Dr Tham qualified in 1985 from the Queen’s University of Belfast’s medical school. He trained as a gastroenterologist and physician in the Northern Ireland training program. He completed his training as an Advanced Gastroenterology Fellow in the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA 1995 - 6. He has been Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist in the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald, Belfast since 1997. During this time, he has developed gastroenterology services in the Ulster Hospital, especially in therapeutic endoscopy and ERCP. He has more than 60 publications in peer reviewed journals. He is the first author of a book entitled “Gastrointestinal Emergencies" which has been published as a 2nd edition and translated into Polish. He has contributed to several other book chapters. He is on the International Editorial Board of the journal Gastrointestinal Endoscopy; Associate Editor of the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy; Diagnostic and Therapeutic Endoscopy. He has received several awards for being a top reviewer for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. He is the Head of the School of Medicine, Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency (deanery). He sits on the Specialist Advisory Committee for internal medicine at the Joint Committee of Higher Medical Training in the Royal College of Physicians of London. He is also on the British Society of Gastroenterology committee on clinical services and standards. He is an assessor for doctors applying for entry into the specialist register. He is an examiner for the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and also Queen’s University.