History

Under the inspiration of Dharma Master Cheng Yen, the Tzu-Chi University of Taiwan launched the first surgical simulation training using ‘Silent Mentor’ (donated body) on May 27, 2002. Silent Mentors give up their body, without regard to the wrong cuts or incisions made by the training doctors. Their hope is that the doctors will not make the same mistakes on real patients. In the eyes of an educationalist, Silent Mentors are positive role models who even in death teach doctors what it means to give, to love, and to learn. Learning in a humanistic environment helps to cultivate empathy, and translates into performance competency and skills. In the eyes of the sick, silent mentors are heroes, who have conquered death and accomplished the wish of altruism.

MILES (Minimally Invasive Laparo-Endoscopic Surgery) Training Centre, a self-sustaining and not-for-profit training centre, offering a fast-track purposeful learning experience adopting the educational model of ‘Silent Mentors’ in a humanistic, controlled and safe environment was established on 23rd March 2012 under the founding directorship of Professor Chin Kin Fah. This ensures the highest standard of teaching, which will translate into safer surgery for patients. The silent mentors offer themselves as the bridge for transferring skills from workshops to the bedside of patients.

Silent Mentors Program, a unique voluntary self-willed body donation program in collaboration with Tzu-Chi University of Taiwan, University Malaya and Xiao-En Group of Malaysia since March 23, 2012 forms the core-teaching curriculum of MILES Training Centre, which provides medical education in a holistic approach with the concept of ‘appreciation of life and great love’. A charitable trust fund was established to facilitate the running of the Silent Mentor Program in Malaysia.

With the visionof providing a liberal arts education to a broader group of learning Institutions and Universities through the altruistic teachings of Silent Mentor, a public limited company by guarantee was registered with the Malaysian Government under the name of ‘Academy For Silent Mentor’ (AFSM) in October 5, 2016.  The New program is called: i∙Silent Mentor Program, which in essence means ‘Altruistic love‘.