Special Messages: Thank you for the memories

By Professor Michael Alan Ferenczi, former LKCMedicine Vice-Dean (Faculty Affairs)

It has been eight years since I left Imperial College London and made Singapore my home with my family. Back then, LKCMedicine was recently established when I took up the role of Assistant Dean for Years 1 and 2.

Three years ago, I began my stint as Vice Dean (Faculty Affairs). These have been exhilarating years. However, being part of an exceptional team, single-mindedly dedicated to creating a top-tier medical school for education and research, is a privilege.

In my role as Vice-Dean (Faculty Affairs), I was given the opportunity to recruit and support wonderful educators, researchers and scientists, as well as team players who take on the ethos of the School for the benefit of Science, of our medical students, NTU and Singapore.

Professor Ferenczi began his journey at LKCMedicine eight years ago

In a few years, we have established the reputation of the School, and now attract high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate students, Nanyang Assistant Professors and National Research Foundation Fellows and faculty across all levels of seniority.

We also have an equal proportion of male and female assistant professors and are actively bridging the gender gap at more senior levels, with our latest appointment being at a professorial level. Our performance is also growing by all metrics.

I am particularly pleased to see the camaraderie, team spirit and good humour, by helping all to pull through the difficult Covid-19 experience, with Work From Home directives, Circuit Breaker restrictions on personal freedoms and the temporary interruption of wet lab research.

Restrictions are slowly lifting, and life is returning to normality. For me, international travel restriction is particularly limiting as my family is abroad. But I am not unique.

Many of our faculty have families overseas, and although technology has helped to eliminate distances, they still cannot replace the physical touch.

But it is time for me to move on and leave my role in the hands of a highly capable and enthusiastic member of our faculty, Associate Professor Andrew Tan.

He is a keen collaborator and has engaged in research with many in LKCMedicine and NTU. He has held senior administrative positions in NTU's School of Biological Sciences, so he is well placed to manage the workload.

In 2019, British High Commissioner to Singapore Her Excellency Ms Kara Owen, was received by LKCMedicine faculty staff, including Prof Ferenczi (second from left - front row) 

I am especially grateful to some key people in the School leadership as well as the Education and Faculty Affairs departments who contributed to the vision for LKCMedicine and made my time in Singapore so wonderful by giving it a direction, and the satisfaction of accomplishing something valuable and lasting.

Looking back, I thoroughly enjoyed my years at LKCMedicine, and I wish to thank everyone who contributed to my personal experience, as well as the School. I wish everyone well going forward.