medic

Programmes

Medical Studies Programme

The Medical Studies Programme was established in the Medical and Health Sciences Programme, Universiti Putra Malaysia in 1997. It was the fifth medical faculty in Malaysia at that time. The programme began with about 50 first-year students. Now it can train up to 100 students a year. This programme is recognised by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC).

Programme Objective

The main aim of this programme is to produce trained, knowledgeable, skillful, compassionate and ethical medical doctors for our society and country.

Programme Structure

This is a five-year programme and is divided into three phases.
Phase 1 involves the teaching of basic medicine in the field of medical science (e.g. anatomy, pharmacology, bio-chemistry), pathology (including microbiology and medical parasitology), public health, communication and professionalism. The teaching methodology is via lectures, practicals, tutorials, problem-based learning, seminars etc. After two years, students are required to pass Professional Examination I before proceeding on to the next phase.

Phase 2 is basic practical teaching for one year. It encompasses the medical studies, surgery, ortho-rhinolaryngology, opthamalogy, dermatology and radiology. Students will be taught in hospitals in small groups. At the end of posting in Phase 2, students will sit for Professional Examination II. Those who pass this examination will be allowed to proceed to Phase 3 for two years. This last phase is clinical teaching incorporating patient history, physical examination and patient (treatment) management planning. Students will be exposed to postings such as medical, surgery, orthopaedic, pediatric, obstetrics and gynaecology, accidents and emergencies, public medicine, psychiatry and post-mortem.

At the end of this phase, students will sit for Professional Examination III which is the final major examination. Those who pass will receive a Degree in Medicine.

Employment Opportunities

After successfully graduating as a medical doctor, graduates are required to undergo compulsory service with the government for 4 years. The first year is a graduate training programme or housemanship. During this programme, a new doctor will learn how to get use to real working life situations in a large government hospital. After completing this programme, graduates will be appointed as medical officers and will be assigned to general hospitals, district hospitals or health centres around the country.

Medical Officers who have served for three years will be allowed to further their studies in Master Specialists courses offered by selected local universities. The duration of this masters’ degree course is 4 years. After qualifying with their masters degree, graduates will be appointed as medical specialists and as consultants after about five years. Consultants can join local universities to become lecturers in the respective medical faculties. Additionally, medical officers can also sit for external examinations conducted by the Royal Colleges of the United Kingdom or Ireland or Australia, to qualify as a specialist.