Developments in Asia Pacific Medical Education and Regional Healthcare Cooperation

On behalf of the Organising Committee of the Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference (APMEC), it gives me great pleasure to welcome all of you. The global pandemic of the past year has accelerated changes in medical education to an unprecedented level. As we continue to prepare for an irrevocably altered future, we look to our past for lessons and inspiration. Hence the theme “Our Heritage, Our Strength: Future Proofing Healthcare Professionals – Trends. Issues. Priorities. Strategies” is fitting as we seek to adapt in response to these new challenges.

The Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference (APMEC) 2022

The Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference 2022 was hosted virtually by Universiti Malaya, together with the National University of Singapore and local partners, the International Medical University and the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia. Universiti Malaya is honoured to be working with these partners to deliver the high calibre programme expected by APMEC delegates.

Over five days, a variety of workshops and symposia, addressing teaching and learning, assessments, continuing medical education, and leadership, provided a structured platform for engaging discussions with leading medical educationalists and other healthcare professionals from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Furthermore, almost 200 abstracts were shortlisted for the Free Communications and Short Communications categories at the Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference (APMEC) 2022.

The Future of Medical Education: APMEC 2025

The organizing committee, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, is pleased to announce the last call for workshop/symposium/panel discussion proposal(s) submission for the Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference (APMEC) 2025. This upcoming conference will be hosted by the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, focusing on the theme “Developing a Holistic Healthcare Practitioner for a Sustainable Future – Trends ● Issues ● Priorities ● Strategies”.

Regional Cooperation and Digital Intelligence Empowerment

On 1 – 2 December 2025, representatives from the School of Medicine, Mae Fah Luang University (MFU), participated in the “2025 South and Southeast Asia Medical Education and Service Alliance Conference.” The conference was jointly organised by Kunming Medical University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and Prince of Songkla University under the theme “Digital Intelligence Empowerment Shaping the Future Together—Building a New Paradigm of Regional Medical Education and Healthcare Cooperation.”

More than 100 representatives from 19 Alliance member institutions across Thailand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar, and China gathered to discuss regional collaboration. Key highlights included:

• A keynote lecture entitled “Integrating Health Plus Wellness in the AI Era: A New Paradigm for Medical Student Formation” delivered by Assoc. Prof. Preecha Soontranan, MD.
• Panel discussions on key issues, including the promotion of faculty and medical student mobility and the development of innovations in medical education within South and Southeast Asia.
• The presentation of more than 30 academic works, covering key topics in medical education and medical innovation.

These discussions aimed to advance future teaching and learning in the medical field. The School of Medicine’s participation reflects the university’s collective efforts to enhance medical education, innovation, academic mobility, and international cooperation to promote sustainable regional growth and well-being.

Summary of Conference Themes and Objectives