About Dr Kartini Farah Rahim

Dr Kartini Farah Rahim is a Consultant Dermatologist in Shah Alam, Selangor, registered on Malaysia’s National Specialist Register, a former Senior Lecturer at Universiti Putra Malaysia, and an advocate for animal welfare, the environment and women’s and children’s wellbeing.

Dr Kartini Farah Rahim seated at her desk with a stethoscope

Biography

Dr Kartini Farah Rahim is a Consultant Dermatologist registered on the National Specialist Register (No. 128619). She sees adults and children with eczema, psoriasis, acne, skin infections, allergic skin reactions and blistering disorders.

She studied medicine at University College Dublin and began working in dermatology in 2004 as a research fellow in Dundee, Scotland. She was awarded the Diploma in Dermatology by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow in 2005, and became a Member of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom in 2007.

Back in Malaysia, she worked as a physician and dermatologist at Hospital Kuala Lumpur and Hospital Serdang, and completed an Advanced Master of Dermatology at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 2011. For more than ten years she was a Senior Lecturer in Medicine and Dermatology at Universiti Putra Malaysia. She now practises at Avisena Specialist Hospital and Avisena Women’s & Children’s Specialist Hospital in Shah Alam.

Clinical interests

  • Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
  • Psoriasis
  • Acne
  • Skin infections
  • Allergic skin reactions
  • Blistering disorders
  • Children’s skin conditions

Much of her work is with women and children. She is a medical advisor to Malaysian patient support groups for eczema, hidradenitis suppurativa and ichthyosis, and chaired National Skin Day (Hari Kulit Kebangsaan) from 2015 to 2017.

Work outside the clinic

Dr Kartini is Vice-President of PEKA Malaysia, an environmental NGO, and a board member of Filbert’s Foundation for Furry Friends. She rescues cats and dogs, and speaks publicly about humane management of stray animals, adoption and responsible pet ownership.

She has discussed skin health on TV3’s Helo Doktor and RTM’s Bicara DR, and has written for or been interviewed by The Star, Harian Metro, Utusan Malaysia and Selangor Journal.

Her name

Her grandmother named her after Raden Adjeng Kartini, the Indonesian heroine celebrated for championing women’s rights and education. She prefers to be called simply Dr Kartini.

Summary

Full name Dr Kartini Farah Rahim (also Dr Kartini Farah Abdul Rahim)
Profession Consultant Dermatologist
Specialist registration National Specialist Register No. 128619 (Dermatology; Internal Medicine)
MMC registration No. 43483
Qualifications MBBCh BAO (Ireland), MRCP (UK), Dip Derm (Glasgow), Adv M Derm (UKM), FAADV
Practises at Avisena Specialist Hospital and Avisena Women’s & Children’s Specialist Hospital, Shah Alam
Languages English, Bahasa Malaysia
Other roles Vice-President, PEKA Malaysia; Board Member, Filbert’s Foundation for Furry Friends

Training and career

  1. 2004

    Dermatology Research Fellow

    Dundee, Scotland

  2. 2005

    Diploma in Dermatology

    Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow

  3. 2007

    MRCP (UK)

    Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom

  4. 2011

    Advanced Master of Dermatology

    Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)

  5. Physician and Dermatologist

    Hospital Kuala Lumpur and Hospital Serdang

  6. 2007 onwards

    Senior Lecturer in Medicine and Dermatology

    Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)

  7. 2015 – 2017

    Chairperson, National Skin Day (Hari Kulit Kebangsaan)

    Malaysia

  8. Today

    Consultant Dermatologist

    Avisena Specialist Hospital and Avisena Women’s & Children’s Specialist Hospital, Shah Alam

Roles and memberships

  • Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (PEKA)

    Vice-President

  • Filbert’s Foundation for Furry Friends (F3)

    Board Member

  • Malaysia Eczema Support Community (MESC)

    Media Advisor

  • Hidradenitis Suppurativa Support Group Malaysia

    Main Medical Advisor

  • Pertubuhan Kebajikan Pesakit Ichthyosis Malaysia (PEKIM)

    Main Medical Advisor

Dr Kartini in a television studio after a health programme
On set after a televised health programme.

Questions about Dr Kartini

What are Dr Kartini’s qualifications?

Dr Kartini holds an MBBCh BAO from University College Dublin, a Diploma in Dermatology from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (2005), MRCP (UK) (2007) and an Advanced Master of Dermatology from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (2011). She is a Fellow of the Asian Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (FAADV).

Is Dr Kartini a registered specialist?

Yes. Dr Kartini is registered with the Malaysian Medical Council (No. 43483) and on the National Specialist Register in dermatology and internal medicine (No. 128619). Both registrations can be checked on the official public registers.

What is Dr Kartini’s academic background?

After returning from the United Kingdom in 2007, Dr Kartini worked for more than ten years as a Senior Lecturer in Medicine and Dermatology at Universiti Putra Malaysia, teaching medical students alongside her clinical work.

Which organisations is Dr Kartini involved with?

Dr Kartini is Vice-President of Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (PEKA), a board member of Filbert’s Foundation for Furry Friends, Media Advisor to the Malaysia Eczema Support Community, and main medical advisor to the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Support Group Malaysia and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Pesakit Ichthyosis Malaysia.