THE STAR, TUESDAY 7 APRIL 2020
COURSE FOCUS
Securing your
career before
graduation
AS university or college students,
employability after graduating is a
great priority. Ramsay Sime Darby
Healthcare College (RSDH College)
is at the forefront at helping
students increase their
employability, even before
graduating.
When it comes to offering
industrial exposure, according to
RSDH College chief executive
officer Eliza Wong Pak Fong, the
college provides opportunities
similar to other healthcare
colleges that are attached to
hospitals: the Ramsay Health Care
brand of hospitals, in this
instance. The difference, however,
is that RSDH College students get
the added opportunity of overseas
exposure thanks to the hospitals
in various countries that fall
under the purview of the Ramsay
Health Care brand.
“Our students can undergo
training or carry out observations
at the hospital branches in
Australia, while graduates may
have the opportunity to work in
the UK hospitals after a few years
of working with us. We have this
privilege because Ramsay Health
Care has many hospital branches
around the world,” she says.
Aside from international
exposure, Wong states that
hospital supervisors start
assessing and identifying students
who show potential during their
practical trainings with the
intention to recruit. What’s more,
the college also engages potential
employers at the end of every
school year to conduct
recruitment drives, which involve
carrying out interviews and
offering conditional job offers to
successful students. She believes
RSDH College is at the forefront of helping students increase their employability, even before graduating.
that this is why RSDH College
students have a higher employment
rate of 78% as compared to the
current market trend of 65%.
Doing the work to succeed
Graduate employability, however,
cannot be totally reliant on the
institution. Wong urges students to
put themselves out there and
demonstrate their capabilities to
the community and future
employers.
She advises, “The majority of
diploma students in their final year
will be attached to the industry.
This is the best time for them to
impress their supervisors. Besides
that, they can make themselves
more visible to potential employers
by participating in public events,
such as hospital health screenings
or first aid volunteering at schools
who need medical standby on
sports day. Anyone you serve or
help during this time may just be a
potential employer in the future.”
Students can also attend career
counselling and participate in
RSDH College’s clubs and societies
for self-improvement. Recent
activities RSDH College students
have taken part in include soup
kitchens, charity fundraisers and
gotong-royong at a zoo. While led
and supervised by lecturers, Wong
observes that many students gain
empathy and environmental
sensitivity after taking part in
charity work organised by the
college in collaboration with non-
governmental organisations.
“Partaking in these activities help
students develop a sense of
belonging to a community while
bonding with each other. These
feelings will help them understand
At RSDH College, students are monitored and identified for recruitment by supervisors during their practical
training at attached hospitals.
humanity and how they can
contribute to the world.”
Yours to choose
Wong shares that medical
profession-wise, jobs depend on
the programme the students enrol
in. However, this does not mean
that students do not have a choice
to choose where they will work
within the healthcare industry.
Wong provides some examples of
positions graduates may find
themselves in:
l Physiotherapists, who will be
able to work in hospitals or
rehabilitation centres.
l Medical assistants, who will
find their assistance needed in
hospitals, clinics or the medical
device industry.
l Medical laboratory
technologists, who will be able to
conduct meaningful research in
government, private or hospital
laboratories.
l Healthcare service personnel,
who can serve not only in hospitals
as frontliners but in industries
such as the hospitality field as
resident first-aid providers in
hotels.
However, Wong believes it is
normal for students to change
their minds about their career
paths, even after enrolment. This
does not, however, mean that
their skills and years of education
will go to waste, as there are
always options for every graduate.
She says, “Not everyone wants
to work in the healthcare industry
after graduation. We have alumni
members who run their own
businesses and institutions, and
some have progressed to higher
degrees, expanded their
qualifications to earn PhDs or
become medical doctors. Some
nursing students have gone on to
work for nursing homes,
insurance companies or become
device specialists (the
manufacturing of drugs and
medical devices).”
The future of the healthcare
industry is looking bright. With
development of medical
technology, Wong says that people
are living longer lives. This leads
to the formation of new kinds of
healthcare support, thus needing
an expansion of the way the
industry is set up and more
healthcare personnel.
Getting there with no restrictions
For school-leavers and pre-
university students, Ramsay Sime
Darby Healthcare College (RSDH
College) offers the following
healthcare courses, along with
other short health courses:
l Diploma in Nursing
l Diploma in Physiotherapy
l Diploma in Medical
Assistant
l Diploma in Healthcare
Service
The college believes that
healthcare education is for all
and thus does not restrict
programme eligibility to science
stream students only. Eliza Wong
Pak Fong, chief executive officer
of RSDH College, clarifies, “Arts
stream students with a credit in
science are actually eligible to
Eliza Wong Pak Fong.
Because of this, it indirectly
raises the demand for healthcare
professionals overseas, making it
easier for people with healthcare
qualifications to apply for work
outside Malaysia. Hence, Wong
thinks that healthcare is a choice
career pathway as the demand for
healthcare professionals continues
to rise.
n For more information, call
1300 888 321.
apply for our diploma
programmes. In general, our
diploma courses require a
minimum of five credits in SPM,
including Bahasa Malaysia,
Mathematics and one science
subject, except for the Diploma
in Healthcare Service, which
only requires three credits.”
The college offers
opportunities to working adults
in the healthcare industry to
further their studies and upgrade
their skills as well. Current
registered healthcare
professionals can delve into
specialisations such as a post-
basic in pre-operative nursing,
renal nursing, oncology nursing
and critical care nursing, or an
advanced diploma in trauma
and emergency care.
2 Allied Health Sciences, Medicine, Dentistry & Pharmacy
Advantages of
female condoms
FEMALE condoms (FCs) are still not widely
used or accepted (compared to male
condoms) despite being on the market for
more than 30 years. Besides cultural factors,
they may be unpopular for other reasons –
some women find FCs tricky to use,
aesthetically unappealing to their male
partners, or costly.
Following the invention of a female
condom called Wondaleaf, a study titled A
pilot study on the functional performance and
acceptability of an innovative female condom
(Wondaleaf) in Malaysia was conducted to
probe the perceptions of Malaysian women
towards FCs, as well as to test their
functional performance.
The pilot study was a joint effort led by Dr
Rachel Ting Sing-Kiat, senior lecturer in
Monash University Malaysia’s Department of
Psychology and her team – Wong Ee-Lynn
from InPsych Psychological and Counselling
Services and Jessie Tnay Koh-Sing from
University Malaysia Sarawak, in
collaboration with the Sarawak Family
Planning Association with partial funding
from Twin Catalyst, the manufacturer of
Wondaleaf in Malaysia.
In their study on Wondaleaf’s
performance and acceptance by women,
Malaysian participants gave a favourable
opinion. The tentative but positive feedback
may be promising for advocacy of female
sexual health and prevention.
Enter Wondaleaf
FCs enable women to take preventative
measures against unplanned pregnancies
and sexually transmitted infections (STIs),
including HIV. They are also known as the
“double-protection” barrier method.
Wondaleaf was invented by Malaysian
obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr John
Tang, after receiving a surprising number
of patients who complained of unplanned
pregnancies and STIs despite having used
contraception.
Wondaleaf is said to be the world’s first
unisex condom, usable by both women and
men. It can be worn before sexual contact
or even – for male users – before erection.
Instead of the traditional “ring” found in
female condoms, which some women find
aesthetically displeasing, Wondaleaf uses an
adhesive “shield”. This extended shield
covers the entire outer genitalia to prevent
transmission of STIs through those potential
sites of infection.
It is also a “multipurpose condom” and
can be used for menstrual hygiene. More
importantly, Wondaleaf is designed to
reduce issues during intercourse such as
slippage, misdirection and invagination.
Each Wondaleaf package comes with two
sets of barrier film and is priced at RM16, a
cost comparable to other FCs.
Is it safe?
In the study, participants were invited to
use Wondaleaf five times for sexual
intercourse over a two-month period. Each
woman was taught how to use the product
through an instructional video, and by
practising on a pelvis model.
After each use of Wondaleaf, they rated
their experience in surveys. The surveys
assessed user-friendliness, physical
sensation, sense of empowerment and
safety, acceptance by the male partner,
innovativeness and “clinical failure”.
Clinical failure occurs if a condom
breaks or slips under certain conditions, or
when there is misdirection (the penis is
inserted wrongly) or invagination (the
condom is pushed into the vagina during
intercourse).
Safe and functional
The study concluded that Wondaleaf is
“safe and functional”. Out of 155 uses, only
four clinical failures occurred.
Invagination did not occur at all, thanks to
the product’s adhesive shield. Overall,
participants were satisfied with Wondaleaf
after five times of usage. They also
reported gaining a sense of empowerment
over their own bodies upon using
Wondaleaf. In addition, participants found
it easier to use Wondaleaf over time with
practice. They also liked that the product
facilitated a pleasurable sensation while
maintaining hygiene.
However, when asked if they would use
Wondaleaf, the overall response was
neutral. Some women found it
troublesome or inconvenient to put on,
while others felt it was practical. Still, most
were willing to recommend it to friends.
Their ambivalence towards adopting the
product for themselves may be due to
demographics. Most participants (24 out of
31) were in monogamous relationships
and did not think they were at high risk of
contracting STIs.
Another factor might be the “preference
THE STAR, TUESDAY 7 APRIL 2020
Dr Rachel
Ting Sing-Kiat.
of invisible or non-barrier contraception
methods for women in Asian cultures,” say
the researchers. The cultural taboo on sex
and gender power differentiation in Asian
cultures could be the major impediment to
the full utilisation of FCs.
The need to educate both sexes
The researchers recommend that effort be
invested in teaching women how to apply
and remove Wondaleaf properly to ensure
safer outcomes and educating men about
female condoms. They hope that future
studies will focus on women at risk, such as
sex workers and those living with HIV-
positive partners.
The study was an initial foray into
exploring this innovative product. It was not
a proper clinical trial, as it did not rigorously
control the use of other contraceptive
methods or screen participants based on
relationship status. However, Wondaleaf’s
low risk of clinical failure and positive
reception by Malaysian women was
encouraging. Whether more women
embrace it depends on acceptance by their
male partners.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 7 APRIL 2020 3
4 Allied Health Sciences, Medicine, Dentistry & Pharmacy
Pharmacy or
pharmacology?
DECIDING whether to pursue a degree in
pharmacy or pharmacology is based solely
on personal preference and the career path
you want to embark on. However, both
degrees provide countless opportunities for
future jobs, allow room for professional
development and are suitable for those
looking for a career within the medical
profession.
There is some confusion surrounding the
terminology of the two fields, with most
people assuming that both terms can be used
interchangeably. Contrary to popular
If you are interested in the pharmaceutical industry, drug delivery systems, patient counselling opinion, these fields are quite different and,
or even drug research, you can consider pursuing a career in pharmacy or pharmacology. although they lead to some of the same
positions, can be used to pursue vastly
different specialisations.
If you want to be involved in the
distribution and use of medication,
pharmacy is the field for you. It typically
covers the study of pharmaceutics and
pharmacokinetics, as well as more
profession-based elements such as patient
counselling, treatment of minor ailments,
checking and filling prescriptions and drug
manufacturing.
A career in pharmacy presents many
opportunities for patient interaction and is
ideal for those looking for a job with plenty
of social elements.
Pharmacology is a more research and lab-
oriented profession and focuses on the
interaction of drugs within living systems.
Studies can range from drug discovery to
toxicology, and requires the study of
physiology, molecular biology and
biochemistry.
Most pharmacy and pharmacology
bachelor’s programmes require an A-Levels
Quality Irish medical education
RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus (RUMC)
delivers world-class medical education and
prepares healthcare professionals for the
challenges of tomorrow. Offering a
transnational programme that extends to
Dublin, Ireland, RUMC offers a unique pre-
clinical and clinical experience for students
wanting to pursue medicine as a career.
Medicine at RUMC is a five-year-long
journey, where students are exposed to the
best of both worlds – Ireland and Malaysia.
Pre-clinical years are conducted in Dublin
for the first two and a half years, where
students will be placed in either the Royal
College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) or
University College Dublin (UCD).
Students then return to Penang with their
respective batchmates for another two and a
half years to complete their clinical years.
Having an unrivalled access to quality
training hospitals, RUMC’s medical students
have the privilege of being the only group of
students who undergo clinical training at
training hospitals in Penang.
The exceptionally high ratio of patient
beds to student numbers assures a positive
outcome in students’ clinical training. Upon
completing medical school successfully,
students are awarded with a suite of degrees
during graduation. At RUMC, it is the MB BCh
BAO.
Besides that, the Foundation in Science
programme commenced in 2018 as a
progression pathway for aspiring doctors to
embark on high-quality medical education
THE STAR, TUESDAY 7 APRIL 2020
qualification (or equivalent) and a minimum
B grade in chemistry and two other science
subjects, such as biology, physics and
mathematics.
A degree in pharmacy takes an average of
four years to complete, and provides
opportunities for a career in research,
industry or a hospital or community
pharmacy, and is offered by many
institutions.
Upon graduation, graduates are required
to take on another year of training with an
institution recognised by the Malaysia
Pharmacy Board in order to gain
employment as a pharmacist in Malaysia.
Pharmacists are one of the most important
people in the allied health services industry,
and the country needs more pharmacists
who are efficient, dynamic and willing to
accept the challenge.
A pharmacology degree offers a wide
spectrum of career opportunities, ranging
from research managers in the
pharmaceutical, cosmetic, chemical and
biotechnology industries, to research-
oriented roles in institutions of higher
learning, medical sales and marketing,
scientific writing and other appointments
that require a general science background.
Pharmaceutical scientists are central to the
discovery and development of new drugs,
formulation science and the design of novel
drug delivery systems and therapeutics, and
a pharmacology degree puts graduates in an
ideal position to pursue a career in
Malaysia’s burgeoning pharmaceuticals
industry. Pharmacology courses are offered
at several universities across Malaysia and
take an average of four years to complete.
with RUMC. Students undertake relevant
subjects that are aligned to the health
sciences field, providing them with an early
introduction to their pre-clinical years.
Smaller class sizes, which allow for more
focused and flexible teaching, is an added
advantage of the course.
About RUMC
RUMC is Malaysia’s first accredited private
medical school, owned and established by
RCSI and UCD, two world-renowned medical
universities in Ireland. Established as Penang
Medical College in 1996, RUMC was awarded
university status by the Higher Education
Ministry as a foreign university branch
campus in 2018, one of the highest levels for
a foreign-owned institution in Malaysia.
RUMC remains the only Irish university in
the region. The university is recognised by
the Malaysian Medical Council and Irish
Medical Council as an institution that
produces high-performing doctors. Students
are recognised and eligible for practice in the
United States, Canada and others by the
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical
Graduates and Foundation for Advancement
of International Medical Education and
Research with RUMC listed as an Irish
medical school in the World Directory of
Medical Schools.
n For enquiries, call 04-217 1999 or email
enquiry@rcsiucd.edu.my
THE STAR, TUESDAY 7 APRIL 2020 Allied Health Sciences, Medicine, Dentistry & Pharmacy 5

Strong start to your career

THE global healthcare industry is
evolving rapidly every day. As
recent events have revealed, things
can change in the blink of an eye.
New diseases are emerging and
new breakthroughs are being
made. Those who aspire to become
competent healthcare professionals
in this challenging climate need to
be equipped with a strong
educational grounding.
With its distinct heritage that
dates back to 1834, Newcastle
University in the United Kingdom
has gained a strong reputation for
innovation and excellence, with its
medical and biomedical sciences
programmes in particular being
highly regarded the world over.
The opening of its international
campus, Newcastle University
Medicine Malaysia (NUMed), in
Johor in 2009 has made quality UK
education more accessible to
Malaysians as well as those in the
region.
Bringing the best of Newcastle
University to Malaysian shores,
NUMed offers a Foundation in
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
programme alongside its acclaimed
undergraduate degrees in medicine
and biomedical sciences, as well as
opportunities for postgraduate
study.
The foundation programme is a
12-month pre-university course for
Malaysian students intending to
pursue medicine, biological or
biomedical sciences, or science at
the undergraduate level.
Subsequently, those who
successfully complete this
programme as required will be
offered a place in either the
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of
Surgery (MBBS) programme
(subject to interview) or 2+1 BSc
(Honours) Biomedical Sciences
programme.
Equivalent to its UK counterpart,
NUMed’s MBBS programme is
recognised by both the UK’s
General Medical Council and the
Malaysian Medical Council. While
all five years of the programme are
delivered in Malaysia, students will
have opportunities to study up to
eight weeks at Newcastle
University in the UK during their
fourth year or opt for an extra year
in the UK for an intercalated
research qualification at either
bachelor’s or master’s level.
The 2+1 BSc (Honours)
Biomedical Sciences programme,
on the other hand, covers the
diverse study of key areas such as
biochemistry, genetics, physiology,
microbiology, immunology and
pharmacology. The first two years
of the programme are conducted at
the Malaysia campus and students
will complete their third year at
the UK campus, during which
students will be placed in one of
the highly regarded research
institutes at Newcastle University
for research-led teaching and an
intensive research project.
All programmes offered at
NUMed are identical to those
offered at Newcastle University
and lead to the same qualifications,
but at significantly reduced costs.
In obtaining a solid education,
students will also benefit from the including student-centred learning
university’s vast resources and and flip classroom approaches to
best practices, including a high- facilitate the holistic development
calibre faculty. As a member of of its students while also
the prestigious Russell Group, presenting opportunities for them
Newcastle University comprises a to hone their critical thinking,
world-leading collaboration of creativity and confidence in order
research scientists, medical for them to become well-rounded
doctors and teaching healthcare professionals.
professionals. As such, students
are able to reap the advantages of n To find out more about NUMed’s
being taught and guided by a programmes, facilities and student
highly accomplished and life, visit www.ncl.ac.uk/numed
experienced international faculty.
Furthermore, NUMed’s faculty
members are all required
to obtain a Diploma in
Medical Education, thus
ensuring that they are
well equipped to
optimally prepare
aspiring healthcare
professionals for
their future careers.
The university has
adopted innovative
teaching methods,

All courses offered

at Curtin Malaysia
are identical to those
offered at other
Curtin campuses.

New courses for

growing market
AS Curtin University’s largest
international campus and global
hub in Asia, Curtin University
Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) is
helping Curtin establish itself as
a truly world-class education
provider and expand its global
footprint by integrating itself
with the main campus in Perth
and other Curtin international
campuses in Dubai, Singapore
and Mauritius, as well as
offering hi-tech learning spaces
and a learning environment
that transforms student lives.
In line with its vision to
enrich and innovate, Curtin
Malaysia continues to offer new
courses
to meet current trends and
demand. Covering concepts
and subjects relevant to the
new millennium, students who
pursue these comprehensive,
contemporary courses are
destined to be leaders in their
respective fields.
Among the latest courses are
the Bachelor of Science in
Psychological Science and
Bachelor of Science in Health,
Safety and Environment.
The Bachelor of Science in
Psychological Science, a three-
year general applied psychology
course, is ideal for those who
are fascinated by how and why
people behave and think and
would like to develop the skills
and knowledge to allow them to
have a positive impact on
society.
It also provides a strong
foundation for more advanced
studies either in the fields of
psychology or business. The
course is recognised by the
Australian Psychological Society
and the Malaysian Qualifications
Agency (MQA).
Graduates of the course can
look forward to wide range of
roles, including as an academic,
human behavioural, counselling,
educational, criminal, forensic,
sports, community, consumer,
industrial-organisational and
clinical psychologists, clinical
neuropsychologists, healthcare
psychological therapists and
human resources occupational
psychologists.
The Bachelor of Science in
Health, Safety and Environment,
meanwhile, specialises in
identifying and managing
workplace risks to ensure a safe
and healthy work environment.
It prepares students for diverse
careers in the expanding area of
occupational health and safety.
The course is recognised by
the Australian Occupational
Health and Safety Education
Accreditation Board (Safety
Institute of Australia) and the
Institute of Occupational Safety
and Health (UK), as well as the
MQA.
Career prospects for
graduates include roles such as
environmental health and safety
specialists, corporate health and
safety directors, food safety
inspectors, health and safety
engineers and OSHA inspectors.
n To find out more about the
courses, visit courses.curtin.edu.
my. More information on Curtin
Malaysia can be found at curtin.
edu.my or Curtin Malaysia’s
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
YouTube and LinkedIn pages.
6 Allied Health Sciences, Medicine, Dentistry & Pharmacy
Dream come true for Ipoh boy
SHIVADEVA Selvamani is a young,
enthusiastic high achiever from Ipoh.
Joining the Foundation in Science (FiS)
programme at IMU was an easy decision for
him to make because his father is a doctor
and his brother is also enrolled in IMU.
According to Shivadeva, IMU’s campus
provided a “medical” atmosphere because it
solely provides healthcare programmes.
Furthermore, the biggest plus point was the
“Look, See, Feel” sessions that give students
like him the opportunity to experience the
IMU programmes for themselves.
Shivadeva explains: “My journey in FiS
has made my student life more fulfilling,
revolving around knowledgeable lecturers,
friendly administrative staffs and of course,
the amazing and wonderful friends I made
along the way. The highly detailed and
medical-integrated syllabus is an added
advantage for those who love to immerse
themselves in extra facts. I can confidently
say that my FiS was smooth sailing thanks
to the extra guidance each lecturer offered.
“In FiS, I wanted to focus on volunteering
as an extracurricular as most of my
secondary school activities revolved around
event management and sports. As a result, I
contributed to five different community
service projects, which involved teaching
English to orphans, teaching chemistry to
refugees, accompanying the blind in their
day-to-day tasks, carrying out medical
check-ups for homeless patients and
dressing wounds of the injured.
“I firmly believe that my volunteering
experience was the tipping point that
reaffirmed my stance in pursuing medicine.
Currently in Semester 2 of my medical
programme at the IMU campus in Bukit
Jalil, I was a committee member of the
World Health Fest event in March.
Moreover, I am looking forward to leading
the Educator Appreciation Week in IMU
IMU’s FiS facilitates the successful development of competent healthcare professionals such
as FiS alumnus Shivadeva (third from left).
later this year.”
Through much dedication and
perseverance, Shivadeva bagged full
scholarships for both his FiS studies and
MBBS degree in IMU. This financial aid has
definitely paved a pathway for him to take
his first step in achieving his dreams while
reducing the financial burden on his family.
Shivadeva concludes by saying, “I aspire
to be a cardiothoracic surgeon. I attended
the surgical workshop organised by the
Intravarsity Club of IMU. The workshop
gave me a glimpse into the different types
of stitches used in surgery. What’s more, I
was able to practise it myself on chicken
skin with the suturing tools provided.”
THE STAR, TUESDAY 7 APRIL 2020
IMU’s one-year FiS programme gives its
students an early start to life as a bachelor’s
student. Offered and conducted in the same
facilities and environment as the
university’s bachelor’s programmes, FiS
students feel comfortable from early on. An
exciting, interesting aspect of IMU’s FiS is
the sneak previews the students get of the
bachelor’s programmes. They can
experience for themselves what these
courses have to offer, made possible
through the “Look, See, Feel” engagement
activities arranged for FiS students.
Clearly, the FiS programme prepares
students academically and holistically for
their undergraduate studies at IMU. Overall,
87% of qualified IMU FiS students have
successfully enrolled in their chosen IMU
undergraduate programmes and related
partner tracks.
IMU has two remaining intakes for 2020:
June and September. These convenient
dates will enable a smooth transition into
each student’s preferred degree courses
upon successful completion of the FiS.
IMU is Malaysia’s first and most
established private medical and health
sciences university with more than 28 years
of dedicated focus in healthcare education.
Established in 1992, IMU pioneered the
world’s first Partner Medical School
programme and has since gained
international recognition with more than
30 world-class university partners in
Australia, New Zealand, the United
Kingdom, Canada, Ireland and China. IMU’s
main campus is located in Bukit Jalil with
branch clinical schools located in
Seremban, Kuala Pilah, Batu Pahat and
Kluang.
n For more information, call 03-2731 7272,
email start@imu.edu.my or visit www.imu.
edu.my