It goes without saying that the road to becoming a doctor is paved with ambition, discipline, and dedication from the get-go. But perhaps above all, it begins with the right drive. That is what makes RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus (RUMC) students stand out from the rest. On top of having students of academic excellence, the cornerstone of RUMC being a successful medical school lies not only in the quality of the education it provides but also in its students’ motivation in pursuing a career in medicine.

RUMC’s class of 2021 has entered the next phase of their journey as medical students. 124 aspiring doctors have returned from Dublin, Ireland where they undertook their pre-clinical studies at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and University College Dublin (UCD) for two-and-a-half years. The clinical years in Malaysia will mainly comprise of the students receiving on-site training where they will interact with patients at Penang General Hospital, Seberang Jaya Hospital, and Taiping Hospital.

To commemorate this significant milestone, RUMC presented the students with White Coats in a ceremony at the Penang General Hospital. While the White Coat Ceremony is usually held at the beginning of a medical student’s life, RUMC believes that this would serve as a reminder to its aspiring doctors to begin seeing themselves as doctors-in-training rather than as students. As doctors-in-training, students are expected to demonstrate the highest level of professionalism as they are now responsible for patient care.

As the demand for doctors continues to grow, there is a greater need to ensure that medicine graduates are industry-ready. RUMC’s unique relationship with the Malaysian Ministry of Health allows exclusive use of the Penang General Hospital for the students’ clinical training. As such, RUMC doctors-in-training would have better access to patients, allowing them to focus and nurture their patient-care and medical skills to its full potential. Today, RUMC is amongst the top medical schools in the country in preparing students for
Housemanship.

“As you begin your clinical training, you are following in the footsteps of nearly 1,700 RUMC doctors, your seniors have gone on to senior positions and RUMC graduates are well sought after. You are carrying the name and reputation that they have built up. Carry it well and uphold the good name of RUMC. That is your responsibility as you enter these hospital corridors, wards, clinics and theatres,” advised Prof Stephen Doughty, President and CEO of RUMC.

Upon concluding their clinical training, students will graduate as doctors, receiving an internationally recognised medical degree, namely the MB BCh BAO (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of Obstetrics) from the National University Ireland (NUI). A two-year placement as House Officers will follow suit.