assoc-prof-dr-tan-may-loong

Dr

May Loong Tan

Department / Discipline

Paediatrics

Primary Appointment

Associate Professor

Short Bio

Dr May Loong Tan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus. She is a graduate of the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, and a Member of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (UK). She is currently pursuing a PhD with University College Dublin on developing indicators of a breastfeeding friendly community.

Her research focuses on breastfeeding practices and advocacy, with recognised expertise in systematic reviews and evidence synthesis. Dr. Tan is also the Director of Cochrane Malaysia, the official representative of the Cochrane Collaboration in the country, where she leads national efforts to promote evidence-based healthcare through training, review production, and dissemination of Cochrane evidence.

Clinical / Industry Experience

Dr. Tan has vast clinical experience as a practising Paediatrician, having served in Ministry of Health hospitals prior to her academic appointment. She is currently credentialed and privileged at the Paediatric clinic, Hospital Pulau Pinang. As Director of Cochrane Malaysia, she works closely with healthcare institutions, professional bodies, and policymakers to support evidence-informed decision-making. She regularly collaborates with public and private healthcare providers to deliver training on breastfeeding and to build capacity in evidence-based practice through systematic review training and knowledge translation initiatives. She is an active member of the Making Penang Breastfeeding Friendly Initiative, a multi-stakeholder initiative contributing to community-based efforts to support and promote breastfeeding in the state of Penang.

Areas of Expertise
  • Breastfeeding
  • Paediatrics & Child Health
  • Systematic reviews
Research Interests

Dr. Tan May Loong’s current research interests centre on breastfeeding practices and advocacy. Her PhD research focuses on developing indicators of a breastfeeding-friendly community, reflecting her interest in measuring and strengthening community-level support for breastfeeding. She is also actively involved in research related to systematic reviews, evidence synthesis, and knowledge translation, with particular emphasis on improving the accessibility and use of high-quality evidence in clinical practice, public health programmes, and policy decision-making.

Current Research & Projects

  • BFCITY: Developing Indicators of a breastfeeding friendly city

    This research aims to develop and validate a set of indicators of a breastfeeding friendly city through a systematic, participatory process involving policymakers, breastfeeding experts, and mothers, combining evidence synthesis, consensus-building, and real-world testing to ensure relevance, measurability, and applicability across diverse urban contexts.

    This project is in collaboration with University College Dublin (UCD), Technological University Dublin (TUDublin), Gloria Group Malaysia, World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), Making Penang Breastfeeding Friendly Initiative (MPBF) stakeholders, and The Medical City, Philippines.

  • Follow-up Care of the Small and Sick Newborn

    World Health Organization (WHO)-commissioned and funded scoping review to map current follow-up care practices for small and sick newborns and inform upcoming WHO guideline development in low- and middle-income countries. This project is a collaboration among Cochrane Malaysia, Cochrane Indonesia and Cochrane Thailand.

  • Translation Quality Assessment for Cochrane Malaysia: A Pilot Study (CoTraQ)

    This study aims to improve the quality of translation (content and language) for Cochrane Plain Language Summaries (PLS). It involved cleaning the Translation Management System and replacing it with agreed terms through consensus. This project is a collaboration of Cochrane Malaysia with with National Institutes of Health Malaysia, IMU University and Universiti Sains Malaysia

  • Bahasa Malaysia Readers’ Survey: Pemahaman terhadap Audiens dan Penggunaan Ringkasan Bahasa Mudah Cochrane dalam Bahasa Malaysia.

    This cross-sectional survey aims to determine the characteristics of readers of translated Cochrane PLS and to understand the impact of the PLS in their health decision making. This project is a collaboration of Cochrane Malaysia with IMU University and Universitas Dian Nuswantoro, Indonesia

Awards, Grants & Recognition
  • 2011-2013: PEMANDU/Malaysian Palm Oil Board Grant
  • 2020-2021: Cochrane Geographic Groups Challenge Fund Award
  • 2018: RUMC President’s Award for Most Approachable Lecturer
Professional Membership & Appointments
  • Malaysian Medical Association (Life member)
  • Malaysian Paediatric Association (Life member)
  • Kangaroo Mother Care Advocates Malaysia, KAMY (Life member)
  • Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (Annual Conference Planning Committee member)
  • Cochrane Collaboration (Member)
  • HRDC (Human Resources Development Corporation) accredited trainer (Trainer ID: 36572, valid until 27 Dec 2027)