Profesor Emeritus Dato’ Dr Khalid Abdul Kadir FASc

PROFESOR EMERITUS DATO’ DR KHALID ABDUL KADIR FASc (3 June 1948 – 26 October 2022)

Professor Emeritus Dato’ Dr Khalid Abdul Kadir FASc excelled academically even at an early age. Securing the Silver Medal for Best Student from the Sultan Abdul Hamid College. After completing his lower secondary education, Dr Khalid attended the Royal Military College in Sungai Besi, completing his upper secondary education and winning the prestigious Commandant’s Prize Top Student. He commenced his medical studies at the Monash University, Australia and graduated with first-class honours B.Med.Sc. in 1973 and first class honours in MBBS in 1975, whilst winning the Henry Hindlip Green Prize in Clinical Medicine and the Harriet Power Prize in Medicine.

He worked at the Alfred Hospital and Prince Henry’s Hospital, Melbourne, where he obtained his FRACP in endocrinology, in 1982 and PhD in Medicine in 1984. He commenced teaching at UKM as a lecturer in 1982. His career at UKM was nothing short of a meteoric rise with his promotion to Associate Professor in 1984 and Head of the Department of Medicine in the following year. In 1990, Dr Khalid achieved full professorship and was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, UKM. He later became the Director of the UKM Hospital (HUKM) in 1996, and was made Senior Professor of Medicine in 2000. Dr Khalid retired in 2004 and was made Professor Emeritus.

Dr Khalid is passionate about his work as a doctor, researcher and teacher. He played an important role in setting up of the research school in HUKM and believes in the importance of research. In recognition of his dedication as a teacher and researcher, Dr Khalid won the Best Researcher and Best Teacher awards from UKM.

Dr Khalid’s active involvement in diabetes research was also evident in the investigation of the increasing occurrence of diabetes in younger age groups. He spearheaded the Young Diabetes Study (YDP) from 1996 to 1999. The study’s main objective was to look at the health status of young Malaysian adults diagnosed with diabetes before the age of 40. Early onset of diabetes is now increasingly common. About 1,000 patients were recruited by his collaborators at the various health centres around the country for the study, generating nine publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Emeritus Dr Khalid continues to champion diabetes research even after his retirement. Despite being occupied with his private practice and teaching responsibility at Monash University Malaysia, he accepted an offer from his old teammates to jointly participate in a research project proposed by MOH in 2007. The research on Metabolic Syndrome in Malaysia (MSSM) is now near completion. It is expected to produce a wealth of data that MOH needs to stem the rising epidemic of diabetes and its complications in this country.

Dr Khalid’s numerous achievements have had a deep and lasting impact on Malaysia and Malaysian society with nearly 300 published articles on diabetes and endocrinology. With his continuing research efforts, Dr Khalid has significantly improved the understanding of endocrinology. His research on the efficacy of diabetes treatment and monitoring of diabetes in Malaysia have aided in formulating strategies to combat the disease. His work has also contributed to the development and implementation of national strategies and programmes to prevent and control diabetes, and reduce its risks. Dr Khalid’s epidemiology research and clinical drug trials, as well as research on insulin resistance have aided in creating new treatments for diabetes.

His contribution to medicine and as an ASM Foundation Fellow will always be remembered by all.