Representatives from the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Associate Professor Dr Noor Akmal Shareela Ismail, Assistant Dean of Teaching and Citra, and Dr Mohammad Nizam Mokhtar participated in the BRIDGE-AI (Building Regional Medical Innovation in Digital Growth and Education through AI) Summit 2026, held from 20 to 21 July 2026 at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand with the theme Achieving Patient Outcomes through Innovative Practice & Medical Education.
Organised by the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, the summit brought together academic leaders, medical educators, clinicians, researchers, policymakers and technology innovators to explore the responsible integration of artificial intelligence into healthcare and medical education. The two-day programme addressed digital health transformation, AI-supported clinical practice, innovation in teaching and assessment, institutional governance and regional collaboration across ASEAN.
A major highlight of the summit was the Digital Health and AI Innovation Competition and Showcase, which provided a regional platform for participants to present innovative ideas, prototypes and practical solutions with the potential to improve healthcare delivery and health professions education. The competition featured four principal categories: the Medical Education Award, Clinical Award, Digital Technology Award and Medical AI Award. The showcase demonstrated the important contributions of students, educators, researchers and emerging innovators in shaping the future of technology-enhanced healthcare.
The Faculty of Medicine UKM delegation also participated in the Networking Forum and Dinner on AI in Medical Education, where representatives from ASEAN countries shared their institutions’ experiences, achievements and challenges in adopting AI within medical education. The forum provided an important opportunity to exchange ideas, identify areas for regional collaboration and discuss how medical schools can introduce AI responsibly while maintaining the human values that underpin healthcare education.
During the networking session, Associate Professor Dr Noor Akmal Shareela Ismail presented the Faculty of Medicine UKM’s experience in adopting and implementing AI within its medical curriculum. She highlighted the establishment of the faculty’s dedicated Medical Education AI, or MedAI, which supports the governance and responsible implementation of AI in Faculty of Medicine.
Among the initiatives presented was the use of AI-powered chatbots to support the teaching and practice of clinical history-taking and communication skills. These tools provide students with opportunities to engage in interactive clinical conversations, receive structured learning experiences and develop greater confidence before encountering real patients. Importantly, their implementation is supported by institutional oversight to ensure that AI complements, rather than replaces, meaningful interaction between students, educators and patients.
The engagement also provided an opportunity to announce that the Faculty of Medicine UKM will organise AIMEC 2027 (Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education) in Kuala Lumpur, with the theme:
“Humanising AI: Building Trustworthy Medical Education for Tomorrow.”
AIMEC 2027 will continue the regional conversation on how artificial intelligence can be integrated into medical education in a manner that is ethical, inclusive, evidence-informed and centred on human values. The event is expected to bring together educators, healthcare professionals, students, policymakers and technology experts from Malaysia, ASEAN and the wider international community.
The Faculty of Medicine UKM’s participation in the BRIDGE-AI Summit 2026 reflects its commitment to advancing educational innovation, strengthening ASEAN academic networks and providing leadership in the responsible and human-centred application of artificial intelligence in medical education.