Branching out in the health sector

Star: UNIVERSITI Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) is going all out to increase awareness on its allied health sciences programmes, and the courses that fall within this broad category play a vital role in the development of society.
UKM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Salleh Mohd Yasin says the decision to popularise the allied health sciences was taken during the recently held Star Education Fair 2006.
“When I suggested the allied health sciences courses as viable alternatives, quite a number were not aware of what they involved.
Prof Salleh says allied health sciences play an important part in ensuring a healthy society.
“The health field is not exclusive only to medicine, and we feel that there is a need to explain to our prospective students what the allied health sciences are,” he says.
When UKM’s Allied Health Sciences Faculty was established in 1992, it was the first university in the country to have a faculty devoted to the field. Biomedical science is the core programme in this faculty and still attracts the highest number of students.
The faculty started off with five programmes and has now expanded to 12. The latest programme to be introduced is the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Forensic Science.
According to Prof Salleh, the programmes offered under the allied health sciences can be divided into preventive, rehabilitative and diagnostic.
“With these three areas covered, society will become more productive as diseases are prevented or kept in check. Time and money spent on treating ill health is extremely high,” he says.
Prof Salleh cites the dietetics programme as an example of a preventive measure.
“Dieticians can give information to people on the right proportion of nutrients needed and thereby prevent food-related disorders.”
Programmes like physiotherapy, on the other hand, fall into the rehabilitative category.
“Many people don’t realise the importance of allied health sciences personnel,” says Prof Salleh. “In the case of a stroke patient, for example, his recovery will involve a collaboration between doctors and allied health practitioners such as a physiotherapist.”
Courses that come under the diagnostic category include diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy.
Prof Salleh is of the opinion that allied health sciences personnel have a key part to play in ensuring that we take full advantage of the human potential.
He uses the example of a child who is hyperactive in class. What may simply be perceived as naughtiness may be an undetected hearing or visual impairment.
“Low academic achievement among children is associated with eyesight and hearing problems. People with these problems are also an important part of the country’s workforce who often end up being sidelined,” says Prof Salleh.
“This is where an audiologist or optometrist comes in. Every baby born in Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) will be screened for vision and hearing impairment, which allows intervention to be done earlier.”
Thus, working in the field of allied health sciences presents a good alternative to medicine, and allows one to work in tandem with other practitioners. The career prospects for graduates of these programmes are bright, with myriad opportunities both with medical establishments and private businesses.
“There is much potential for employment. Most of our graduates get jobs in diverse fields,” says Prof Salleh.
UKM is looking into further expanding its Allied Health Sciences Faculty and courses that may soon be available include occupational health and safety, health promotion and podiatry.
“The more allied health science programmes available, the better. Society benefits more, and we can eventually even export our expertise abroad,” says Prof Salleh.
Programmes now offered by UKM’s Allied Health Sciences Faculty are biomedicine, optometry, pharmacy, food science, dietetics, audiology, speech therapy, diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy, environmental science, physiotherapy, occupational health and forensic science.