An outstanding place for study
MELAKA- Manipal Medical College ( Manipal University) needs little introduction as it celebrates a reputation as an outstanding institution of medical education in Malaysia. One of the earliest medical schools to be set up in Malaysia, Melaka- Manipal is often referred to as the benchmark for other schools to follow.
Melaka- Manipal was established in 1994 in a joint venture with Manipal University ( MU), itself a legend in India, standing in the upper echelons of educational institutes in a great variety of disciplines ranging across health sciences, engineering, management, communication and humanities.
Melaka- Manipal started off with its flagship MBBS programme in 1997. To date, it has churned out 2,885 doctors, now serving not just in Malaysia but also in many other parts of the world, such as Australia, the UK, Canada and the US.
Its graduates have proven to be of a superior repute, attributed to the unique design of its twinning programme and intensive training the students undergo.
Melaka- Manipal’s training comprises the best of Indian medical education in the pre- clinical phase at the Manipal campus and on completion of basic sciences studies, students return to Malaysia to complete their clinical clerkship in Malacca, Muar, Segamat and Jasin hospitals.
Other hospitals such as Tangkak, government polyclinics and health centres in Malacca and nearby districts are also part of the didactic itinerary.
Students gain firsthand exposure in Malaysian hospitals, which enables them to hit the ground running when they graduate and commence their housemanship in the Health Ministry hospitals.
When Melaka- Manipal was established, one of its tenets was its strong commitment to nation- building and with the MBBS well established, the college introduced the Bachelor of Dental Surgery ( BDS) in 2009 to help fill shortage of dentists and oral health specialists in Malaysia.
Capitalising on MU’s Manipal College of Dental Surgery’s ( Karnataka, India) recognition as India’s top dental School has certainly proven to be a splendid piece of business with intakes to this coveted programme at Melaka- Manipal filled up nearly 18 months ahead of time.
The BDS is also a twinning programme with the first phase of two years at the Melaka- Manipal campus and then three years in Malacca for clinical training.
Students are provided with state- ofthe- art facilities, including lectures theatres, classrooms polyclinics, phantom labs, surgical facilities and dental laboratories to hone their clinical skills.
Members of the public visit the dental clinic to avail of the excellent diverse dental services at reasonable fees.
The Faculty of Dentistry, as with the rest of the college, was more than delighted to celebrate the graduation of its first batch of dental surgeons in the annual convocation ceremony in May.
Melaka- Manipal launched a Foundation in Science ( FiS) programme in 2012 for those looking for a pre- university course, which gave applicants assured entry into the college’s degrees.
Students are still required to obtain minimum entry requirements set by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency and Education Ministry to advance to the MBBS or BDS.
What sets the Foundation apart is the inclusion of subjects, such as Anatomy and Physiology, Pharmacology and Oral Biology, to give the eventual medicine and dentistry students a smoother running- in to their degree studies.
The main objective is to develop study skills to cope with the hectic medical and dental courses.
Melaka- Manipal’s motto, envisaged in its vision and mission statements, emphasises quality education.
With a heritage of excellence in higher education over 62 years in India and since 1997 in Malaysia, coupled with experienced and dedicated members of faculty, state- ofthe- art academic and clinical facilities, it certainly seems to be headed that way.
If you wish for only the best and desire to embark on a holistic journey of lifelong learning, look no further than the serene ambience of Melaka- Manipal from where you will return convinced of its purpose to be a “world- class educational centre in a multicultural environment”.
For details, look out for the advertisement in this StarSpecial.