Study Health and Medicine in Malaysia

There are many reasons people choose to study Health and Medicine, from personal interest and a burning passion to help others to financial and career goals. In any case, joining this discipline is a choice that requires long-term commitment and, therefore, such decision should be treated with great seriousness. Nonetheless, don't be intimidated by myths about the difficulties of studying medicine and having no life outside of studies, because this pathway can lead to a happy and fulfilling career - if entered with the right understanding and mindset.

If you can't decide whether or not this is the right course of study for you, you’ve come to the right place. This guide outlines everything you need to know about studying Health and Medicine :

1. What is Health and Medicine about?

2. What skills are needed to study Health and Medicine?

3. How long is a Health and Medicine degree?

4. What are the entry requirements?

5. How much does a Health and Medicine degree cost?

6. What are the career options?

7. Universities offering Health and Medicine studies in Malaysia

8. Why study Health and Medicine in Malaysia?

What is Health and Medicine about?

essentially, the discipline of Health and Medicine encompasses the study of the understanding, prevention and cure of disease and disability as well as the investigation of physical and mental wellbeing. Within this field, a vast number of different academic paths can be found. Here, we summarise some of the more popular ones:

1. Clinical Science
2. Therapy and Rehabilitation
3. Medical Technology

1. Clinical Sciences

This field of study is concerned with medical research and the diagnosis of disease using laboratory procedures. Clinicians are medical professionals that deal with patients. A few examples of clinical sciences studies include nursing, dentistry, clinical pathology, nutrition, and clinical pharmacology. Clinical psychology and veterinary science are also other branches of this field.

2. Therapy and Rehabilitation

Those who are passionate about helping patients recover from a physical injury or disability usually join therapeutic and rehabilitation professions. The most common areas are physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language therapy. A wide range of rehabilitative methods are studied for these purposes, including:

• Music therapy

• Dance therapy

• Sports therapy

• Neurological rehabilitation

• Orthopedic rehabilitation

• Occupational health and work rehabilitation

Medical Technology

This is a broad field is concerned with the development and application of medical devices and equipment. Here, innovation plays an ever important role in improving health and contributing to sustainable healthcare. The importance of this field can be seen in how it intersects with almost every other existing medical fields due to the widespread use of technologies in medical research and healthcare sectors.

What skills are needed to study Health and Medicine?

While knowledge, training and a great deal of persistence are important for a Health and Medicine major, developing your soft skills can take you a long way as well. The following are three skills that may be crucial for this course of study:

• Empathy: This skill allows you to understand someone else’s situation, perceptions and feelings from their point of view - and communicate this understanding back to them. Empathy is not the same as sympathy, which stops at feeling pity or sorrow for another person’s suffering. Empathy gives you the ability to share their suffering and emotions.

• Confidence: When we talk about confidence, it should not be confused with arrogance. Confidence does not assume to know it all; rather, it takes responsibility and is particularly important when working with patients, for it builds a sense of trust between the patient and the medical provider.

• Teamwork skills: Learning to be a team player is a must, regardless of the path you choose to pursue as a Health and Medicine major. Teams exist everywhere in this field, be it in healthcare services or research departments. As a health professional, you’ll need to participate and deliver your best with every task that comes your way.

How long is a Health and Medicine degree?

Depending on the institution and your level of study, the duration of study may vary. Generally speaking, the duration for each level of study is as follows:

• Foundation: 1 year

• Diploma: 3 years

• Bachelor’s degree: 3 to 5 years

• Master’s degree: 2 to 4 years

• Doctorate: 3 to 6 years

What are the entry requirements?

To be added...

What are the career options?

With the wide variety of study areas in the discipline of Health and Medicine, the career opportunities that come with them are endless. The list below is only the tip of the iceberg.

Universities offering Health and Medicine studies in Malaysia

1. Management and Science University (MSU)
2. International Medical University (IMU)
3. University of Malaya (UM)
4. University of Science Malaysia (USM)
5. Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS)

Management and Science University (MSU)

At the Management and Science University (MSU), Medicine and the Health Sciences are among the University’s specialisations. MSU provides students with holistic education and industry relevant training in order to shape them into competent professionals. With a record of over 98% employability, the University has been ranked 217th in the QS Asia University Rankings 2018 and rated SETARA Tier-5 Excellent by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia.

International Medical University (IMU)

The International Medical University (IMU) is one of Malaysia’s top private specialist university in the field of Medical and Health sciences. Having established partnerships with a number of health industries and leading hospitals in the country, IMU students are able to receive continuous exposure to research and real-life healthcare practice as part of their learning process. With a network of over 8,000 practicing alumni around the world, the University has received a SETARA-2017 rating of 6 stars (Outstanding) under the Mature University category.

University of Malaya (UM)

The University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia’s first public university, ranks 87th in the world and 19th in Asia according to the QS World University Rankings 2019. Since its establishment more than 50 years ago, the University has produced thousands of medical, pharmacy, biomedical and nursing graduates to serve the country and the world. UM places 154th in the category of Life Sciences and Medicine in QS World University Rankings by Subject, making it among the top destinations in Malaysia to study Health and Medicine.

University of Science Malaysia (USM)

The University of Science Malaysia (USM) is the second oldest public university and among the leading ones in Malaysia. It ranks 207th in the world and 43rd in Asia according to the QS World University Rankings 2019. Additionally, the University places 234th in the category of Life Sciences and Medicine in QS World University Rankings by Subject and has the highest score in Malaysia for research papers published per faculty member.

Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS)

The Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS) is a private university specialising in healthcare education in Malaysia. The institution has been awarded a SETARA 5-star (Excellent) rating by the country’s Ministry of Higher Education. Having strong partnerships with some of the leading pharmaceutical corporations and public research universities in Malaysia, CUCMS is committed to bringing its education and research standards to greater heights.

Why study Health and Medicine in Malaysia?

As more and more foreign universities conduct campuses in Malaysia, the country continue to flourish as an education hub for international education. On top of that, the Malaysian healthcare industry spending has been expected to grow to reach RM 80 billion by 2020, signalling that now is the best time to join the medical and healthcare profession.

Not convinced? Here are a few more reasons you should consider studying Health and Medicine in Malaysia:

• Top Health and Medical Tourism destination: Did you know that Malaysia is among the destination for Health and Medical tourism in Asia? That’s right; Malaysia has been a popular destination for healthcare tourists since its recognition by the International Medical Travel Journal (IMTJ) in 2015.

• Affordability: You can save a lot on tuition fees and living costs by studying locally. Home to some of the top-ranked universities worldwide, Malaysia can offer you a cost-effective, world class education.

• Career opportunity: Despite the popular belief that Malaysia is over-saturated with medical professionals, the fact is that the country is severely lacking specialist doctors. There is only around 5,000 specialised medical practitioners serving the Health Ministry currently, and steps are being taken to increase this number.