Medicine: The art of healing

IN the almost 2 decades since it opened to its hallowed doors to the first batch of MBBS students in September 1997, MelakaManipal Medical College (Manipal University) has not been short of anything but an outstanding success.

Melaka-Manipal has chalked up an impressive collection of honors and awards along what can only be described as a truly remarkable ride; these include being decreed in 2011 a Superbrand (Education – Medicine) by the Brand Laureate-Institute of Superbrands, South-east Asia.

This was close on the heels of being the first private medical school being given a then unprecedented 5-year accreditation by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) – the first among private medical school in Malaysia.

The MQA had no second thoughts in continuing with its confidence of yet another 5-year endorsement of what is generally considered to be the top medical school in town.

However in spite of all these accolades Melaka-Manipal stands firmly rooted on terra firma and it forges ahead to continually its delivery systems to maintain their ranking as the premier Malaysian medical institution.

When all has said and done though, what gives MelakaManipal immense pride is the feedback they receive from the ground on the quality of their medical and dental graduates.

Very often singled out for their first-rate performance where it matters most, in hospitals and clinics, Melaka-Manipal’s doctors and dental surgeons are deemed to be top of the pile. That medicine is a vocation, the art of healing, is honed into students from the day they step into the College.

Dedicated faculty who have distinguished themselves in their own specialism, and a well-oiled administration to complement them, ensure this. Of course, having an exceptional curriculum too helps no end.

With the MBBS having set the precedent, Melaka-Manipal felt that it was opportune to offer dentistry courses, riding on Manipal University’s reputation as the top Dental School in India for many years.

The Faculty of Dentistry took its first batch of students in 2009, and this 5-year twin-campus undergraduate programme has taken off at such a trajectory that can only be considered astounding.

The Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) has been solidly booked till October 2017, and to have any chance of getting into this course, ‘dentist-wannabes’ will have to enroll on Melaka-Manipal’s Foundation in Science (FiS).

MQA Accreditation teams have commented that MelakaManipal’s BDS programmes is the benchmark that other dental schools will need to aspire to, no mean compliment this.

The FiS was introduced in 2012 to make up the dearth of science based pre-university courses in and around Melaka state.

This programme was launched with the objective of delivering better prepared students into the medicine and dental studies. With this in mind the one year course was developed in-house with the aim of streaming students into Melaka-Manipal’s own degrees.

What differentiates the FiS and gives it the proverbial ‘oomph’ is a foray into subjects such as Anatomy, Physiology and Oral Biology in addition to traditional subjects such as biology and chemistry. When students get into their eventual MBBS and BDS studies, the learning curve doesn’t seem that steep.

As in everything else, MelakaManipal leaves no stones unturned in providing the appropriate ambiance for a holistic student experience.

The campuses in Manipal, India and in Melaka and Muar, Malaysia include wide-ranging library, recreational and sporting facilities; the Anatomy Lab in Manipal boasts of having probably the largest and most comprehensive exhibits in South Asia, and the Clinical Skills labs in Muar and Melaka claim to be second to none.

Accommodation in single roomed air-conditioned rooms are excellent value for money giving students privacy to study. Gym facilities are available as well as swimming pools, squash and badminton courts, basketball and volleyball courts.

The Melaka-Manipal student will want for nothing in pursuit of his or her academic endeavours, and it will certainly be worth your while to visit the campus at Melaka.

If pressed for time, call 1-80022-6662 or 06-289 6662 and ask for the Marketing department. One could also visit its website at www.manipal.edu/melaka which gives comprehensive details of the two twin-campus degrees and the FiS.