The Balancing Acts of Dr. Mae-Lynn Catherine Bastion

The Balancing Acts

of Dr. Mae-Lynn Catherine Bastion by Chow Ee-Tan

Dr. Mae-Lynn Catherine Bastion was already interested in ophthalmology by the time she entered into the first year of her internship at the Universiti Kebangsaa Malaysia (UKM) Medical Centre in 2000.

Now a professor of ophthalmology at UKM, Dr. Bastion subspecializes in vitreoretinal diseases and vitreoretinal surgery.

“I have been interested in ophthalmology since medical school,” shared Dr. Bastion. “It was just a short posting of only two weeks, but I enjoyed the mix of medical and surgical approaches to treatments, as well as the chance to use various devices in assessment for ophthalmic diseases.”

Of mentors and inspirations

Professor Khalid Kadir, who was dean of the Medical School at UKM at that time, was instrumental in enabling her to pursue an academic position. At the same time, her interest in teaching stems from the strong influence of her mother, who was a well-loved teacher in Bukit Bintang Girl School in Malaysia. Dr. Bastion modestly considers herself to be fortunate throughout her career, and is thankful to the many mentors who helped her to get to where she is today — from Prof. Kadir and the supervisors she had during her internship; to Dr. Nazri Omar, who taught Dr. Bastion her first cataract surgery; and Prof. Lim Tock Han from Singapore, who accepted her as a fellow in vitreoretinal surgery in 2007.

Her years of training in Singapore prepared her for the challenges of being the only resident vitreoretinal surgeon at UKM from 2008 to 2012.

A brilliant, high-flying student since youth, Dr. Bastion was an ASEAN scholar at Raffles Junior College, Singapore, before being awarded the John Crawford Scholarship by AUSAid to study medicine at Sydney University, Australia, where she graduated with first class honors in 1999. She was then posted to UKM Medical Centre, where she took up a trainee lecturer position after completing her internship. She has served as a lecturer in the University since 2005. include her appointment to associate professor in 2010, followed by full professorship in 2015, which were no ordinary feats. Another of her accomplishments was obtaining her fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery in 2007, which opened up the doors to more opportunities and accolades in the field.

Dr. Bastion was also a proud recipient of the Fellowship of the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia, which carries the title FAMM(Mal). She was invited to speak at the Asia-Pacific Vitreo-retinal Society (APVRS) Annual Congress in Shanghai last year, together with worldrenowned speaker Dr. Neil Bressler.

A passion for the academe and private practice

Dr. Bastion is truly grateful to be able to assume roles in both the academic fraternity and private practice.

“I am aware that this choice is not available to everyone in government service,” she said. “At UKMMC, we can do up to two sessions of private practice on the provision that we do not neglect our primary duties to the government patients, and that we are able to maintain our publication outputs. It is this provision made possible by the UKM administration that has allowed me to stay in government service,” she added.

Dr. Bastion remains dedicated to the academic fraternity, with a mission to teach, instruct, and guide the next generation of ophthalmologists — not only in the finer points of ophthalmology, but also in other aspects of being a specialist doctor, like teamwork and networking.

“It also allows me to fully develop my subspecialty skills in vitreoretinal surgery, as there is ample cross-referral from other subspecialties, specialties, and other hospitals,” Dr. Bastion shared.

On the other hand, she thoroughly enjoys her private practice, which provides a more direct and regular management of patients, with whom she has fostered close working relationships.

Her demanding portfolio often calls for a challenging balancing act.

“You need to know your priorities, but you still try to accommodate everybody,” she said. “You must work harder than others because private practice is like another job. Patients can be referred at any time or day outside your allocated session.”

Dedication to research

Currently, Dr. Bastion is involved in several research projects about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients’ vision and emotions, and to shed valuable information on the effects of the movement control order (MCO). Their research team is also investigating the effects on the eye unique to COVID-19.

“Over the years, I have spearheaded several types of research into the effects of diabetes mellitus on the front, as well as the back of the eye, and these are still on-going,” shared Dr. Bastion. “I am also writing a book on this subject.”

In the past, her research has included joint projects with researchers from Universiti Putra Malaysia and Cryocord Malaysia on stem cells, another challenging yet innovative area.

Outside of the research realm, she has had the privilege of working closely with the Malaysian Society of Ophthalmology (MSO), of which she is a committee member, in organizing major international conferences in Malaysia, such as the APVRS in 2017 and the upcoming Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) meeting in 2021.

Kudos to more women in ophthalmology

While men still outnumber women in the profession of ophthalmology worldwide, Dr. Bastion is happy to observe that at the UKM Ophthalmology Department, women lecturers have outnumbered men since she joined in 2000. recently conducted a survey on a new surgical teaching method and had a 100% response rate. The number of females was 73% of the whole group (unpublished data), so it would appear that in the not so distant future, women will be taking up more decision-making positions,” she shared.

Having said that, Dr. Bastion remains to be one of the few female full professors of ophthalmology in the country.

“I foresee this will change soon, hopefully,” she added. “I would like to see more men and women able to find a balance between academic work and private practice. It would be prudent to consider perks for private practitioners to take on more public work, and the other way around. The job of the academic fraternity is heavy enough with the need to balance academics, teaching, administration and clinical service.”

She further noted: “Already we are seeing those in private practice taking on more teaching roles through industry-organized teaching sessions in which they have shared the teaching burden. This is most commendable and encouraging.”

On family gratitude and hopes for the future

Dr. Bastion pays tribute to her family for who she is today. Her husband, Dr. Wong Yiing Cheong, whom she met in Sydney University, has a successful solo ophthalmology practice in Kuala Lumpur.

“My husband has provided emotional support for me to remain in the academic fraternity,” Dr. Bastion shared. “My parents have always been supportive of me and have been helping me with my children throughout the years. I could not have done it without them.”

Her three children, aged 14, 9 and 5-years-old, are her biggest joy and blessings. “My eldest has had the privilege of travelling with me on some overseas trips. I try to bring each one in turn on outstation travels so I can spend solo time with them,” she said. Currently, Dr. Bastion endeavors to write a book that will compile her life’s work and the battles she has fought against various diseases. She remains enthusiastic to accomplish small achievements each day.

So what does she wish for the ophthalmology fraternity in the future?

“My hope and aspiration for the ophthalmology fraternity are simply that we will be able to deliver the care and concern that doctors were meant to deliver: Excellent and up-to-date medical expertise, which not only addresses the need for sight but also the need of the individual,” she said.

She concluded: “I also hope to see that the status and profile of Malaysian ophthalmology in the international arena will increase. Through this, may the visions of our nation be fulfilled in a sustainable and equitable way.”

Contributing Doctor

Dr. Mae-Lynn Catherine Bastion

graduated from the University of Sydney, Australia, with MBBS (First Class Honours) in 1999. In 2004, she received the Doctor of Ophthalmology degree from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). And in 2007, she completed her clinical fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at The Eye Institute, Singapore. Following that until today, she’s been serving as head of vitreoretinal services at UKM. In 2009 she became the head of the Department of Ophthalmology, for which she served two terms. She was appointed UKM professor of ophthalmology (vitreo-retina) in 2014 and received the Academy of Medicine (AMM) Fellowship in 2016. She teaches undergraduate and postgraduate ophthalmology while maintaining private practice at UKM Specialist Centre. She currently serves on the committees of the Malaysian Universities Conjoint Committee of Ophthalmology, College of Ophthalmologists of the AMM, and Malaysian Society of Ophthalmology. This is finely balanced with a busy family life of three kids, two dogs and a vegetable garden.

mae-lynn@ppukm.ukm.edu.my