Realize your Medical Career and Education Dreams at International Medical Campus (IMC)
While some of us put away our stethoscopes after treating our doll ‘patients’ there are still significant number of children who grow up attempting to become professional doctors, treating patients and saving lives. However, the state medical universities cannot cater to every student’s aspirations and each year, close to 91% of the students who pursue their Local GCE A/L examination in Biological Sciences find their dreams barred by reality.
The lack of Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC)recognized local private medical university added with the limited number of seats offered by local medical faculties, force students to either retake their A/L examinations or go abroad, often times taking loans from banks. Additionally, students who follow London A/L, too must go abroad as they cannot enter the state medical faculties.
But how does one find a university which would give an internationally recognized medical degree at an affordable charge? The International Medical Campus (IMC) is the only medical pathway provider in Sri Lanka, giving Sri Lankan stu- dents access to leading medical destinations in the US, Australia, Canada and Europe. IMC has over 20 partner universities worldwide which are recognised by the WHO, Sri Lanka medical Council, Education Commission For Medical Graduates- USA, General Medical Council- UK and Australian Medical CouncilAustralia.
Headed by Dr Nihal NonisChairman of IMC a pioneer in Sri Lankan medical education, IMC provides pathways for students seeking recognised universities overseas, rather than offering a degree locally.
“We feel that Sri Lankan medical education is not yet advanced enough for private education to set up a private medical school in Sri Lanka,” said Mr Gishan Sumanasiri- Chief Executive Officer of IMC, “We need to have proper hospitals, proper clinical facilities to do that and with proper approval,” he further went on to say, adding that it is something that should happen in the future.
As such, IMC has visions of giving opportunities for students, not only in Sri Lanka to go global without violating existing protocols and system. Thus, IMC provides one year, A/L embedded programme following which students can go overseas.
IMC offers four key products to the students. The first product, the pre-medical programme is a one year pathway programme to Melaka Manipal Medical University in Malaysia or Vitebsk State Medical University (VSMU) in Belarus for O/L students and students whose A/L results do not fulfil the SLMC minimum requirements of 2C’s and 1S to enter overseas medical university. The programme offers a one year fast-track, Cambridge curriculum in place of the traditional 3 year A/L programme, and has the additional advantage of giving the students a Manipal University Foundation of Science or VSMU International Medical Foundation qualification.
The second product provides direct placements for those students who fulfil the SLMC minimum requirements. IMC pro-
My name is Kaneesha Dawood, and am currently pursuing my Associates degree in Accounting at Indian Hills Community College in the United States of America. Being the eldest in my family, I have always wanted to progress academically and chase my priorities. I am truly thankful to my parents for supporting my choices and my grandad for constantly believing in me and motivating me to progress further.
After my Ordinary Level examination, I was admitted to Lyceum International School, Panadura to pursue the Advanced Level examination in Business. I was able to successfully pass the advanced level examination. I decided to study abroad to pursue my higher education. I kept looking through different universities and ultimately decided to complete my studies in Sri Lanka. In time, a friend from Lyceum recommended Scholarships for USA, an organization that helped students to pursue their studies in the finest colleges in the US with amazing scholarships. Meeting the two amazing people who run the organization, truly changed my life. They advised me about the opportunities vides hostel services, career counselling through medical doctors, visa and other services to these students and a member of the staff accompany the students and help them settle-down and accustomed to a foreign country, taking care of they’d monstrance and paperwork.
The third product helps Sri Lankan doctors who aspire to go overseas and become practitioners to face the qualifying exams. IMC is partnered with USMLE GMC, AMC and some of the best course providers to train students for such qualifying exams.
The fourth product is a fast track programme that helps doctors to become consultants. Through the Manipal University, IMC brings expert faculty to help train the students to face the MRCP and MRCS examinations successfully.
For a student to become a doctor outside of the state universities and practice in Sri Lanka, they must fulfil the SLMC minimum requirements of 2C’s and 1S, either through London A/L or local A/L. Then they must attend a SLMC recognized university. SLMC recognises many medical universities around the world, which a student can discover by visiting the SLMC website or through a book published by the SLMC. Once they return to Sri Lanka, they must face the ERPM examination aafor Registration to Practice Medicine in Sri Lanka.
Should the student pass the exam, they get a provisional registration to do a one-year internship at a Sri Lankan hospital. The full registration is only given once the internship is completed. IMC offer courses for students to face the ERPM examination.
Medicine is a vital part of our lives. It is easy to select an affordable degree programme, but careful planning is required to select a programme that is both internationally and locally recognised and offer a programme that fits the Sri Lankan system. IMC staff is well acquainted with the medical field and can provide the best opportunities to the students and guide them down the proper path. For more information, call 077 443 6796 or visit IMC at No. 7, Rajaguru Sri Subuthi Mawatha, Colombo 6.