Gearing up for a medical career
AFTER many years of study, exams, courses, clinical practicals in wards and even more courses, medical students finally get to graduate.
Armed with an MBBS or BDS degree, they want to start working in a hospital, unleashing all their knowledge and passion in their chosen vocation of healing the sick.
However, Melaka-Manipal Medical College (MMMC) graduates are not let off so easily – it is impressed upon them that they have just stepped on the first rung of the medical profession..
Progress in the medical field has been startling in the past decade or two, as professional versatility and agility are becoming more imperative.
In a future where technology dictates thought, skills that are distinctly human will be among the most valuable; it is these skills that are enriched through postgraduate study.
MMMC organises workshops for the US Medical Licensing Examination, Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board and various Royal Colleges at its campus in Melaka.
Attended by doctors who are unable to enrol in full-time postgraduate courses, these types of programmes enable them to develop skills in specific areas of interest and gain industry relevance forthe future.
The run-offs with postgraduate qualifications also include developing further skills and monetary rewards.
It is such forward thinking that puts MMMC ahead as a top medical school. Since its inception, over 3,500 medical and 200 dental surgeons have been delivered to the Malaysian and overseas international health systems. Feedback from healthcare professionals on the quality of its graduates has been positive.
MMMC was established in 1994 and commenced its flagship MBBS with its first batch in 1997. In 2009, the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) had its first cohort, followed by the Foundation in Science (FIS) in 2012.
Twinning with the iconic Indian institution, Manipal, the degree programmes require students to complete their pre-clinical studies at its campus in Manipal, India, and then return to Malaysia to complete clinical training.
The year-long FIS is completed entirely at the Melaka campus, aiming to stream students to its own MBBS and BDS programmes with the inclusion of medicine and dentistry modules in its curriculum. Students with the MelakaManipal FIS can also apply to allied health science programmes in other institutions.
Since its inception, MMMC has successfully integrated the Manipal ethos into its Malaysian curriculum, faculty and students. The same passion for and philosophy of providing quality education balanced with individual life pursuits has been successfully replicated in the Melaka campus and twinning programme.
The facilities in both the Manipal and Melaka campuses provide a holistic education. In Manipal, students are able to join clubs for music and fine arts, enjoy literary pursuits, meditation, yoga, debating, photography and language classes.
In addition, the campus has playgrounds and courts for cricket, hockey, football, tennis, basketball, badminton and volleyball, as well as swimming pools, gyms and athletics tracks.
The amenities at the Melaka campus include various teaching and learning facilities, auditoriums, lecture halls, classrooms, science labs, skill labs, library and computer labs.
Other features include student hostels, cafeterias, a gymnasium, swimming pool, sauna, squash courts, football field and basketball court.
The precise structure of the course and the facilities at the Melaka campus have been designed to leverage on Manipal’s extensive experience in providing medical education for over 55 years.
Visit the Bukit Baru, Melaka Campus to witness the ideal ambience for calm and uninterrupted study.
■ If you are hard-pressed for time, call the marketing department at 06-289 6662 (extensions 1005/1142) and check out www.manipal.edu. my for details.