Jan 18 2020
Doctors-In-Training Return to Malaysia
112 Medical Students Receive White Coats, to Commence Clinical Years
It goes without saying that the road to becoming a doctor is paved with ambition, discipline, and dedication from the get-go. But perhaps above all, it begins with the right drive. That is what makes RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus (RUMC) students stand out from the rest. On top of having students of academic excellence, the cornerstone of RUMC being a successful medical school lies not only in the quality of the education it provides, but also in its students’ motivation in pursuing a career in medicine.
RUMC’s class of 2022 has entered the next phase of their journey as medical students. 112 aspiring doctors has returned from Dublin, Ireland where they undertook their pre-clinical studies at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and University College Dublin (UCD) for two-and-a-half years. The clinical years in Malaysia will mainly comprise of the students receiving on-site training where they will interact with patients at Penang General Hospital, Seberang Jaya Hospital, and Taiping Hospital.
To commemorate this significant milestone, RUMC presented the students with White Coats in a ceremony at the Penang General Hospital. While the White Coat Ceremony is usually held at the beginning of a medical student’s life, RUMC believes that this would serve as a reminder to its aspiring doctors to begin seeing themselves as doctors-in-training rather than as students. “This is a day that signifies the transition from the study of preclinical to clinical medicine for you, our RUMC student. It emphasizes the fact that your contact with patients will be more significant and this ceremony brings to the forefront the responsibility that goes along with that.” said Prof David Whitford, President and CEO of RUMC.
“RUMC (Royal College of Surgeons Ireland & University College Dublin Malaysia Campus) and the Ministry of Health Malaysia have been working together in a symbiotic manner for the past 20 years in the education and training of medical undergraduates. RUMC (formerly Penang Medical College) was the first private medical college in Malaysia. RUMC utilizes the Penang State Health Department healthcare facilities encompassing its hospitals and health clinics, for the education and training of clinical undergraduates. These educational and training activities are carried out by both RUMC and MOH staff. RUMC specialists also provide specialist clinical services, staff training courses and research collaborative activities at MOH facilities. This healthy cooperation and collaboration between the MOH facilities in Penang state and RUMC augurs well with benefit realization to both entities.” Said Dr Asmayani Bt Khalib, Penang State Health Director.
Upon concluding their clinical training, students will graduate as doctors, receiving an internationally recognised medical degree, namely the MB BCh BAO (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of Obstetrics) from the National University Ireland (NUI). A two-year placement as House Officers will follow suit.
