Dr Jimmy Suiwai LI
VOON CHONG BA MB BCH BAO MD MRCPI FRCP
I was born on the tropical island of Mauritius in 1966. Mauritius is a country of the Commonwealth which gained independence in 1968. My parents were immigrants from southern China who emigrated to Mauritius in the early 1950’s in search of a better future during the cultural revolution in China.
I went to primary and secondary school in Mauritius winning a scholarship after finishing primary school. In 1986, I was offered a place to study Medicine at Trinity College Dublin where I graduated in 1992. Graduating in 1992 was special in many ways as it also marked the 400th anniversary of the foundation of Trinity College Dublin.
I was the first member of my family from both parents sides to go to University. In 1986, in addition to applying for medical school in the Republic of Ireland, I had also applied for medical school in France. I was offered a place to study at the medical school in the University of Bordeaux. My plane ticket to Paris was booked but a week before I was meant to leave Mauritius, I received a phone call from Trinity College offering me a place there. Life would have been very different had this phone call not happened!
Following a year of internship (House officer post) at St James’ hospital Dublin, I completed a 2-year medicine rotation as senior house officer in the same hospital scheme during which I completed the full MRCP exams. I was always interested in education. I was Clinical Tutor for Trinity College Dublin while working as registrar in Endocrinology and Diabetes at St James’s Hospital Dublin. The role of the Clinical Tutor was mostly related to teaching bedside skills for the medical students and helping organize the final year exams. I took an early interest in the field of Diabetes and Endocrinology. During my third year as a medical student at St James’ hospital Dublin, I was fascinated by the logic of endocrine feedback mechanisms, the use of this knowledge as a basis for diagnostic tests and treatment while seeing patients with drastic clinical features. I made up my mind then which speciality to spend the rest of life working in!
Following work as registrar in Endocrinology and Diabetes at St James’ Hospital Dublin, I went to UK in 1998 to finish my Endocrinology and Diabetes specialist training within the Merseyside training scheme. During this time I also carried out clinical research in the area of growth hormone deficiency along with hydrocortisone replacement in the elderly with hypopituitarism. This led to an MD research degree awarded by the University of Liverpool in 2002.
In November 2000 I was appointed as Consultant Physician specialising in Diabetes and Endocrinology at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital Winchester and I have continued to take an active role in education. I have held the post of Royal College of Physician tutor from 2003 to 2012, being Chair of the Specialist Training Committee for General Internal Medicine for Wessex from 2006 to 2009, RCP General Internal Medicine adviser for Wessex. I was a member of the question writing group for the MRCP specialist certificate examination for Endocrinology and Diabetes from 2007 to 2010. Since 1997 I have been MRCP PACES examiner for the Royal College of Physicians London. I am now chair of examiners and have the opportunity to examine for the Royal College internationally.
My association with SGISOM started in 2008. I have been privileged to see the beautiful campus in Grenada when I was invited over to teach in 2008 and 2009. I was appointed Associate Professor of Medicine in 2009. Since Sep 2015 I have held the post of Clerkship Director for Medicine at The Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester. In May 2017 I was appointed as Director of Medical Education and in October 2019 I was elected as UK Associate Chair for Medicine for SGISOM.
In addition to education, I have been passionate about improving systems of care and patient safety, having held the post of clinical governance lead for Medicine and Elderly Care at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital from 2002 to 2012. Since Jan 2012 I have held the post of Clinical Director for Speciality Medicine for Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. In February 2018 I was appointed Associate Medical Director for Governance for the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust.
I remain a full time practising clinician and have not forgotten why I originally chose Medicine as a career, which is to help patients in their journey in life. In addition to grateful patients and relatives, what is most rewarding to me is to see the happiness on the faces of medical students, junior doctors as well as colleagues when they have achieved what they have set themselves to do.