UTAR offers undergraduate programmes in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Nursing, Physiotherapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
HEALTHCARE as a noble profession has been further accentuated by the pandemic, with doctors and nurses on the frontlines battling Covid-19.
Their sacrifices have inspired many to join this heroic vocation, and this aspiration can be achieved with a solid foundation in healthcare studies.
Established in 2009, the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman’s (UTAR) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences offers undergraduate programmes in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Nursing, Physiotherapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
For students who wish to further their education, the faculty also offers postgraduate programmes in Master and Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Science and Chinese Medicine.
Paging future doctorsThe five-year-long MBBS programme follows the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) guidelines of horizontal and vertical integration of curriculum.
A vertical curriculum links knowledge from one lesson to the next across a programme of study, while a horizontal curriculum integrates knowledge across different classes or disciplines.
Furthermore, the programme follows a systematic and integrated approach to equip graduates with good clinical skills and effective communication skills, which is key for bedside manner.
Producing some 249 graduates to date, the university also provides personal and professional development and elements of medical humanities integrated throughout the programme such as a mindfulness workshop, silent mentor programme, Sun Tzi’s Art of War & Business, special institution and home visits, to name a few.
The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the UTAR Sungai Long campus in Kajang, Selangor.
Making of a nurse
As unsung heroes of the medical profession, nurses would need to hone a special kind of compassion to tend to their patients in times of need.
The Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) programme equips students with good knowledge, critical thinking skills, safe skills and practices, and exceptional attitude to provide competent care to patients and their caregivers.
The 135-credit programme is approved by the Higher Education Ministry and is fully accredited by MQA and the Malaysian Nursing Board (LJM).Since its establishment over a decade ago, it has produced graduates who now work in both local and international healthcare facilities. With faculty members from various expertise and experiences, students would be groomed to be an all-rounder.
UTAR Physiotherapy students on a field visit to the National Stroke Association of Malaysia.
Multidisciplinary physiotherapist
To date, the Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) degree has produced some 200 graduates and achieved an employment rate of more than 90% in hospitals and centres across Malaysia and Singapore.
The students will be exposed to multiple disciplines mainly musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, neurology, geriatrics, women and men’s health and sports rehabilitation.
Accredited by MQA and periodically moderated for quality by a panel of external examiners from the University of Hong Kong, students undergo extensive hours of internship in various settings including hospitals, clinics and rehabilitation centres.
The university has also built partnerships with industry advisors, field experts and chief executive officers who provide feedback to students, along with the international and local industries partners in organising webinars, talks and workshops on health-related topics to benefit the students, staff, clinicians as well as the public.
The traditional route
The TCM or Bachelor of Chinese Medicine (Honours) has 17 full-time staff members and some 140 Chinese Medical alumni, to its name.
Emphasising the knowledge and application of Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture and tuina, the university has built strong linkages with local and overseas partners for clinical training, research, and, student and staff exchange.
With the aim to be the largest TCM centre in Malaysia, the first phase of the UTAR hospital project comprises 100 beds, which will be used for TCM, traditional Malay medicine and ayurvedic medicine treatments.
It also has an education centre in the TCM block for clinical teaching and learning, and aims to provide placement for clinical training in future to produce quality graduates.
For more information, visit fmhs.utar.edu.my.
