MSU offers road map to well-recognised MBBS credentials

SHAH ALAM: With the high demand for medical professionals in Malaysia, MSU plays a crucial role with its highly successful five-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme, recognised as Malaysia’s first medical programme to receive a five year accreditation approval from the Malaysian Medical Council.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the medical and healthcare sectors have been in need of doctors. The Health Ministry estimated that Malaysia needs 28,000 more medical specialists by 2030, otherwise the quality of healthcare would be affected.

MSU is rated one of the best medical schools in Malaysia, due in part to the essential soft skills developed by its students, which include critical decision-making, surgical teamwork, crisis management, effective communication and a deep understanding of knowledge needed to succeed in the medical profession.

The medical degree programme is not only offered at the MSU main campus in Shah Alam, but also at its offshore campus in Bangalore, India. MSU’s MBBS programme is also recognised by the India National Medical Commission, Sri Lanka Medical Council and the Maldives Medical and Dental Council. In addition, the MSU MBBS curriculum complies with Malaysian Medical Council guidelines and presents a continually expanding level of medical experience.

To ensure students get the maximum knowledge out of their learning, MSU has designed its five-year medical course in two study phases through its International Medical School. In Phase I, also known as the pre-clinical phase (years one and two), students will be exposed to basic medical sciences through system-based modules.

Phase II, also known as the clinical phase (years three, four and five), is conducted through the discipline-based posting that includes medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, psychiatry, primary care, orthopaedics, emergency medicine and short postings.

MSU also emphasises clinical communication skills for its MBBS course. Hence, MSU’s MBBS course is designed to give students numerous opportunities to develop their clinical skills through community engagement visits to medical practices, community care facilities and hospitals.

When training to be future doctors, having state-of-the-art facilities for practical training significantly affects a medical student’s overall educational experience. To ensure its students have the best experience, MSU built its own medical centre and became Malaysia’s first private university with its own private specialist hospital and up-to-date healthcare services for the public, as well as job opportunities for its medical and health science graduates.

While taking pride in its tagline “Caring, Healing, Educating” through accessible and integrated medical services, the MSU medical centre is equipped with 250 beds on 14 levels, with six operation theatres, six labour rooms, five intensive-care units, four dental clinics, specialist clinics and day care facilities.

All the rooms and halls come with the latest medical technology and instructional aids that will help medical students familiarise themselves with the day-to-day routines of a hospital.

Upon completion of their MBBS degrees, the newly qualified doctors must register with the Public Services Department and undergo a two-year housemanship at selected public hospitals, while under the supervision of the Health Ministry.

MSU medical students have to complete their clinical training at two major referral hospitals – the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang and the Sungai Buloh Hospital in Selangor.

Intakes for the MBBS programme are in April and October and to qualify, students are required to sit for the Medical Entry Test at the MSU campus in Shah Alam to determine their aptitude.

Alternatively, MSU’s Foundation in Science Biology/Health Science offers a fast-track pre-university programme that prepares students for entry into the MBBS programme.

For more information on scholarships and fee waivers, please visit www.msu.edu.my, email enquiry@msu.edu.my or call 03-5521-6868.