Final-year medical student Christopher Wong, whose parents are Malaysian, has been named the 2011 Rhodes Scholar for South Australia

Malaysian student in Australia gets the Rhodes for Oxford

MELBOURNE: University of Adelaide final-year medical student Christopher Wong, whose parents are Malaysian, has been named the 2011 Rhodes Scholar for South Australia.

Wong, 24, of Toorak Gardens, Adelaide, is the son of Dr Charles Wong Chun-Hing, who hails from Alor Setar, Kedah, and Tan Siew Jee, from Jasin, Melaka.

"I believe this is the first time someone of Asian background, let alone Malaysian descent, has won a Rhodes Scholarship in South Australia," Wong said.

"It's great to see Malaysians kicking goals wherever in the world they now are," he said.

Wong said the Rhodes Scholarship was a wonderful opportunity to not only study at one of the most prestigious universities in the world but also spend time with the best and brightest students from many different backgrounds.

"It is incredibly surreal to receive such a coveted scholarship, and I'm very excited about my time in Oxford," the student said.

Wong will study for a Masters of Global Health Science at Oxford.

"I chose this course because it offers graduates the opportunity to develop skills in a wide range of medical areas, including public health, health economics and management, epidemiology and statistics," he said.

The scholarship is the latest honour for the former Pembroke School (Adelaide) student who has been lauded by some of Australia's most respected medical researchers for his achievements to date.

Wong graduated as Dux of Pembroke School in 2004, matriculating with eight perfect scores. In 2008, while in the 4th year of his medical degree, Wong was awarded one of Australia's top cardiovascular prizes for his research into atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disorder in the world.

He was the first undergraduate student in Australia to win the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand's Affiliate Prize for Scientific Excellence, chosen ahead of 2,000 other delegates, most of whom were established post-doctoral scientists with years of experience behind them.

Earlier this year, he was a guest presenter at the European Society of Cardiology's Scientific Congress in Stockholm, providing results of a study on Australian heart disease.

Wong is a former president of the Adelaide Medical Students' Society, an accomplished violinist who has played with the Adelaide University Medical Orchestra and the Australian Doctors Orchestra, a keen marathon runner, taking part in the London Marathon in 2009, and a fund-raiser for both the National Heart Foundation and Oxfam.

He is described by one of Australia's leading cardiologists, Professor Prash Sanders, as "the most outstanding student" he has ever supervised.

Nine Rhodes Scholars are chosen in Australia each year - one for each state, plus three for Australia at large. They are chosen on their academic achievements, as well as community work, leadership and sporting activities. - BERNAMA

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