Associate Professor
Dr. Swe Swe Latt
Department / Discipline
Public Health Medicine
Primary Appointment
Acting Head, Department of Public Health Medicine Head, Medical Education Unit (MEU)
Short Bio
Dr. Swe Swe Latt is an Associate Professor of Public Health Medicine and Acting Head of the Department at RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus (RUMC), Penang. She also serves as Head of the Medical Education Unit. With over 19 years of academic experience across Malaysia and Myanmar, she has contributed extensively to undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. Her expertise spans epidemiology, non-communicable diseases, medical education research, community health, and health promotion. Dr. Swe has an established publication portfolio in regional and international peer-reviewed journals and actively supervises student and postgraduate research. She contributes to curriculum development, assessment standard-setting, and faculty development, supporting academic governance and quality assurance within medical education.
Clinical / Industry Experience
Dr. Swe previously served as a Medical Officer in hospital settings in Myanmar and has collaborated with clinical departments and tertiary hospitals in Malaysia, including joint research with Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital (HSAH), Kedah. Her applied public health work includes community health screening, epidemiological field studies, health camps, and engagement with vulnerable populations such as migrant workers and Orang Asli communities. She also contributes to interdisciplinary research involving infectious diseases, oncology, vascular health, and medical education innovation.
Areas of Expertise
- Public Health Medicine & Epidemiology
- Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) & Risk Factor Research
- Tobacco Control & Behavioural Health
- Medical Education & Assessment (Blueprinting, Item Analysis, Standard Setting)
- Community-Based Research & Health Promotion
Research Interests
Dr. Swe’s research interests include:
- Epidemiology of non-communicable diseases and behavioural risk factors
- Tobacco dependence and smoking cessation determinants
- Mental health and well-being in institutional and migrant populations
- Medical education research, including student engagement, assessment validity, and AI in medical training
- Curriculum design, assessment validity, and student engagement
- Community health interventions and health literacy
- Infectious diseases and diagnostic applications in primary care settings
Current Research & Projects
Selected Funded Projects
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The Role of Simulation Training in Clinical-Year Medical Students at UniKL (RCMP)
Funded by UniKL (STRG 2025–2027) – Co-Investigator. Examines simulation-based training impact on clinical competency development.
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Behavioural Hygiene Practices, Skin Infections and Lice Infections: A Mixed-Methods Study among Aborigine Children and Caregivers
RUMC Research Grant RC101 (2025–2027) – Co-Investigator. Community-based study addressing hygiene practices and infectious risk in indigenous populations.
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Bridging the Gap: Clinical-Year Medical Students’ Perspectives on Retaining and Integrating Basic Medical Science
Funded by UniKL (STRG 2025–2027) – Co-Investigator. Investigates knowledge retention and integration between preclinical and clinical training
Other Active Research Themes:
- Mental health impact of COVID-19 in university settings
- Quality of life assessment tools in cancer survivors
- Community-based NCD risk factor studies in Malaysia
- AI integration in medical training
Awards, Grants & Recognition
- First Prize & Jury Prize (Student Supervision) – International Conference on NCD (2017)
- Gold Medal Award – Living Arrangements and Well-being of Myanmar Migrant Workers in Penang, First International Webinar on Social Science, Asia Metropolitan University (2020)
- Appointment as Judge – 13th Regional Congress Search for SEAMEO Young Scientists (2024)
- Appointment as a judge for the 2nd RUMC International Medical Research Conference (RIMRC 2025), 29 November 2025
- Appointment as a judge for the 2nd International Conference on Recent Innovation in Life Sciences, Healthcare for Sustainable Development (ICRILSH-2026), 26th 27th Feb 2026at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (virtual)
Grants:
- RUMC Research Grant RC101 – RUMC, 2025 (Co-Investigator)
- UniKL Short-Term Research Grant (STRG) – UniKL, 2025 (Co-Investigator)
- UniKL Short-Term Research Grant (STRG) – UniKL, 2025 (Co-Investigator)
Professional Membership & Appointments
- Associate Member – Persatuan Pakar Perubatan Kesihatan Awam Malaysia (PPPKAM)
- Member – Malaysia Medical Association (MMA)
- Member – MMA Public Health Society
- Member – Preventive and Social Medicine Society, Myanmar
- Curriculum Committee Member – RUMC
- Academic Executive Committee (AEC) Member – RUMC
- QA/QI Committee Member – RUMC
- Former FoMRHAEC Committee Member – AIMST University