80 Graduands ready to take on Housemanship Years after rigorous medical education & training by prestigious Irish Medical University in Malaysia

SUNDAY, 11 JUNE 2023 – GEORGETOWN, PENANG. 80 medical students were conferred doctors today at RUMC’s Conferring Ceremony at the E&O Hotel. Having completed a 5-year Undergraduate Medicine programme at the prestigious Irish university, these graduands which comprises both local and international students are now medical doctors who are ready to begin service as houseman within the Malaysian healthcare system or as interns globally.

These 80 new doctors undertook two-and-a-half years of pre-clinical training in Dublin, Ireland at RUMC’s parent universities – the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) or University College Dublin (UCD). This was followed by clinical training for a further two-and-a-half years in Penang, Malaysia. RUMC being the only medical school in Penang grants its students exclusive access to its training hospitals and sites under the Ministry of Health Malaysia. During this time, students experience hands-on interaction and care for actual patients.

RUMC is the Malaysian branch campus of RCSI and UCD, one of the top universities in the world for the study of Medicine. RUMC’s parent universities are pioneers and trailblazers in medical education and research and have over 400 years of experience in training medical students from across the globe. With a presence in Penang, Malaysia for nearly 3 decades, RUMC has consistently graduated high performing doctors who serve the field well both locally and globally.

Dr. Sheena Siva Subramaniam, Class of 2023 Valedictorian and recipient of the awards for First Place in Surgery and Obstetrics & Gynaecology says: “RUMC’s incredible lecturers and teachers really guided us and took the time to ensure that we were aware of our duties in the real world. This will serve as reminder for me to always learn and act practically as a clinician – which includes knowing my limits and boundaries, whilst growing and expanding my knowledge as I progress through my career in the foreseeable future”.

The former President of the RUMC Student Association added as advice to Aspiring Doctors: “Everything is a learning curve – you will be unlearning and learning things about yourself, so trust the process. Your study technique will be constantly evolving – so embrace it and go with the flow! Lean on your lecturers and peers, and always help one another! Medical school doesn’t have to be stressful, it’s all about perspective and being kind to yourself”.

Dr. Amirul Hafidz Bin Abdul Halim, recipient of the Dean’s List and award for First Place in Radiology shares: “Growing up in Jempol, I had an accident and needed stitches for my wound. My father had to drive almost 2 hours to the nearest hospital. It was then I realised not everyone is fortunate to receive appropriate medical care and being knowledgeable in Medicine would come in handy in the future. The syllabus and programme at RUMC emphasised on being a good doctor. I was taught to treat the patient, not just the condition. RUMC is known as the best school in shaping medical students into empathetic doctors and I could not agree more”.

The newly conferred doctor advises: “There’s no ‘working hard’ or ‘working smart’ in Medicine. There’s only consistency and to be consistent, you have to be disciplined. Create a schedule and stick to it, even when you’re feeling demotivated. Be a holistic student. Don’t just sit in the room studying all the time. Go out and socialise, do sports, play games, do whatever fulfils you. Be a human being, not just another student”.

Dr. Lim You Xin, recipient of the award for First Place in Otolaryngology shares tips to those who want to pursue becoming a doctor: “Choosing Medicine is not a thing to take lightly as the road is long, with many ups and downs. But if you have set your mind to it, persevere and give it all you’ve got. You will reap the fruits of your labour”.

Professor Patrick Felle, President of RUMC, remarked to the new batch of doctors: “Today is a very special day for you, the day you move from being a medical student to being a doctor. You enter a life of great privilege – you will spend your lives caring for people, and this will bring you great rewards. Take care of yourselves and your colleagues. Your studies at RUMC have prepared you well, and I wish you much success in your careers”.

YB Dato’ Sri Dr. Wan Azizah Binti Wan Ismail, Member of Parliament, was present at the Conferring Ceremony today. Dato’ Sri Dr. Wan Azizah is an alumna of RCSI, one of RUMC’s parent universities.

ABOUT RUMC

RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus (RUMC) has its roots in Penang Medical College (PMC), which was established in 1996. PMC was created through a collaboration between the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and University College Dublin (UCD), two respected medical universities in Ireland. In 2018, RUMC was awarded University status by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education as a Foreign University Branch Campus, making it one of the highest levels for a foreign-owned institution in Malaysia. Today, RUMC is the only Irish university in the region and is recognised by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) and Irish Medical Council (IMC) as graduating high-performing doctors. Our students receive a comprehensive medical education and hands-on clinical training in state-of-the-art facilities, preparing them to succeed in the medical profession and ensuring our graduates can pursue their medical careers anywhere in the world, including USA and Canada with recognition from ECFMG, FAIMER and WDOMS.