Public health and health research

RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus (RUMC) remains committed to its vision to be a health- and well-being-focused, globally recognised education and research centre. The university’s mission is to contribute to patients and society through excellence in education, learning and research, and benefit the local and regional healthcare sector. The university is aware of the indispensability of postgraduate and medical research, and currently offers a postgraduate programme in public health.

MSC in Public Health programme director and RUMC Public Health Department head Prof Datuk Dr Abdul Rashid Khan says, “Challenges in major public health issues are similar in many jurisdictions, with lifestyle-related and infectious diseases and appropriate preventative strategies for each one. This programme benefits from real experiences in developing and developed countries, true to its nature as an international programme that attracts students from all over the world.”

The programme offers multidisciplinary training and development and emphasises the knowledge and tools needed to analyse factors that influence public health in an international environment. It also offers field work within the same country. Supervisors are chosen based on each student’s research area of choice.

Students of the MSC in Public Health programme will develop knowledge in factors that influence health statuses, skills in epidemiology (study design and analysis) and population health assessment, and an understanding of the organisation and financing of health services as well as their impact on international population health.

Upon completing the programme, career progression pathways available to graduates include positions in local public health services or global agencies such as the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization and South East Asia One Health University Network, jobs with non-governmental organisations involved in health improvement initiatives, entry into the US CDC Epidemiology Investigation Service and similar field epidemiology programmes, or research and academic public health careers (DRPH or PHD).

In addition to the MSC in Public Health programme (offered in collaboration with the University College Dublin), RUMC also offers the MSC in Health Research (offered in collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland). Both programmes are accredited and awarded by the National University of Ireland and recognised by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency and Education Ministry.

RUMC is recognised by the Malaysian Medical Council and Irish Medical Council for producing high-performing doctors. It is listed as an Irish medical school in the World Directory of Medical Schools.

■ For more information on RUMC’S programmes, call 04-217 1888 or email study@rcsiucd.edu.my