Sterling status, solid education
> Penang Medical College gets a boost and is now RCSI & USD Malaysia Campus
THE well-known Penang Medical College (PMC), established in 1996, recently received “Foreign University Branch Campus” status by the Malaysian Higher Education Ministry (MoHE). Sources state that further expansion of infrastructure and development of facilities can be expected as the college has set its sights on becoming an outstanding medical fraternity hub in the northern region in the near future.
After the conferment, the 10th Foreign University Branch Campus, PMC, is now recognised as the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and University College Dublin (UCD) Malaysia Campus or “RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus” (RUMC) for short. Wholly owned by Irish universities – it is an institution that has provided the country with the first registrable medical degree from a Malaysian private higher education institution.
RUMC president and CEO Prof Stephen Doughty ( pix), in an exclusive interview with theSun, was delighted with the remarkable feat and proud of the achievement. He said it was a dream come true especially since the medical learning hub had applied for this upgrade in status for some time now.
Doughty, who is looking forward to navigating the institution to become the front liner in the medical fraternity, is committed in taking the higher learning institution to greater heights. He says, this will in turn attract more students to read at RUMC. As such, more choices of programmes and courses are being looked into.
In keeping the quality of education high at RUMC, Doughty foresees a more efficient and competent fraternity of medical practitioners graduating from the school.
The PMC brand has been well established and now as RUMC and upcoming developments, the medical college will surely raise the bar in the medical tourism and innovative healthcare industries, at the same time drive Penang’s economy to the upper echelons.
Together, the nation will benefit as students conduct their housemanships at government hospitals and graduates make up a steady pool of doctors serving the country and abroad. Many have also gone on to specialise in diverse areas of medicine and healthcare, even treating a variety of chronic diseases.
To accommodate these future developments, Doughty informs that onsite expansion is being looked into. “The core building of the existing site in Jalan Sepoy Lines will be maintained as it is while other necessary plans are in the pipeline for the future,” he said.
Returning to the recent accolade, Doughty informs that an official ceremony in on the drawing board to celebrate the remarkable feat. “We have been here for more than two decades,” he said, indicating that it will be a grand celebration.
In a nutshell, a core programme since 1996 at PMC, now RUMC, is the medical degree programme which guarantees a place for pre-clinical studies at either the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland or University College Dublin.
While there, the first days will see students networking with college mates, staff and organisations in Dublin. Preclinical studies in Ireland are noted and quoted to be “an experience of a lifetime” by previous students. Enhanced by the high quality of education delivered by exemplary medical professionals as educators in its state-of-the-art facilities.
Students get to study, practice and engage with an international band of peers from all corners of the world, then return to homeground at RUMC for clinical training, some at government hospitals, others continuing as full-time students of RCSI or UCD.
Its a rich campus life in Ireland, filled with experiences that complete the learning circle. After graduation, these “doctors” provide the best healthcare in their home countries and around the world, leading in healthcare breakthroughs and developments, and advancing the industry into the future.
RUMC continues to build on its established history in providing students with the best education with its high quality Irish medicine degrees, as well as healthcare programmes at foundation, bachelors, masters and doctorate levels.
For enquiries, contact enquiry@pmc.edu. my or study@pmc.edu.my