Have you always imagined yourself saving lives and giving a healing hand to those in need? Always been fascinated with the human body and how it works?
If so, a medical degree might be just for you!
But while medicine is a rewarding and satisfying career path, many students have romanticised ideas of being a doctor. We don’t want to scare you, but the road to becoming a doctor is long and demanding, and you MUST fully understand the demands of studying a medical degree.
This guide will take you through all that you need to know about studying a medical degree in Malaysia, as well as all the key skills that you need in order to make it through medical school.
#1. The Basics of Medicine
a) What Is Medicine?
Medicine relates to diagnosing, treating and preventing a sickness or a disease. Medicine involves utilising healthcare practices to maintain & restore the health and wellbeing of a person.
When you are sick or unwell, a doctor performs an examination to find out the cause of your illness (also known as “diagnosis”). The doctor then finds suitable treatments for you, and prescribes the right medication in order for you to recover.
From treating the common cold to performing complex surgeries, doctors play a significant role in keeping today’s society well and healthy.
b) What Are the Various Fields of Medicine?
Medicine as a whole is very broad and multidisciplinary. There are many departments within Medicine, and you will require years of training and experience before you are able to specialise in a particular field.
Here are some of the specialties within Medicine in major hospitals:
| Field | What It Is All About |
|---|---|
| Anaesthesiology | Relates to providing pain relief to patients prior to, during and after surgery |
| Internal Medicine | Relates to diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, including cancer, infections, and diseases affecting the heart, blood & kidneys, among others |
| Emergency Medicine | Involves providing immediate medical attention to patients with acute illness or injuries to prevent death or disability |
| Obstetrics & Gynaecology | Relates to medical care for women, particularly care during childbirth, and diseases of the female reproductive system |
| Orthopaedics | Focuses on injuries and diseases of the body’s musculoskeletal system, including bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves |
| Paediatrics | Deals with medical care of infants, children, and adolescents |
| Surgery | Deals with injuries and disorders that require surgical intervention |
You can find out what other medical specialisations that you can pursue from the National Specialist Register (NSR).
Upon completing a degree in Medicine, you will be required to complete your “housemanship”, which is a 2-year internship for aspiring doctors. Your houseman training will usually consist of six 4-month placements at many of these major departments.
#2. Studying a Medicine Degree
a) Entry Requirements & Qualifications
Here are the minimum academic qualifications required in order for you to pursue a degree in Medicine, as set by the Malaysian Medical Council.
| Level of Study | Minimum Requirements |
|---|---|
| STPM or A-Level | Minimum of BBB / ABC / AAC in: Biology + Chemistry + Physics or Mathematics |
| Australian Matriculation (SAM or AUSMAT) | You will need EITHER: (1) Average of 80% (or the equivalent of B) in: Biology + Chemistry + Physics or Mathematics, OR (2) ATAR 80.0, including: Biology + Chemistry + Physics or Mathematics |
| Matrikulasi or Foundation in Science | Minimum CGPA 3.0 (out of 4.0) in: Biology + Chemistry + Physics or Mathematics |
You will also need to have at least 5Bs in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths / Add Maths and one additional subject at SPM, O-Level or equivalent.
b) How Does Your Education Pathway Look Like?
A typical undergraduate degree in Medicine is 5 years long.
However, in order to become a fully registered medical practitioner in Malaysia, you must undergo further training to obtain experience as a house officer.
Known as “housemanship” in Malaysia, it is a two-year compulsory internship that combines service and training roles. This is to ensure that you gain the appropriate knowledge, skill, experience, and above all, the right attitude, in order to be a competent, caring and compassionate medical professional.
Upon completing your housemanship, you will be a qualified medical officer (MO).
After that, most medical officers will work for several years, before going into an area of specialisation, such as anaesthesiology, orthopaedics and gynaecology. In order to be a registered specialist, you will need to take another 4-5 years of postgraduate study plus 2-4 years supervised training as a specialist.
To summarise, it generally takes a total of 7 years to be a fully registered doctor, and more than 10 years to become a specialist.
c) What Will You Study in a Medical Degree?
Most medical programmes include patient contact, coursework in patient handling, and clinical rotations in general fields.
A medical degree is at least 5 years long, and is generally divided into 2 parts.
Part 1, which is about 2 years, relates to pre-clinical training that is set in an academic environment. It involves the learning of basic medical sciences, such as anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology and pharmacology.
Part 2, which is comprised of the remaining years of your degree, relates to clinical training. You will undertake clinical training at teaching hospitals or clinical schools, rotating in various clinical disciplines such as general medicine, surgery, paediatrics and internal medicine.
#3. Why Should You Study Medicine?
If you find yourself going into medicine for the money, prestige, job security, because of pressure from your parents or because “your grades will be a waste”, then we highly encourage you to rethink your chosen degree path.
Medical school is extremely challenging and demanding, not to mention time consuming and expensive. While there is no denying that being a doctor is a noble and well-respected profession, never pursue medicine for the wrong reasons.
Here are some reasons why you should study Medicine.
(a) Because you have a strong desire to help sick people
Medicine is about caring and treating the sick. To be a good doctor, you MUST have an interest to care for the ill, even if they are cranky, rude or annoying. If you are passionate about making a difference by helping and caring for the sick, a medical degree might be just the thing for you!
(b) Because you have a keen interest in science and the human body
A medical degree will allow you to learn the functions and intricacies of the human body, and how different things can heal and destroy systems within the body. Medicine can be extremely fascinating and rewarding for those with a curious and inquisitive mind, specifically in the area of biology.
(c) Because you really, really want to be a doctor
This may sound like a given, but many students have idealistic notions about being a doctor. Some aren’t prepared for the long working hours and high stress levels, or have a completely different perception of how a doctor’s life is. Before embarking on this journey, make sure you’ve truly understood all the challenges and demands of a doctor’s life – from medical student to houseman, followed by medical officer and finally, specialist.
Being a doctor is truly one of the most rewarding careers, but it isn’t for everyone. Do your research and make sure you’re in it for the right reasons!
#4. What Skills Do You Need for a Medical Course?
Here are some of the key qualities and skills that you will need to develop in order to do well in a medical degree.
(a) Tenacity and determination
Most medical courses are rigorous and demanding, with extremely long study hours and HUGE amounts of learning material. The lives of many will be in your hands one day, so medical schools need to ensure that you are prepared to handle high-pressure situations. From gruelling exams and examining corpses to intense questioning during clinical training, you must have the determination and grit to get through your medical degree.
(b) A genuine concern and interest in people
Having empathy and genuine care is crucial, as you will be treating people at times of need. The medical profession is one of privilege, as patients put their trust in you with their health and their lives. You must have a strong desire to help the sick and be able to empathise with your patients, even if it’s the 2,689th time you’ve heard the story.
(c) Strong communication skills
Communication is extremely important when examining patients. In order to correctly diagnose a patient’s condition, you must be able to probe and truly listen to what the patient is saying about his/her symptoms. In addition, you must be able to explain the condition and treatment in simplified, non-technical terms.
(d) Ability to think critically and be decisive
As a doctor, you will be expected to diagnose and make critical decisions about a patient’s condition. At times, decisions must be made quickly and decisively, as every second could mean the life and death of a person.
#5. What Career Options Do You Have with a Medical Degree?
The standard path for a medical degree holder is becoming a medical doctor! After all, that’s what you studied for, right?
However, there are also alternative career options in non-clinical fields:
- Hospital Administration
- Pharmaceutical Medicine
- Medical Research
- Medical Journalism
- Medical Education (e.g. teaching at universities)
That’s not it! Feast your eyes on the myriad roles in the healthcare industry, aside from a medical doctor of course.
#6. Should you take up a Degree in Medicine?
If you are still sitting on the fence and contemplating if you should go down the route as a medical student, take our Medicine quiz and see if it’s the right course for you before taking the plunge!
Additionally, you should also inform yourself about the ins and outs of the medical field.
#7. Where Can You Study Medicine in Malaysia?
When choosing a university for your degree in Medicine, you must ensure that your degree is recognised by the Malaysian Medical Council. Otherwise, you may risk not being able to practise medicine in Malaysia!
In two minds about which university to kick start your medical journey? Don’t fret! With our comprehensive table, you can seamlessly find and compare medicine Degree Courses in Malaysia.
Here are some of the most popular medical schools in Malaysia.
Quick Facts
Campus: Kota Damansara
Intakes: May & Sep
Estimated Fees: RM345,050
Scholarships: Up to RM2,000 tuition fee waiver
Key Highlights
Emphasis is placed on delivery through engagement with students, with problem-based learning and personal interaction to foster interpersonal skills
Integrated curriculum that delivers units as a whole to closely reflect the ways students are expected to address problems in their future careers
Exposes students to early patient contact and clinical training to help them be more prepared and able to respond to changes
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Penang Medical College
Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery (MBBS)
Quick Facts
Campus: Penang
Intakes: Sep
Estimated Fees: RM614,490
Scholarships: Up to 100% tuition fee waiver
Key Highlights
Wholly-owned by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and University College Dublin (UCD), two of Ireland’s oldest and most prestigious medical universities
Successful graduates of the five-year programme are awarded medical degrees as those who complete a full programme in Ireland
Programme is accredited by both Irish and Malaysian Medical Councils
Quick Facts
Campus: Serdang, Selangor
Intakes: Sep
Estimated Fees: RM508,500
Key Highlights
Curriculum and training equips students with the intellectual and personal attributes to be the best in the future
The only 5+0 Irish Medical Programme available in Malaysia
Quick Facts
Campus: Bandar Saujana Putra, Selangor
Intakes: Sep
Estimated Fees: RM369,900
Scholarships: Up to RM5,000 tuition fee waiver
Key Highlights
Innovative methods such as problem-based learning (PBL), e-learning, early clinical exposure (ECE) and small group sessions are integrated into the curriculum
Local and international pool of highly experienced teachers
Modern facilities that include ultra-modern wet and dry anatomy labs
