Stimulating student interest in physiology: the intermedical school physiology quiz.

THE INTERMEDICAL SCHOOL PHYSIOLOGY QUIZ (IMSPQ) was initiated in 2003 during my last sabbatical from the University of Malaya. At this inaugural event, there were just seven competing teams from Malaysian medical schools. The challenge trophy for the IMSPQ is named in honor of Prof. A. Raman. Prof. Raman was the first Malaysian Professor of Physiology at the University of Malaya, and he passed away suddenly of a cardiac arrest in 1998. The interest generated by this physiology quiz has been very encouraging. At the sixth IMSPQ in 2008 and seventh IMSPQ in 2009, the competition expanded to 30 university teams with more than half of the teams from overseas. IMSPQ gatherings have included medical students from Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, and the Czech Republic. The IMSPQ has become a wonderful platform for international students to meet and establish friendships. The accompanying lecturers of the teams have also the opportunity to network and share interest in the teaching of physiology.