I never thought I can write my Part 5 in just 2 days! Over the last few months, I have been hearing news from reliable sources that Johns Hopkins may pull out of Perdana University and negotiations are going on, to salvage the joint venture. However, till it is official, I can’t write anything as they can sue me if I am wrong. Alas today, the verdict is OUT. JH has made official announcement that they are breaking all ties with Perdana University as reported over HERE (below).
When the program was first initiated in 2010, I was sceptical as usual. I wrote about it over here and here. I felt that probably JH was not given the true picture of our health care system. I heard the radio interview given by PUGSOM CEO and I can very well say that he is not aware of the healthcare structure of this country. The healthcare system of US and Malaysia are totally different. I received many emails from budding students who were offered “special” JPA scholarship to study at PUGSOM. It was worth RM 1 million per student! Since it is a graduate medical school, generally most students are matured students. The students were told that they will have their own teaching hospital(private hospital) by 2014 and they will even do their residency style training programme in this hospital, upon graduation. Again, I advised these students not to believe on these unless and until it happens. Building a hospital is not like building a shopping complex! Till today, their main campus and the hospital has not even started construction! I had written about this over HERE.
So far, 3 batches has been recruited into PUGSOM. The first batch suppose to graduate next year. Their training is mainly in HKL. Based on the statement given by JH, it looks like it is all about money and late payment. What interest me more is the reply from PUGSOM that was published later today(see below).
It looks like both of them are now fighting about who paid and who requested more! It is all about doing business and making profit. No private entity will survive without making profit. This was a private-public partnership project under the PM’s department. That’s the reason the “special” scholarship program was initiated to help fund the project via JPA. If not, who will even consider paying RM 1 million and RM 800K for their programs which are both a local degree with no international recognition. Right from the beginning , JH has made it very clear that it is NOT a JH degree but Perdana University degree.
Well, “nasi sudah menjadi bubur”. This break-up is a bad publicity for the country and government. Unfortunately, we have a lot of half-baked politicians who do not know what they are talking about. I still remember the headline made by our PM when this JH-Perdana collaboration was announced (HERE). I was laughing my head off!
I feel sad for the students. I was told that they will continue with their program till they graduate. BUT from the statement made by JH, it looks like they are pulling out their curriculum and their academics from the university. Thus, I am not sure which curriculum will Perdana use at the moment. Even though Perdana University statement says that they have signed another new partner, it will take time for all the formalities to take place. So, I got no idea what are the students going to do meanwhile.
Well, one by one medical schools are falling down. AUCMS with 5 medical programs left with only 1. I heard many of the smaller medical schools are struggling to survive as they are still making a loss. Hopefully, it is all a blessing in disguise!
Top US medical school cuts ties with Perdana U over money
BY ELIZABETH ZACHARIAH
Published: 18 August 2014
After a four-year alliance, the world-renowned Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine has pulled out of Malaysia’s Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine (Pugsom), citing frequent late payments as the reason.
The American medical school said it made the “difficult decision” of ending the partnership in Pugsom – Malaysia’s first private teaching hospital with research facilities – because payments to Johns Hopkins under the contract were often late, adding that payments were 12 months overdue when the partnership was terminated last month.
“It was our honour and privilege to help create a new model for medical education in Malaysia by providing guidance and advice to Pugsom and by assisting in teaching and in the initiation of the school,” its director of marketing and communications, Lindsay R Rothstein, told The Malaysian Insider in an email.
“However, we reached the difficult decision to end the existing relationship because payments required under the agreement for the services provided by Johns Hopkins and its faculty were frequently received late and at the time the agreement was terminated, Johns Hopkins had not been paid for more than 12 months of work.”
Rothstein said the situation had become “untenable” but added that despite its disappointment over the outcome of the partnership, it would not close its doors on other international collaborations.
“As of July 31, 2014, Johns Hopkins, its faculty and its curriculum are no longer associated with Pugsom. While we are deeply disappointed by this outcome, we hold firm to our belief that international collaborations such as this are critical to advancing our mission.”
Pugsom, established in 2010 under the initiative of the Academic Medical Centre Sdn Bhd (AMC), offered a four-year medical course in collaboration with John Hopkins, which reportedly cost RM800,000.
When Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced the partnership between Johns Hopkins and Malaysian and American investors in September 2010, he said the school would become a medical research hub in the region.
Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, who was then Health Minister, was reported as saying that the presence of the prestigious Johns Hopkins in Malaysia would boost the country’s health tourism industry.
The Public Services Department sponsored students enrolled in the Pugsom programme.
Johns Hopkins, meanwhile, said the official notice of its decision to end the partnership was sent to AMC on March 17 this year but it allowed the faculty to remain reaching until July 31 in the interest of students attending Pugsom.
“Since the date of the notice on March 17, 2014, in order to protect the interests of the students attending Pugsom, Johns Hopkin voluntarily and at our own expense, allowed its faculty to remain teaching through July 31, 2014, and maintained other aspects of our presence at Pugsom,” Rothstein added.
“Also during this timeframe, Johns Hopkins allowed the school to use the Johns Hopkins ‘Genes to Society’ curriculum and the ‘in Collaboration with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’ tag line.”
However, checks on the university’s website earlier this week showed that the Pugsom programme, along with the tagline of the collaboration with Johns Hopkins, was still being advertised.
Perdana University vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Sothi Rachagan, when contacted, declined to comment but said that a statement would be issued.
Pugsom, which opened its doors in September 2011, is believed to currently have three batches of medical students. Its chancellor is Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The campus is located at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) in Serdang. It was reported in 2011 that it would move to a 141-acre campus costing RM2.3 billion by 2014.
The new campus, also located in Serdang, is expected have its own 600-bed private teaching hospital. – August 18, 2014.
– See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/top-us-medical-school-cuts-ties-with-perdana-u-over-money#sthash.5PuRGIRm.dpuf
Press Release – 18th August 2014
We refer to the news report on the termination of the Perdana University relationship with Johns Hopkins effective 31st July 2014.
Perdana University is a wholly owned subsidiary of Academic Medical Centre Sdn Bhd (AMC).
AMC has to date paid a total of US$34.199 million to Johns Hopkins on account of Perdana University. US$5 million was paid towards the Swami Institute for International Medical Education established at Johns Hopkins University and a further US$29.199 million as part of the affiliation and collaboration agreement. The last payment made to John Hopkins was US$2 million on 7th May 2014.
AMC and Johns Hopkins are in dispute over whether any further sums are payable and the failure of Johns Hopkins to address the many grievances of AMC and Perdana University. The dispute will be resolved in accordance with the Affiliation and Collaboration Agreement with Johns Hopkins.
Perdana University has kept all relevant government agencies, the staff and students at Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine (PUGSOM) informed of the developments.
The 80 students enrolled with PUGSOM are entitled to their rights and this includes a teach-out on the terms on which they were admitted into the programme. Perdana University will ensure that the rights of the students are not in any way compromised.
PUGSOM is the first school in the country to offer the US style four year graduate entry programme.
PUGSOM continues to operate seamlessly with both foreign and local faculty with no disruption whatsoever from the departure of the three Johns Hopkins seconded staff.
PUGSOM will continue to exist and grow even further in collaboration with another leading top-tier US University, the identity of which will be announced jointly in due course in accordance with the disclosure terms in the agreement with the new partner that was signed on the 11th August 2014.
Perdana University wishes to reiterate that it continues to enjoy excellent relations with its other partner the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) which operates the five year PU-RCSI undergraduate medical programme. The degree is awarded directly by RCSI from Dublin. Besides this, Perdana University has been made the postgraduate examination centre for the MRCP Part 1 by the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland and MCAI MCQ by the College of Anaesthetists in Ireland.
Perdana University has within three years established the Perdana University School of Occupational Therapy (PUSCOT) to offer a BSc in Occupational Therapy and a School of Postgraduate Studies which offers a Postgraduate Diploma, Master’s and PHD in Bioinformatics and Translational Medicine. These initiatives have been enhanced by our partnership with the Beijing Genome Institute and the Asia Pacific Bioinformatics Network (APBioNet). The APBioNet has since funded the establishment of its office at Perdana University.
We have also signed an Agreement with United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and Zurich University of Applied Sciences to jointly offer a unique Master’s in International Trade Negotiations to commence in January next year.
Many other programmes and courses are being designed for the nation and other countries in Asia by our Faculty. The management aspires to make the University special and offer courses which are niche.
The University has attracted many Malaysians to return to serve the nation after having settled abroad. This is due to the excellent teaching and research opportunities that are made available to them at Perdana University.
Within three years the Faculty at Perdana University have published a large number of scientific and peer reviewed papers in international and local journals. One of our local Faculty won the Merdeka Award last year.
Perdana University will continue to grow even further and stronger with the separation from Johns Hopkins.
Wonder of you have any news about a ‘newish’ medical college in Johor? Apparently it started off without clinical lecturers in certain depts. And it’s affiliated overseas partner separated even before the 1st batch went overseas.
If I am not mistaken I know which university you are taking about. The twinning university was not even recognised by MMC
Please wake up people! The basic requirement of a doctor is common sense when treating patients and not some fancy degree!!!
As is the same for other professions, no?
for some other professionals, in fact even in medicine in some countries, hiring manager will look at the uni you graduated from
Why not send doctors to this developed country and let them teach our medical student here.It is wayy more cost efficient.India and China have long implemented this method.Why Malaysia need to waste billion of taxpayers dollar just to get this shady business proposal to work.We all know how much commision did they pocket in on this deal alone.smh
AMC has to date paid a total of US$34.199 million to Johns Hopkins……..
The 80 students enrolled with PUGSOM are entitled to their rights…….
Based on my calculation of RM1.0 million per student for total students of 30(2011), 25(2012) and 25(2013), total fee collection for last 3 years is 90+50+25=165 million. Out of this amount, more than 65% (about RM108 million or US$34.199 million@3.16 exchange rate, excluding disputed amount unpaid for) were paid to Johns Hopkins for this super expensive collaboration.
PU will never succeed in any collaboration with other top university if PUGSOM continues and fails to attract sufficient numbers of graduate students into its program..
You are assuming the full fees are all paid in advance.Say fees are paid yearly at 330k each over 4 years…Perdana only received fees of 51m todate…really well short of 108m paid out. No business can survive with such cashflow deficit.
in fact the amount shd be 250k since it is 4 years not 5…even lower receipt !
RIC, you’re right. My assumption is incorrect based on RM1.0 million tuition fee per student per year. It should be RM250,000 per student per year for a 4-year program. In this case, the total fee collected for the last 3 years is much lower i.e. 22.5(2011)+12.5(2012)+6.25(2013)=RM41.25 million. How did PU fork out the shortfall of RM66.75 million?
No businessman would want this sort of fast money burning venture. Our taxpayers’ money has gone to the big coffer of Johns Hopkins. There must be a hidden agenda behind the screen and our BN government should be questioned for this complete fiasco.
One after another sir!
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/fewer-places-for-medicine-due-to-glut-of-doctors-says-ministry-bernama
We know IPTA has been reducing their medical places since a few years, but the figure of 418 cannot be right? Um and UKM alone are already taking 200 each. Unless they reduce it to 50 in each of the 12 or so IPTA med schools.
This is completely wrong, they should reduce/cancel IPTS med school, not IPTA. But we know why this is happening. The gov is tying to support profit based private education by shrinking public funded education. Businessman is again given priority.
Probably the non bumi quota
Exactly!
For those who wish to pursue medical career, please DO NOT use the STPM route to achieve your dream. For past 10 years, the medical seats for IPTA were filled by the matriculation students even for the non bumi quota. The chance of STPM student even with CPGA4.0 is less than 5%. This is true for critical courses including dentistry and pharmacy. Many still don’t know that matriculation does take in non bumi students and these students stand the best chance to get these critical courses. The moment you take STPM, your chance of getting medical course is practically ZERO.
Yup, the figures does not fit unless he is just talking about STPM students. The rest goes to matriculation
The intake for UM MBBS this year has decrease to 120 places from 180 places last year. Other IPTA has followed similar approach. E.g. UniSZA has 60 places. The figures shown could be right.
I believe some IPTA have forgo the racial quota. Eg: last year, UM took in around 90 Chinese for 180 places in medicine. Furthermore, about STPM, their greatest disadvantage is about the koku marks, they would not be able to compete against matriculation students, who have many opportunities and many activities to join compare to STPM students.
There are 11 IPTA with medical faculty, unlikely the figures are right unless it is just the STPM Students
The claim to have high chance for non-bumi to be admitted into IPTAs medicine via KPM Matrikulasi is outdated. Preference is now given to IPTAs own asasi students and majority of them are bumi. In last year UPM’s intake for about 110 medicine students, about 15 are non-bumi and 13 are from own asasi and 2 are from KPM Matrikulasi. The rest are bumi students from UM and UiTM Asasi and KPM Matrikulasi. None of them are from STPM.
The figure of 418 is only “wayang kulit” for innocent public. You’ll be shocked to know the huge numbers of asasi students taken after SPM every year by all IPTAs and later successfully absorbed into their own medical course.
Well, it says 418 places to people that got 4.0, we need to consider those who get 3.96, 3.92 and so on..
And yes, UM intake this year decreased to 120 students. It was mentioned by Prof. Adeeba during the Medicine in Malaysia Conference.
However, the real thing that they should do is shut down private medical school that have insufficient lecturers or facilities. But, we both know how difficult it is to let it happen.
It is unfair to think of closing down IPTS medical schools just because someone cannot get into IPTAs. Many from IPTS are from similar situations and they just move forward and get help from PTPTN. Not everything is fair and lucky in life. The opportunities are still there but just need to suck up to it for the long term good if one think the medical profession is THE profession to be in.
I bet at least 50% of UM MBBS students this year come from asasi. :3
The whole thing stinks to high heaven, just another example of endemic crony capitalism in Malaysia.
Chase Perdana is a construction company and owns the whole thing, via its subsidiary Academic Medical Centre Sdn Bhd. Why was a construction company given the licence to open a medical school? Well, the Perdana University campus/hospital project is a public-private partnership venture and the RM 2.3 billion construction project was awarded to Chase Perdana. Convenient eh?
AMC Sdn Bhd had negative reserves of RM189 million and made a loss of RM63.6 million at end of 2013 according to the Companies Commission. So this company is in danger of falling flat unless bailed out by Chase Perdana (or more likely, the government). We are already paying for them because almost all their students are JPA scholars. So the government (i.e. taxpayers) is keeping the institution afloat anyway.
All figures are from this Malaysian Insider article: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/putrajaya-must-protect-interests-of-perdana-u-medical-students-says-dap
Below is the survey on qualifications for local public medical schools for 2013/14 session. The source is http://www.quansheng.org/p/blog-page_11.html (unfortunately is in Mandarin and the survey is on probably Chinese students only, some number may not add up because probably not all the students return their questionnaires):
Total / non Bumi (Matriculation / STPM / Others (like A level etc):
1. UM – 176/71 (71 / 0 / 0)
2. USM – 168/40 (18 / 6 / 2 )
3. UKM – 134/21 (15 / 2 / 0 )
4. UPM – 103/31 ( 5 / 0 / 4 )
5. Uni Sabah – 80/33 (33 / 0 / 0)
6. UniMas – 162/34 (30 / 1 / 0)
You judge for yourself whether STPM is the best route or not.
Sorry UPM should be 103/13 (5 / 0 / 4)
For dentistry 2013/14 session, non Bumi (Chinese):
Total / non Bumi (Matriculation / STPM / Others (like A level etc):
1. UM 50/30 (30 / 0 / 0)
2. USM 50/18 (11 / 5 / 1)
3. 52/14 (10 / 0 / 2)
majority of student are from matriculation. USM seems to take a bit more STPM student for medical and dentistry.
Sorry the last is for UKM 52/14 (10 / 0 / 2)
For pharmacy course 2013/14 session, non Bumi (Chinese):
Total / non Bumi (Matriculation / STPM / Others (like A level etc):
1. UM 51/26 (26 / 0 / 0)
2. USM 115/36 (18 / 4 / 2)
3. UKM 75/24 (15 / 5 / 1)
Seems like no chance at all for STPM student to enter UM for these critical courses.
http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/parliamentary-replies/2013/05/enrolment-at-nus-medical-faculty.php even Singapore rejected 1000 high achievers who applied for medical. So is the Singaporean gov being unfair to them?
No, because they don’t have a slew of private med schools, and recognises 300 odd med schools elsewhere, which often takes in rich mediocre students.
The equation, if this trend continues, mean the medical profession is going to come from the richer section of nons. The bumis will still get funding via the majority of places in IPTA, and MARA/JPA scholarships.
Hi dr,
I’m planning to pursue medicine in IMU. I am aware that the local mbbs programme will not be recognised by any other country. However, does that mean that i cannot continue to do my postgraduate overseas in the future?
YES except for MRCP and MRCS which can be done locally.Since your degree is not recognised overseas, you will not be able to get a job overseas unless you sit and pass each respective country’s entrance exam with no guarantee of a job.
I see, thanks for your reply Dr Paga! Are there a lot of opportunities to do the master’s programme locally?
Please read this blog, the answers are there! Only 800 Master’s slot every year for ALL disciplines included.
for those that kept harpooning JPA was not giving money to non bumis… pls check the number of non bumis in pugsom
You are not getting the point. PUGSOM was promised a special guaranteed JPA scholarship for a certain number of students/year as a form of support to the university by the government (aka supporting the uni via backdoor). It is called “private -public partnership” via PM’s department!
The selection of students were done by PU and JH based on their strict entry criteria, similar to that in US. Thus the government had no control nor could they set any quota system!That’s the reason you are seeing more non-bumis in PUGSOM. If there were a quota system, JH would have left much earlier!
I don’t deny majority of PUGSOM students are non-bumi and they’re qualified on merit. If these students were given their first chance to study undergraduate in IPTAs medicine, I believe many of them won’t want to go for the longer graduation path in PUGSOM.
STPM 4A Scorer Does Not Get Pharmacy Course
http://education.malaysia-students.com/2014/08/stpm-4a-scorer-does-not-get-pharmacy.html
Hello Dr. Pagalavan,
Thank you so much for blogging and writing about the Malaysian medical scene. It really keeps us all informed. I just graduated from a university in North America. I read all your latest posts and you quote that there is a shortage of housemanship spots now. I am willing to work in Sabah/ Sarawak. The situation here is also dire as Canada and U.S. for the first time could not find residency spots for some of its local graduates after medical school this year. If I come back now and apply by Sept/ Nov, will there be a chance that I never land a housemanship? Is it true that they can reject overseas grads and then they can never apply again?
Thanks.
I was referring to Dr Krishna from your article: For Future Doctors: The Changing Landscape for future doctors……….. Part 1b. I also understand that there will now be more than 6000 local grads for the 6000+ spots available by 2015 as you mentioned in your previous articles.
Interesting that US and Canada having same problems. That hoes to say that despite passing USMLE, the chances for someone from here to get residency in US is slim!
If you apply now, the chances are, you will likely still get a post within 6 months.
Thank you very much for the insight Dr. Pagalavan. WIll put this information to good use!
Hi Dr.Pagalavan,
I am a JPA scholar and i am interested to do medicine.
I got 3 offer from Malaysian IPTS which are Monash Malaysia, Perdana University-RCSI, and Newcastle University Malaysia.
Which do you think is a better choice of the three?
Please advice Dr.Pagalavan.
I would prefer Monash or NUMED
And JPA has agreed to sponsor me in full(RM800,000) for the PU-RCSI programme.
I think it should be clarified – US allopathic medical school graduates have a more than 95% chance of matching in the US. (http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Main-Match-Results-and-Data-2014.pdf) . most reasons for not matching may include ranking too few programs, ranking only very competitive programs and having a substandard CV
Hi Dr. I read most of your posts and your posts are enlightening me. The reality is cruel and so REAL. I have never thought of this before.
I’m a STPM graduate. 4.0 scorer. Being a doctor is my ambition (thought of prolonging lives) and so I applied medicine for UPU. But unfortunately i couldnt secure a position in local public universities. However, I think i have a chance in getting JPA scholarship to pursue medicine in a local private university. If that’s the case, I have to work under the government for 10 years post graduation.
I am looking for more infos regarding the future prospect of being a doctor since most probably i have to bond to the government for 10 years. What i read from the newspaper (the seats in local uni dropped from 900 to 418 this year) and the internet was terrifying.
Issues such as the oversupply of doctors, lack of hospitals, bad quality of the mushrooming medical schools, houseman posting problems are putting me into a dilemma.
I feel difficult to make this choice since i am yet to expose to medical field. I am open to other courses as well. I hope that Dr. can shed some light on this.
Thank you so much !
It is entirely up to you. Do what you are interested but the future in medicine may be frustrating.
The number 418 is just the STPM intake. It does not include those who were recruited via asasi and matriculation.
Now that’s revelation Dr Paga,it is true that we are made to believe what they want us to believe!
Dr, Pagal, all applicants for IPTAs from STPM, Matrikulasi, Asasi UM and Asasi UiTM have to go through UPU and the number 418 is inclusive from all those mentioned students. However, there are other Asasi students other than UM and UiTM who have got direct admission into their respective IPTAs and the number is believed to be more than 418. FYI, all IPTAs except USM have their own asasi or foundation for medicine program and majority are reserved for bumiputra students only.
Yup, but I also heard that UM asasi are taken directly as well. Unfortunately these asasi and foundations are reserved for bumiputeras, thus official announcement will not be made!
UiTm is also for bumiputeras only.
STPM students is NOT getting the 418 seats or nearly 50% of medical placement in all IPTAs. My estimation is less than 100.
Ya, I should include STPM / Matriculation. Will wait for further info. Might as well they abolish STPM.
Asasi UM (PASUM) and Asasi UiTM (PALAM) are required to apply through UPU but they are given priority in other IPTAs if they fail to be accepted into these 2 universities. You can tell why 70% intake into UPM’s medical course last year are from PASUM and PALAM.
Only Asasi from UKM, UPM and UPNM are open to non-bumiputra students but chances to get into UKM and UPNM are low because UKM and UPNM have their own SPM students from Permata Pintar program and Royal Military College.
All statistics from MOE are classified under OSA and that’s why there’s no transparency.
im currently a 4th year medical student in india, under jpa scholarship. the 10 year bond is not actually a bad idea, with the soon to be oversupply of dr, u will have a guarantee of job compared to those who r not under jpa. futhermore u can do specialist during the 10 years duration
if u like medicine and love handling sickness, go for medicine
today my prof scolded the postgrad for not writing the case sheets when the patient was admitted for more than 24hours. and he did not start the antimalarial drug immediately after the report came back positive for malaria
Thank you for your quick reply Dr. What do you think about the 10 years bonding? Im worried about this ><
418 is the total Dr.
The government has only offered 418 qualified students to take up medical studies in local institutions of higher learning (Ipta) this year.
Read more: http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2014/08/18/418-1163-brilliant-students-get-medicine-year/#ixzz3BEKQcQeC
Once again, thank you so much !
If you are aiming for local private uni, your degree might not be recognised by other countries so you can only work locally in Malaysia until you’ve received your post-grad certifications eg MRCP, MRCS. If you are bonded, you have a bigger chance getting a job in Malaysia compared to those that are not bonded and studied in local private uni. It will take some years for you to get your post-grad certifications after MBBS and you can do your Master within that 10 years. If you stay in Malaysia after your Master, you will be appointed as a specialist. If you plan to emigrate, you have a bigger chance to be offered a job overseas as registrar (not specialist) with your post-grad certifications and 10 years experience in the field.
418 is not the total. It is the number they took in from STPM only. I have checked with some of the universities. There are 10 IPTA in this country that offers medicine.
10 years bond is nothing if you are planning to become a specialist
if you are really good and extremely interested, 418 seats means you get one seat and there is still 417 to spare.
Lu, define “really good”.
Hi Dr.Pagalavan,
Why you dont encourage Perdana-RCSI?
Is it because of the quality of education or something else?
Thank you Dr.
With the current fiasco involving JH, I have my reservation.
Dr.Paga, I was told that even if PU-RCSI closes down JPA scholars studying there wont have much problem because JPA will shoulder the responsibility to either place us in the goverment IPTA or other IPTS.
What is your opinion on this?
Yes of course but I would still not take the risk
The actual overall total intake for this year 2014 is confirmed 418 seats only for public universities. http://dapmalaysia.org/en/statements/2014/08/20/19043/ This is the actual feedback from my former school mates and friends whose intake are in this year.Further more, private universities also follow suit, probably from instruction released by the Ministry of Education to reduce their intake of medical student from this year onwards. For instance, some of the local private universities intake this year for medical course are as follows; AIMST University – 149; IMU – 118; UTAR – 26; MAHSA – 142; UCSI – 89; SEGI – 32; QUEST Perak – 55. The reason for the low intake of medical student in Public universities this year is that the government is pursuing a privatisation policy not only for Companies but also health related industries and the possibility of combining and coordinating both private and public hospitals and health practices to cut costs..
Private universities will not survive with less than 150 students intake. They will have to close down. Private universities do not need to comply with MOE instructions. Over the last 2 years, the number of intakes to private colleges did drop due to the introduction of the minimum requirement by MMC.
Anyway, I am still waiting for further information on this as I am getting conflicting numbers.
Sukumaran, you don’t see the other side of the story because nobody tells you about it. Please check the number of Asasi student who are accepted directly into their own IPTAs without having to go through the UPU. Every year, most IPTAs with Asasi program will have a reserved seat of not less than 40% for their own Asasi students.
Gett, it’s no more difficult now to get a place to study in local public universities for non bumi, except for the following courses; Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Engineering and Architecture. The rest of the courses are relatively quite easy to get especially Art stream courses like Accountancy, Business Administration, Economics etc. Almost 20% of the universities’ intake are given to non bumi except those critical courses.Almost all of my friends with STPM qualification got their 2nd or 3rd choices of courses as long as they met the entry requirement. Somehow they are mostly given places to study in remote areas like Arau Perlis, Kelantan, Sarawak and Sabah. The situation lately is different from last time. An average good non bumi student almost definitely get a place in Public universities if they are not choosy and just want a degree course.
Actually, the situation last time was better. 15 years ago, 40% of places in public uni is given to non-bumis. However, only there were only 3-4 public universities then. 20% is very low !.
Actually, the situation last time was better. 15 years ago, 40% of places in public uni is given to non-bumis. However, there were only 3-4 public universities then. 20% is very low !.
Dr. Pagalavan,
I’m currently studying Biomedical Sciences from a UK university and will start my 2nd year this September. However, I had plenty of thoughts to switch to MBBS while going through my first year (and currently in a dilemma) as my goal is to become a doctor eventually. Reading your blog had gave me some insight on the current situation in Malaysia now and I’m quite concerned about the non-worldwide recognition of Malaysian medical degrees (private uni) and the oversupply of doctors in the future. I would like to know if it would be wiser for me to finish my degree and opt for Graduate Entry Medicine or to give it up and study MBBS locally. I do know that in the end the choice is mine but I do hope to get professional opinion on this.
Thanks for posting all these information and thoughts about the medical situation in Malaysia. I appreciate it.
It is up to you. What you intend to do in the future? Are you planning to work in Malaysia for life or has any plans to migrate? If the latter, than don’t bother doing medicine here. Get your biomedical degree, try to get a job in another country and try to get into their Graduate medical school.
Thanks for your reply, Dr. I’ll take that into consideration.
Test
Sir, wt do you think about medical studies offered at CUCMS?
Not even 50% standard of the worst public university in Malaysia. Dr P has said many times, local public universities are the best.
Local IPTA still the best because of the public hospitals’ facilities and the public Univ. lecturers’ salaries are all guaranteed, whether you work or not.
All the answers are mentioned many times here by Dr P. CUCMS do not even reach 50% standard of the worst local public univ.
While I generally agree with the sentiments above, I think we have to be realistic here. For the majority of students, especially non-Bumis, IPTA is NOT an option, as it is almost impossible to enter nowadays, even via the Matrik pathway. The gov policy currently is obviously to outsource medical education to the private sector, and hence shift the cost to the parents.
Therefore, it is important to identify which of the IPTS programmes are the better quality ones. And that is what a lot of potential students and their parents are asking. Which is worth their hard earned money.
CUCMS did something bad in the past, and had their recognition suspended and then provisionalised. For a med school to do what they did, suggests a lack of honesty, a lack of respect for the rules, and a lack of trustworthiness. Until they redeem themselves, I would advise another med school.
As far as I know CUCMS is already in trouble with MMC. If I am not mistaken, it has not got it’s MMC accreditation yet after it was derecognised.
UC San Diego and Perdana University Partner to Advance Medical Education and Research
http://health.ucsd.edu/news/releases/Pages/2015-02-02-perdana-partnership.aspx
UC San Diego is ranked 33 in The 2014-2015 Times Higher Education World University Rankings’ Clinical, Pre-Clinical and Health.
All PUGSOM students are JPA sponsored and I always believe it’s a good place for those who didn’t get the opportunity to study medicine in local undergraduate due to whatsoever reasons.
It does not matter as it is still Perdana University degree. It is just a collaboration.
Who cares so long the degree is recognised by MMC. Many of the current PUGSOM students were deprived of their right to study medicine in IPTAs despite of their excellent results in STPM.
Yes, of course but the association with a US university does not make any difference in the degree they are going to be given. That’s what i meant. Even their campus and so called hospital, which suppose to be ready in 2014 is not even up yet
Some bright students who score 4 flat in their STPM but end up being offered last choice to study non-medical degree in IPTAs. Their family can’t afford them to study in any of the private medical schools. Now, there’s a revived hope for them in PUGSOM that will help them to realise their childhood’s dream of becoming a doctor. Should they not grab this golden opportunity which also comes with a full JPA scholarship? Nobody cares about the US collaboration. They’re more concerned about their degree recognition by MMC.
Yes, i don’t deny that. If you just want a MMC recognised degree, there are many out there which is much cheaper etc. JPA scholarship is the only reason to enter PUGSOM. Nothing else
I dun think its a good place. Just ask anyone who studied thr. From 4 flat to mediocre student?
Deja vu but hopefully, this “marriage” will last this time.