Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Yahya graduated from Monash University, Australia with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree in December 1974 and in October 1984, he received a Diploma of Fellowship from The Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians of Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom. After completing his housemanship in Hospital Sultanah Aminah in Johor Bahru in December 1975, Tan Sri Yahya became a Medical Officer in Kota Tinggi District Hospital from January 1976 to April 1976, and subsequently, a Medical Officer in Hospital Sultanah Aminah from May 1976 to December 1978. He then took on the position of Senior Medical Officer in the Department of Surgery in Kuala Lumpur General Hospital in January 1979. In January 1980, Tan Sri Yahya obtained the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians of Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom as a training surgeon until June 1981. Thereafter, in July 1981, Tan Sri Yahya joined the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Brompton Hospital, London, United Kingdom as a Senior Surgical Resident, and became the Surgical Registrar there from January 1983 to November 1983. He subsequently returned to Malaysia and joined the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital, first as a Cardiothoracic Surgeon from December 1983 to June 1985, and then as the Head and Senior Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon from July 1985 to June 1992 and finally, as the Medical Consultant Surgeon from July 1992 to September 1998. From October 1998 to October 2002, Tan Sri Yahya took on the position as the Medical Director and Head and Senior Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the National Heart Institute of Malaysia and subsequently as the Medical Director and acting Chief Executive Officer of the National Heart Institute of Malaysia from November 2002 until February 2004. Tan Sri Yahya was also the visiting Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the Selangor Specialist Hospital Sdn Bhd between August 2006 and August 2015 and a visiting Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Damansara Specialist Hospital Sdn Bhd between February 2004 and May 2019. Between April 2016 and December 2019, Tan Sri Yahya was a visiting Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the Prince Court Medical Centre Sdn Bhd. Since December 2017, he has been a resident Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the Cardiac Vascular Sentral (Kuala Lumpur) Sdn Bhd. Further, since April 1993, he has been a committee member and the founding Chairman of the Malaysian Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery and a member of the Malaysian Association of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery. Tan Sri Yahya has served the IMU since 1996 as a member then Chairman on the Board of Governors and later as Pro-Chancellor from 2018-2020. In 2021, Tan Sri Yahya was appointed as Chancellor of the International Medical University (IMU). From July 2011 until October 2016, he was the Pro-Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. In 2013, Tan Sri Yahya was awarded the Merdeka Award for his contribution to pioneering the development of clinical research and cardiac surgery in Malaysia and for his instrumental role in the establishment of the National Heart Institute of Malaysia. Tan Sri Yahya currently holds directorships in a number of public and private companies and foundations, including MPHB Capital Berhad, Tokio Marine Life Malaysia, Ivolis Sdn Bhd, Cardiac Vascular Sentral (Kuala Lumpur) Sdn Bhd, Cardiac Vascular Sentral Holdings (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Gribbles Pathology Malaysia, Perikatan Asia Sdn Bhd, Yayasan Wah Seong, SELGATE Foundation and RHB Foundation.