Want to Be a Doctor? You’ll Regret Not Starting Your Foundation in April.

Aspire to become a medical professional? A Foundation in Science can help you achieve that… a lot faster than you think.

Updated 02 Apr 2022

Want to Be a Doctor? You’ll Regret Not Starting Your Foundation in April - Feature-Image

So, you’ve just completed your SPM and feel like you need a well-deserved break. Perhaps you’re lounging around, catching up on sleep or binge-watching some TV shows.

But if you’re planning to pursue medicine, you should probably consider enrolling as soon as you can. In fact, pursuing a Foundation in Science is your best bet to secure the “Dr.” title quickly.

We spoke to Manipal University College Malaysia (MUCM), one of the oldest private medical and dental institutions in Malaysia, to get a bit of insight on the medical career pathway and why starting your studies early, straight after SPM, gives you an edge, especially financially.

Here are 4 reasons why you should enrol for a Foundation in Science right after SPM.

#1. Starting late could cost you RM21,000 in lost income

Did you know that the basic pay for housemanship today is RM3,500? That’s more than what most fresh graduates make in the job market.

While you can certainly sit at home and take your time before starting your foundation and subsequently your medical degree, know that a delay of just 6 months is costing you a loss of income of RM21,000 — money that you could have earned during your housemanship.

This money can go a long way in terms of paying off your study loans and saving for long-term commitments such as cars and property.

Is RM21,000 worth losing over being a couch potato?

#2. Delaying just a few months could cost you lots of time

Let’s face it, it takes time to become a doctor.

A medical degree takes 5 years to complete, which is significantly longer than most other degrees. And this doesn’t even include the duration of your 2-year housemanship — and the infamous wait time — which is required before you get to don the noble “Dr.” title.

Starting a Foundation in Science right after SPM (in April, for instance) means you get to fast track your way to an MBBS degree the following year. Not only that, many universities only offer one intake a year for medicine, so you could find yourself stuck after completing your foundation. That means a few months of waiting could potentially cost you a year.

Why waste precious time when you can be a doctor sooner than you thought?

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#3. Enrolling early means graduating ahead of your peers

While it’s not a rat race, medicine is a very competitive field with many students eagerly fighting for a position in the industry.

Starting early translates to graduating earlier than your peers and this can act as a confidence booster and make you feel accomplished. By the time your friends are sitting for their final year in medical school, you’ll already be doing your housemanship and gaining work experience.

It’s important to note that getting a housemanship placement can take between 3 to 6 months and it differs for everyone. However, that is the beauty of enrolling early as you’ll still be ahead of your peers nonetheless when you get your housemanship placement.

#4. Starting right after SPM can help you avoid a motivation slump

Having the luxury to be unproductive post SPM is what most students dream of. After all, you’ve spent most months intensely cramming, so a long break does no harm.

However, prolonging this period by choosing a later intake, such as in August or September, can be difficult for you to transition back into a structured routine that requires focus and drive. In fact, research suggests that being idle for too long can have an adverse effect on your mental health.

By joining the April intake, you can avoid the motivation slump that comes after an extended period of being lazy! So it’s better to keep the momentum going by taking only a short break after SPM before continuing with your foundation.

We hope that these reasons are enough to convince you to kickstart your university life with a bang and fast track your way to becoming a doctor. Be a go-getter and get started on carving out your future the best you can!