UPU (Unit Pusat Universiti, or Central University Admission Unit) results are out, and as usual there are feelings of joy and frustration in the air. Among the unhappy students are, no doubt, those who applied to pursue a medical degree but were offered other programmes instead. Year after year, we hear from such disgruntled students and their parents why they qualify for – deserve to pursue – a medical degree programme.
It is important to realise that not all those with a perfect 4.0 CGPA (cumulative grade point average) are qualified to pursue medicine. Competition is stiff in the public universities for places in this programme and we need to also consider the performance of the candidates during the interview that reflects their aptitude. I am not saying every student who fails to be offered this course is not qualified enough but I do have other questions too.