Study Guide: Medicine (MBBS) in Malaysia

Have you always pictured yourself helping people? Have you always dreamt of having a stethoscope swung around your neck, walking through the halls of a hospital? Are you dedicated and willing to put in hours upon hours of effort to save lives? Then perhaps you may consider to study in medicine.

Medicine (MBBS)

Medicine is the field of health and healing. Nurses, physicians, and a range of experts are included. It involves medical research, disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, among many other aspects of health. Medicine seeks to maintain and improve good health. In order to be a medical expert, you need to have MBBS degree. What is MBBS? MBBS is an undergraduate study, the first degree that a professional in medicine must take. It is meant to train students in all fields of medicine.

The field of medicine is vast and interdisciplinary as a whole. There are numerous departments in medicine, and before you can specialise in one area, you must complete years of training and experience in all of them. Listed below are a few of the medical specialities in medical degree.

Anaesthesiology

Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Psychotherapy

Internal Medicine

Orthopaedics

Radiology

Emergency Medicine

Paediatrics

Surgery

Entry Requirements to Study Medicine (MBBS)

These are the general entry requirements to pursue a medical degree. Entry requirements for some universities may be higher, so do make sure you check the details carefully.

Requirements (Medicine)

SPM/O-Level

A pass with 5Bs including Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics or Additional Mathematics (applicable to Government Matriculation, Pre-U in Health/Pure/Applied Sciences and Foundation in Science)
A pass with 3 credits including English, Mathematics/Additional Mathematics (applicable to diploma qualification)

A-Level: Minimum BBB, ABC or AAC in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics or Mathematics
Australian Matriculation SAM/SACE International: Minimum ATAR 80 including Biology, Chemistry and Physics/Mathematics or Aggregate/Average of 80% or the equivalent of B in Biology, Chemistry and Physics/Mathematics
Canadian Pre-University programmes: Average of 80% in any 3 subjects in Biology, Chemistry, Physics/Mathematics
Foundation in Science or Matriculation programme: Pass with minimum CGPA of 3.00 in Biology, Chemistry and Physics or Mathematics
International Baccalaureate (IB): Minimum 30 points including 2 science subjects/Mathematics at Higher Level (HL) and 1 science subject at Standard Level (SL) with a minimum score of 4 each in Biology, Chemistry and Physics/Mathematics
UEC: Pass with minimum B4 in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Advanced Mathematics
STPM: Minimum BBB, ABC or AAC in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics or Mathematics
Diploma in Health Sciences: Minimum CGPA 3.50 with minimum 2Bs each in Biology, Chemistry and Physics

Pathways (Medicine)

Pathway to Study Medicine (MBBS)

This is the general pathway to study Medicine (MBBS) and be a registered doctor in Malaysia. To summarise, it generally takes a total of 8-9 years to become a fully registered doctor after completing your SPM or IGCSE.

Step 1: Complete a pre-medical course (e.g. A-Level, STPM, Foundation in Science) for 1-2 years. You can also opt to be enrolled in Diploma in Health Sciences for 2-2.5 years.

Step 2: Enrol in a MBBS Degree that's typically 5 years long.

Step 3: Undergo 2 years of housemanship, which is a compulsory internship for all aspiring doctors.

Step 4: Once you've completed your housemanship, you can apply for full registration as a doctor with MMC (Malaysian Medical Council)

Optional steps (to be a specialist)

Step 5: If you want to be a specialist (e.g. anaesthesiologist, gynaecologist, paediatrician), you will need to pursue postgraduate studies, which take about 4-5 years. You'll also need to undergo 2-4 years of supervised training as a specialist.

Step 6: Finally, once you’ve met the criteria to be a specialist, you can register yourself with MMC as a specialist.

Note: Check if your medical degree is accepted by the Malaysian Medical Council. Otherwise, you may be banned from practising medicine in Malaysia.

Subjects

Subjects in Medicine (MBBS)

In Malaysia, a medical degree takes at least 5 years to complete and the total anticipated costs for a 5-year medical degree might range from RM250,000 to RM650,000. Most medical degrees are split into 2 phases — Phase 1 and Phase 2.

Phase 1: The first 2 years of your degree focuses on pre-clinical training in an academic setting where you will learn the theoretical basics of medical science. Some subjects you will study are:
- Anatomy
- Biochemistry
- Microbiology
- Pharmacology
- Pathology
- Clinical Medicine

Phase 2: The next years of your degree will be spent on clinical training, with clinical rotations at hospitals and health clinics. You will receive hands-on experience with patients and will have the opportunity to test out several clinical specialities such as general medicine, surgery, paediatrics, and internal medicine.

Job Prospects With Medicine (MBBS) Degree

A medical degree is best for people who are prepared to devote a significant amount of time to becoming doctors. Most medical graduates who earn a degree will go on to complete the criteria to become doctors after they graduate. Even yet, if you have a medical degree, there are other career options besides being a doctor.

If you would like to be a medical specialist, you will need to pursue the relevant postgraduate qualifications. Here are some medical specialist careers:

Paediatrician
Psychiatrist
Dermatologist
Orthopaedic Surgeon
Ophthalmologist
Radiologist
Vascular Surgeon

If you prefer alternative career options in non-clinical fields, you can consider the following jobs:

Hospital Administrator
Medical Researcher
Medical Journalist
Lecturer
International Aid Worker

Universities to Study Medicine (MBBS)

Career

Universities

Manipal University College Malaysia

Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)

Intakes: April & October
Annual Fees: N/A
Duration: 5 years

Taylor's University

Bachelor in Medicine (Hons)

Intakes: March & August
Annual Fees: RM80,778
Duration: 5 years

MAHSA University

Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)

Intakes: N/A
Annual Fees: RM88,440
Duration: 5 years

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