In India for over 10 years, Prof Mah taught and assisted Ganga Hospital in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu state to set up the Hand and Microsurgery training program for Indian surgeons. He would bring Hand therapists to accompanied him during such visits to facilitate hand therapy training, an essential companion for hand surgery. Prof Mah untiring effort was recognised by the Indian Society for Surgery of the Hand in 2012 as the orator for B B Joshi Oration.
In China, Prof Mah was instrumental in the rapid modernisation of Hand & Upper Limb surgery in Rui Jin (Number 2) Hospital, Number 6 and 8 Peoples’ Hospital in Shanghai. He travelled to Shanghai twice a year for some 8 years at his own expense to promote teaching and training. His effort was recognised by Jia Tong University who conferred Prof Mah Emeritus Visiting Professorship in 2014.
Within Australia, Prof Mah served as Instructor for Early Management of Severe Trauma (EMST), Royal Australasian College of Surgeons for 12 years, thus improving the standard of Trauma care in Australia and empowered next generation of doctors in trauma management.
Professor Mah has had major contributions in Orthopaedic research. In 1994 his Doctor of Medicine degree research work in autologous blood transfusion and intra-operative salvage revolutionised the safety profile of operative care, a technique which is still being used today. His has been involved in many other significant research which has won him innumerous individual prizes for academic achievement:
In his later years, Prof Mah continues to contribute to the scientific research as Deputy Editor, Section Editor and a member of Editorial Board in many international journals and orthopaedic textbooks. In 2018 Prof Mah was named the “Best Editor” by Journal Of Orthopaedic Surgery, SAGE Publication.
In 2019, Australian Medical Association (SA) conferred Prof Mah the highest AMA(SA) Award for :Outstanding Contribution in Medicine” – a tribute to Prof Mah’s lifelong contribution in teaching, research and service.
Professor Mah has also made significant contributions to the broader Australian and international Communities.
Within South Australia, Prof Mah played a significant role to improve the academic status of the Australian Chinese Medical Association by establishing the Annual Scientific Meeting in 1999, and in 2000 ACMA Academic prizes. Prof Mah was the President of ACMA(SA) (2002-04) In 2012, Prof Mah collaborated with Dr Paul Kilvert, CEO of SACE Board of SA, to confer ACMA Awards to students achieved Merits in Chinese (Continuers) year 12 Matriculation examinations. ACMA has continued to offer that award at the annual Chinese New Year Celebration Dinner events.
Prof Mah served as President of the South Australian Hand Surgery Society (2001-2003) to promote the importance of hand injury prevention. He served as Treasurer for the AOA (SA) for 19 years, the longest serving Treasurer in the associations’ history. Prof Mah served as Justice of the Peace in and for South Australia for 12 years.
Within the Asia Pacific Community Prof Mah represented Australia in several Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), thus promoting ethics and governance to such meetings.
Prof Mah set up the APOA Disaster Committee with members from many Asia pacific countries. The committee was proactive in co-ordinating and providing important disaster relief and medical assistance to the local people who suffered from such disasters, including the earthquake in Kathmandu in 2015 and the Lebanon disaster in 2020.
© 2022, Professor Edward (Ted) Mah. All Rights Reserved.