September 2018 – Following the recent MOU signed between Malaysian home-grown higher education institutions, International Medical University (IMU), International Medical College (IMC) and the Kazakhstan National Medical University, Kazakhstan School of Public Health and LLP Educational Clinical Centre, a lecturer from IMC was invited to Astana City, Kazakhstan as a speaker of the master class workshop on “Management of Patient with Various Injuries (Including Children) at the Stage of Emergency Care”.
The one-day master class workshop held on 5 September 2018 saw Norhayati Paraman, a nursing lecturer from IMC providing hands-on experience and case studies to more than 200 participants comprising of paramedics and nursing staff. At this workshop, Norhayati shared her experiences with regards to dealing with emergency and trauma management from the Malaysian context.
“The workshop was well received by its participants even though they could not speak English. It was thoughtful of the organisers to arrange for an interpreter so that the participants could understand what I was sharing at the workshop. It was definitely a good experience for me to be the speaker of the workshop,” said Norhayati. 
When participants were asked about the workshop, they mentioned that the contents of the workshop were very practical and applicable to their daily work. Impressed with the workshop, the participants requested for more in-depth trainings on paramedic topics. The masterclass workshop was part of the III Republican’s Ambulance Brigade event organised by the Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Health together with the Astana Education Centre from 5-7 September 2018 at the Astana City. Comprising of an exhibition, workshops and seminars, the event also held the III Republican Competition of Ambulance Brigades from 6-7 September. Held at the Zheruyk Park, the competition saw participants from 18 major Kazakhstan cities vying for the title. 
Norhayati was also invited as guest judge for the III Republican Competition of Ambulance Brigades alongside with international delegates from the USA, China, Uzbekistan, Israel and Russia. Commenting on her experience in Kazakhstan, Norhayati said, “I am honoured to be invited as a guest judge for the III Republican Competition of Ambulance Brigades. It was exciting to see and assess how the teams perform the necessary interventions in term of techniques, algorithm of treatment given, competency, etc based on the emergency/trauma scenario given. From my observations, all team were very well-equipped and competitive, yet they willing to listen and learn. As usual, the best team will be the winner and in this competition, Kokshetau from north Kazakhstan rose as the champions.”
“It was an eye-opening experience, having the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with representatives from the Kazakhstan Ministry of Health and like-minded professionals from various countries. I am also appreciative of the warm hospitality of the Kazakh people. They even ensured I was accompanied by an interpreter during my stay as I do not speak the language. I look forward to many more opportunities where both Malaysia and Kazakhstan can benefit from the exchange of expertise and knowledge in the healthcare industry for the betterment of our communities.”
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