Materia Medica Malaysiana

Manipal degree recognised for three years

SUNGAI BULOH: The Government has decided to recognise the degrees conferred by the Malacca Manipal Medical College for an initial three years while also requesting the institution to change its course structure, Health Minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng said.

He said the college had been asked to do away with the present four-and-a-half-year course followed by a one-year internship, which followed the Indian structure, to a five-year Malaysia-style programme.

“This requirement will benefit the students as they will complete their studies within five years instead of the five-and-a-half years,” he told reporters today after opening the National Health Laboratory here.

Chua also said students would not need to sit for an exit examination but those found to be weak in the clinical assessments by their supervisors from next year would be required to undergo an extra two months of clinical training.

“This requirement will not be imposed on students graduating this year as they have completed their internship,” he said.

The Government, he added, recognised that the students and their parents were not to be blamed and should not be penalised.

“The Government practises a policy of keeping to its decisions and does not believe in making retrospective decisions,’ he said.