that my students are my best teachers in this craft. It is indeed a privilege to learn from them. The practice of medicine is continually evolving, and this dictates that medical education must progress in tandem in order to provide a strong foundation to students for their future learning and professional development. Indeed, the medical education landscape in NUS has changed dramatically over the past few years. Establishment of the National University Health System through the bringing together of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, the Faculty of Dentistry and the National University Hospital aims to improve patient management by integrating education and research with clinical care. The objectives of the new medical curriculum are to equip students with the necessary knowledge, skills and professionalism to meet current and new challenges in medical practice, and to break down artificial barriers among medical specialties to achieve holistic patient care.