To train as a doctor or dentist takes many years. Therefore, it is important to understand the expectations of the course and subsequent training in order to prepare well for it.
Medicine
A medical course is generally perceived as demanding with long hours of study in order to complete essays and assignments. It can also be emotionally demanding as you need to interact with patients especially in your final year. Therefore, in addition to being good academically, you also need good people skills, and an analytical mind in order to link symptoms to the underlying cause of ailments. Prior study of mathematics and chemistry are required.
Generally, a medical programme takes five years to complete and is divided into preclinical and clinical years. During the pre-clinical years (usually two years), students attend lectures and small group tutorials. Students are taught basic life support skills along with subjects such as anatomy, pharmacology, biochemistry, pathology, immunology, physiology, genetics and microbiology. Students may also get some exposure in general practice placements. During the clinical years, students are based in teaching hospitals, and will continue to attend lectures, seminars and tutorials in the hospital. In the final year, students will be placed on rotations in a hospital where they are exposed to real patients in different departments.
The field of medicine is very wide and encompasses many specialisations. If you wish to specialise in one area, you need to pursue postgraduate studies that would take another two to five years of study and training depending on their field of specialisation. Medical specialisations include radiology,cardiology, dermatology, gynaecology, oncology, ophthalmology, psychiatry and urology among others.
To practise medicine in Malaysia, you need to graduate from a recognised medical programme, undergo two to three years of internship or 'housemanship' as it is known in Malaysia, and serve a period of three years in government clinics and hospitals. For information on registration as a medical practitioner in Malaysia, please visit www.mmc.gov.my.
Dentistry
Although dentistry may not be as popular as a course of choice compared to medicine, studying dentistry is as challenging as studying medicine. You need good grades to get into a dentistry programme and prior study of mathematics, chemistry and biology are usually required.
Similar to a medical course, an undergraduate ,programme in dentistry takes five years to complete and it is divided into pre-clinical and clinical years. In the pre-clinical years, students will study biological science modules covering the human body and its various systems, the head and oral cavity. Students will begin treating patients under the supervision of their lecturers in a training dental surgery while attending lectures and seminars on dental pathology, immunology, dental materials, public health, and radiography among others. Students will continue to learn about clinical practice and procedures.
There are also opportunities to specialise for dentist. These specialisations include oral surgery, maxillofacial surgery, periodontics, forensic odontology, and paediatric dentistry among others. Postgraduate study is required if you wish to specialise. In order to practise dentistry in Malaysia, you need to be registered with the Malaysian Dental Council (MDC) and are required to obtain an Annual Practising Certificate. In order to register with the MDC, you need to undergo compulsory service of one year in government hospitals and clinics. For more information, please visit www.mda.org.my and http://mdc.moh.gov.my/
If you wish to study medicine or dentistry, it helps to get some work experience in hospitals or clinics so that you can observe the work of doctors and dentists before making a decision on whether the career is suitable for you.
