Do they pay you? Hmm, I guess I wudn't have heard of AIMST if didn't want to pursue dentistry! Well, there's a rumour going around that AIMST isn't too good...When I told my friends I'll be going there they seem to think it'l be a second class degree or something. Maybe they're just jealous I'l help you promote.

I WAS wondering if I could watch movies...

I'l be wearing sunglasses, and I'l be reading a book entitled "Idiots guide to microwave cooking". Ya, ya I know! Lame! I haven figured out what2wear yet... Don worry, even if you can't recognize me I'l hunt you out. But then BDS only abbout 50 ppl, not too difficult to find I guess!

I heard it's the first dental hospital in South East Asia...or Asia...Maybe...It'l be opening this year, right? Clinical studies begin in third year, so they need some guinea pigs I suppose!

Erm, I know I asked an awful lot already...thanks a bunch csrulez, I was just wondering if I would need a laptop or the is the computer lab enough?

Thanks lots thanks lots! All the best to you future Dr. csrulez MBBS (AIMST).

This post has been edited by Tezuka87: Jun 21 2007, 04:45 PM

Yeah, I'm one of the AIMST's ambassador. Haha! Just kidding man.. I noe its a lame joke.. =.=

okay, lets get serious.

Well, i've heard rumours as well. I won't say that AIMST is bad but if i would to rate it, it's only a moderate university. probably because AIMST is still a very new university. Only established for 5 years only if i'm not mistaken. You know.. Universities are like babies too, they need time to grow and to get matured. However, I had this feeling that it will be as popular as IMU in the next few years to come. Thanks! we will promote AIMST to the KL-ians together then! X]


Good questions. Movies huh?

Theres a GSC cineplex situated in Central Square, SP town, which is like a 20 mins journey from our main campus in Semeling. But just to let you know in advance, you wouldn't be too happy with its condition. Well, if i compared it to One Utama's GSC, I would say that it is 10 times worst. Haha.

HOWEVER, there's an option for movies if you're willing to spend some money and time. Gurney Plaza Penang, also GSC, but so much more better than our SP's GSC. Haha. FYI we do travel to Penang in gang once or twice a month, really can't stand the life in SP sometimes. Haha.


It's not lame la. Alright, i'll hunt you out then. Haha.


Yeah, i think so. but i guess it won't be opened so soon cause i heard that the dental students are temporarily sharing the medical complex with the medical students now. yup! guinea pigs, haha.. you guys will be seeing cadavers during your 1st and 2nd year for anatomy classes too. hope you're not easily freaked out by dead bodies. X]

Okay. Laptop, RECOMMENDED to get one because theres quite a number of assignments and projects to follow up during your studies. At the same time you can get extra powerpoint notes from you lecturers during the exam season.

I will say that the computer lab in the old campus really bad. Slow broadbands, alltime fullhouse, lack of printers... Not sure about the new one tho, i've seen them setting up some high performance computers in the new campus. and yeah! they say they will be working on a WIFI too. so, lets just pray for it. =)

Alright! thanks girl! hahaa.. Dr. Tezuka BDS (Mal)

Ps. Normally they will place "Malaysia" instead of the name of the university in the bracket next to your degree.


And my real name is Ng Chong Sian, Shaun.
Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you too! Dr. Shaun Ng MBBS (Mal) now I know, thanks!
So cs stands for your name...not counterstrike... erm again. Tot it stood for counterstrike. Ok, you rule then!

Yeah, 5 years IS young...AIMST has a long way to go! IMU is already nearly 15 years old, so cannot compare. After all, IMU only received University status 6 years after it was established. Well, with the availability of cadavers, the new campus, the new dental hospital and so on...I must say AIMST has plenty of potential!

Wow, watching a movie will be an OCCASION like dat. No wonder they say living in small towns is cheap. Too troublesome to go out and watch movies and spend money...maybe thats good, hehe...Still, glad there are some options open for I-miss-KL-and-life days...Thanks!

Ok. That's funner. I won't give you my name, but it sounds like tezuka (1st hint), and my surname starts with C (2nd hint). There. Good luck. :evil: Erm, actually got a bit of a phobia of revealing too much personal stuff on the net...haih, girls gotta be careful. Hope you understand.

The tuition fees are so high I can't afford to freak! Haaha...yeah, most people don't think dentists have to study cadavers...I didn't think I needed to either at first. AIMST gets them sourced from India, I suppose. Hope I get a nice not-too-rotten cadaver who died of natural causes and not some horrible disease! Just hoping. Well, it's good to have this opportunity. Sounds so bloodthirsty and sadistic...

Laptops are not cheap...see if I can survive without one during first year, then maybe get one later, if there's WIFI it'll be really convenient...So yep, I'l pray for that!

Thanks a lot Shaun! See you at AIMST!

hey there tezuka and csrulez.. and any of the other people who want to know more about aimst or in particular about dentistry.

I think csrulez has pretty said all there is to say about studying in aimst..

Well, I'm a 2nd year dental student, and when you come in tezuka, hopefully, i'll be in my third year! Our finals are a few days' time..and ohmigod, it's 7am bedtime for me everyday. But if you have a better studying plan, then maybe you can work around that.

Just wanted to let you know that you can contact me if you want to know more about dentistry in aimst. or you can even visit my blog! (www.jayelleenelial.com). you can click on the category 'dentistry' to see what we get up to during simulation lab practicals and dental technology lab practicals.

In your first year, you won't be doing alot of dentistry related subjects. It's very similiar to first year medical students.. So you'll be having alot of funs with the cadavers and learning how to recognise teeth and stuff. Biochemistry is a killer. That goes out to you too csrulez! Biochem sucks...especially if Dr.Ong is your lecturer... make sure you say your prayers diligently. Well, he is a good lecturer with alot of experience.. i think he was previously with UM or UKM, can't remember which. When you enter 1st year, Prof. Somayagi would have gone back to India but he's a world famous anatomist and even when he closes his eyes he can identify the nerves, vessels and anatomical structures of the cadavers. It's a joke here at AIMST lah, but he's a god when it comes to anatomy.

What you learn in dentistry in your first year,... yeah, there's a subject called Dentistry.. it's more towards the history of dentistry. Like an introduction. history of toothbrushes was a cute topic... haha. Alot of public health stuff(but i think there's a subject on public health in 3/4/5th year. not sure..

In year 2, you suddenly realise, WTTFF..classes until 6pm? from 8.30am?
But usually it's 9.30am until 5pm lah, if you have practicals.

It's fun really. Doing dentures and stuff. manipulating wax models... sticking fake teeth into the wax. and the dental technologists(two very experienced technologists who were previously with USM Kelantan for about 5-7 years).

One of the more exciting parts is having to collect teeth from dental clinics in your hometown and bringing it back to uni. It will then be incorporated into plaster models for us to practice on. We attach the plaster models into a simulator(we call our simulators affectionately, "Ah Sim!") and carry out dental procedures.

So far we've learned how to do all the composite restorations and amalgam restorations. Scaling and stuff, extraction etc..not in the second year though.

The syllabus differ from Australia, not sure about singapore though. But it should be the same as UM. almost lah. Since the syllabus is taken from UM, University of Hong Kong(as our dean was previously the dean there) and Bristol University.

In our third year, which will start in Sept 07.. we will start having patients at the new dental hospital. But sigh, AIMST can be quite tardy with their promises. So we'll just have to play by ear, and we're used to that already. But yeah, definitely having patients because our dean is/was(not sure) the acting vice chancellor when the previous vice chancellor resigned. so he had alot of say. After he became acting vice chancellor, the move to the new campus was very swift and efficient.

Basically, by the end of 2nd year, you can understand more dental jargons At the end of 1st year, you might still be pretty happy that you're a dental student in this great big world of dentistry, but you won't know alot ..the most also probably how to identity teeth according to the various systems..etc. Like me like that last time, when i was reading all those dental blogs, I'd just nod even though i don't understand what's an MOD, DO, CPD.. etc.

The library is very functional because all the books you'll ever need can be found there. and if you're not too well to do, just photostat the books to keep it with you permanently.;P At least I do that for some of the books that are too expensive. One dental book cost RM700!! we rolled our eyes and just went to the library and photostated it. I know, we are horrible people.



About life in SP, well one word: get a car.
Second word: get a laptop.
third : stay out of campus if you want to have an internet connection(of course have to go kau tim yourself with streamyx registration and stuff).

with a car, you don't have to face those Indian food day in day out. If you want to lose weight, good for you lah;) But there're chinese restaurants in the area as well!

Laptop because you will be so so so bored. and most of your lectures come in the form of powerpoint. So even if it might be expensive to have a laptop...it will be of use to you.

but for first year dental students, maybe it's a good idea to stay on campus first to have a feel of campus life and it'll be more convenient for you as well:)

Hope that helped. if there's anything else, just email me at jolenelai@gmail.com

Sorry, i talked too much..;P

BTW i go back regularly to SP...altough i dont study at AIMST...the chinese seafood in Semeling is awesome and very cheap!!!worth it!!!

Just FYI...

Hi jayelleenelial senior! (may I call you jay, pleeese!! ) Glad to meet you! Thanks for all the information...Oh and you didn't talk too much...I sure need all the info I can get, so... THANKS!!!

Hmmm, two new friends before I even set foot in AIMST...lowyat rocks!

History of toothbrushes...lol! After dat I shall never look at my toothbrush the same way again...

wah...I tot three periods straight of maths T during form six was bad...

REAL TEETH???? Ok...hey, do we work with skulls?

Hahhaa!



That would be Professor Smales? I initially tot it was prof Smiles, haih, tot it was so appropriate... tada...me and lame jokes.... sorry




rm700!!! Dat's too much!!! What you guys do is sooooo understandable likdat...it is a necessary evil....kakkaka

Well, I shall bug my parents to get me a laptop then...but right now a bit pai-seh to ask for money...when I think of the fees, can buy a merc wit it...and then they throw it on an STPM student who failed to get into local uni bcos din do dat well!!! I'm so touched...Thanks very much for all the info, jay...csrulez too. Hope to meet you both at AIMST!

Thanks frags! Glad to know there is good, cheap food aroun!!!

hehehe yay you replied! my efforts didn't go to waste:P

yeah man, real teeth:) or else how are you going to get familiarized with them? the lucky buggers are those who have dentists as parents. they'd bring one jam bottle full of teeth..and we'd be like, "can share ar?"

but so far i've got 50 over teeth in a bottle next to me now... Thinking of buying a clear bottle and putting it inside. can be decoration also!:)

skull ar...yeapppp... the bones of the face are of great importance to us dentists. you'll be doing that alot in your third module in your first year! that means about....february-april 08 you'll be learning those:)

hehehe yeah Prof. Smales. I didn't even know he was british.. i thought it was some middle eastern man.. u know..like ismail or shamal... or something.hahaha..worse than you ok. But alot of my classmates sleep in his classes one. but he's a really great guy,very approachable.. he always tells us the progress of the dental school and we'll flutter with excitement.. You'll feel it too when he talks to you his great big plans.

LOL I know.....my dad had to take money out of his EPF to pay the bills! but i'm also on PTPTN loan lar.. Rm105k will be available to you if you apply. upon graduation and getting a job, you'll have 20 years to pay back:)

There have been talks of subsidizing the PTPTN loan repayment from your future salaries.... but so far not heard of anything yet.

here's a nice juicy info....

I heard that, as of now, fresh graduates..working for the government(upon graduation must do three years with the government..you get to list three places that you'd like to work at..like how u apply for public uni.).. anyway upon employment... can get about RM3000+!! coz basic pay is 1000 something...then got transport allowance, housing allowance, critical allowance(this is for those who are serving in the health industry..because they are being very thankful of our services), and i'm not sure but got overtime allowance also...

Got this from a dentist in Johor and my two lab technology lecturers.

Hope that stimulated you more:)

Haha...Ya, feels so nice to have someone reply...I feel that too...

AND YOUR BLOG IS REALLY GREAT!!! I love the pictures...they're really helpful to me and any one who wants to go to AIMST! (Gambate, girl!!!)...now I know what my new home-for-de-next-five-years looks like, and it looks COOL!!

Do many of the students have dentists for parents? It's so inspiring man, kids following their parents footsteps...sniff...tot teens usually flew off in the opposite direction...50 TEETH!!! 50 teeth equals 50 dead people who were kind enough to donate their teeth to science...Hmmm...deco...gruesome! but not bad...

I've never had a caucausian teacher before...Prof Smales would be interesting!

Sounds boootiful! I hope I can get a big PTPN loan...the interest rate is great...no banks will ever let you loan money at that interest rate! The 'list three places for your future workplace' SOUNDS great, but having used the system before...hmmm, I won't get my hopes up! I have no faith in the system....sigh...but can pray...maybe the government will change then!

Erm, do you live on campus? Hey, may sound silly, but is it possible to set up a desktop in your room? Desktops are cheaper than laptops (wondering how to stretch my savings, kekeke) soooooo...it sounds so silly, but can I, can I? Hmmm...it REALLY sounds silly...but I have to know....

Thank you, Jolene, thank you...

hahaha yeah man! that's why forums are so fun, so exciting when someone replies..

For the past one year, i've gotten emails from alot of future dental students who want to know about aimst lah. So by blogging about my classes, i guess indirectly i've helped to do a little promotion for the uni..heheh:) If you ask anybody who's not interested to do dentistry or medicine, they probably won't know where AIMST is. it's that sad.

hehehe thank you thank you;P Do drop by more! but... actually, no use already..coz the next dentistry related post will only come when you're already in your first year. now no more classes for me until school reopens!

Well..about four people in my class.. one in Perak, Two in Penang and one in Negeri Sembilan.

eh nolah! those are teeth that have been extracted from live patients... so we just get them to practice filling and stuff lor. most of them are really horrific looking..should take a picture and send to you next time..

yeahhh but whatever it is.. you're still doing dentistry... wherever they send you to, at least you're still gaining experiences. can you believe it..my father actually suggested i go into the army and become a dentist for the soldiers. wtf. over my dead body. but he said i can get a Sgt title in front of my Dr. or something . don't know lah..

me? nooo.. i rent a house outside. one entire terrace house for rm450 a month with two of my other classmates. yeah of course you can set up a desktop:) just hope that they'll have the LAN cables ready in the hostels by the time you move in. according to my classmates who stay in hostel, there are already ports there..but no wire lah. the new campus hasn't got an internet connection at all.....but it'll come in a couple of weeks' time. ah well.

anyway, enjoy the rest of ur hols:) and feel free to ask me anything else yeah when you have your doubts and questions..
take care:)

---

Added on June 28, 2007, 2:15 pmbtw, are you banana? you sound banana:D

This post has been edited by jayelleenelial: Jun 28 2007, 02:15 PM

Hahhaa...what does a banana sound like? I can speak Mandarin like I have a banana in my mouth... took Chinese to SPM level...and then threw the subject awwaaay!!! Wheeee! Chinese was always my worst subject..LOL...haven't spoken it for ages...only to order food, and test my brother his ting xie....kakaaka

Sgt. Dr. Jolene BDS (Mal)

Not too bad la...but if have to threat soldiers and soldiers only....haih..dowan...even my bro is bad enufff...soldiers...gonna hv a tough time getting them to brush teeth...sigh...guys...they don't bathe also quite happy...

Thanks for all your help! And yep, shall enjoy my hols gao gao...you too!

Guys, I'm back! Was really busy during the wholeee last week. Din expect this post to be so active when i first opened it. Not bad at all man. At least there's still people talking about AIMST. Haha.

Well, just told a few of my friends about AIMST a few days ago when they asked me where do i study, majority of them doesn't even know that AIMST existed man! Even some doctors too, cause when my mom mentioned about it to the doctors, they suggested IMU instead. It's always IMU IMU and IMU. Sigh. FYI my mom's a nurse working at UMMC. Was wondering when our first batches of MBBS student will graduate, to prove that AIMST can produce good doctors too. =)

heya csrulez! never seen u around uni..mm

I think the 1st batch will be graduating soon already as they are in their final year.....

Yeah....IMU's so old that's why.... i guess all we need is time to develope aimst's name.

I'm sure you being an AIMST student, sometimes the management can really make you vomit blood. Especially student affairs.... but then again, which uni in Malaysia doesn't make you angry at any one point rite??

Hey jayelleenelial! Hmm.. i was from April 06/07 Foundation Batch.. Haven seen me around? Maybe cos i'm not that popular in aimst.. hahaa..

YEAH! especially that student affairs division.. i havent got my deposit back yet. Sigh. and one more thing.. AIMST likes to make empty promises. kinda tired of it already sometimes.

Oh btw are there any improvement in AIMST since i left in mid-april? heard that de new campus is slowly improving already.. is it true?
Haha. =)

And yeah.. I'm actually having a dilemma here right now. Not really sure if AIMST is better, or Manipal? I've heard many friends of mine have been accepted into Melaka Manipal with AIMST foundation result. And from wat i heard, it seems that Manipal is better due to its recognition. A few ques tho, Will AIMST's MBBS programme be recognised by MMC? and If really it's recognised by MMC, does it mean that it is recognised by the WHO as well?

No point studying for 5 years there and in the end what i got is an unrecognised degree.. sigh..

Really need some advice from you here, senior. =.=

Thanks lots if you can help! =)

as has been explained many times, mmc will only accord recognition just before graduating the first batch, so about now.............

and who DO NOT "recognise" medical schools, they just record the existence of such medical schools.........recognition, as in the meaning one is ALLOWED to practise medicine, is the sovereign right of each individual country, and the rules are as many and as varied as there are countries in the world,.........but one thing for sure, at this point, and the foreseeable future, this degree will NOT be recognised outside malaysia..............

From what I understand, a bachelors degree from AIMST will probably allow you to work in Malaysia. However, Let's say you proceed to get a postgrad from another university, say UM, and then get a PhD or Fellowship from the UK...will other (Singapore, UK etc) countries recognize you then? Or will they be pushy and make you take qualifying tests and stuff...Hmmm, I hear the Malaysian Government is going to make all doctors and dentists take a qualifying test, even if you got a degree from Cambridge...

Hmm.. so basically does it mean that Manipal is better? because they said that medical council from many countries are slowly recognising the Manipal's MBBS programme already.. And btw, the terms "WHO Recognised" i mentioned is from Wikipedia. Sry.

One more thing, if i took the MBBS programme from AIMST, which is only recognised by MMC(Lets say), will i be qualify to take my post-graduate studies like MRCP/FRCP from UK? However, I've heard from doctors that MRCS/FRCS is not recognised in M'sia if one wants to be a surgeon. Is it true?

So if i were to take the degree dat doesn't "existed" in WHO directory but recognised by MMC, does it mean that i have to queue up for the MMed postgraduate programme in M'sia instead?

Thanks for answering. =)

This post has been edited by csrulez: Jul 2 2007, 07:06 PM

recognition for registration to practice is based on your basic 1st degree.........subsequent qualifications are post-graduate ones, and usually not looked at for registration purposes.

what you need to do to get registered in other countries depends on the rules of that country, so i cannot generalise. eg for us, ALL will need to sit and pass the umsle. there was talk about malaysia doing that as well, but i doubt. in any case, if they want to do that they should follow what the us does for their LOCAL graduates, ie all, including local us med graduates have to pass the umsle too.

it is difficult to compare and say which schools are better, manipal is more established, so the degrees are already recognised by mmc, but that does NOT mean it is "better". if there is a delay, it may mean there is a problem with the programme. the mmc rules are quite strict (though not as strict as other countries) as to the conditions for recognition, and many new med schools cannot meet the requirements, and are sometimes only given provisional recognition to be reviewed. this has happened even to ipta med schools.

as for qualifying to sit for foreign postgraduate exams, it depends on the awarding bodies. i think the british royal colleges will recognise most of the commonwealth med schools for this purpose, but i am not sure about the new ones, you will need to contact them directly to ask. by the way, the frcp is not an exam qualification, but given honorary to senior members of the college, and sometimes prominent members of the local comunity.

the mrcs is NOT recognised by malaysia, but the frcs still is. however, it is almost impossible for local graduates to get the british frcs nowadays due to training preresquisites and restrictions on who can sit the exams.

yes, for most of the surgical postgraduates, the only pathway left for the majority of local grads, is the masters.

Hey guys! AIMST MBBS Degree has been recognised by the MMC! Its a 3 years recognition whereby we have the same recognition status as UM. No regrets joining this uni! Great uni i'd say! =)

no local medical school, both ipta and ipts, have ever had their degrees NOT recognised by mmc............you can come to your own conclusions about that fact............

Haha. Yeah true but at least it gives everyone a safer "feel" now already. Anyway the facillities here are really great. It seems that we have one of the best MDL lab among the medical schools in Malaysia. Lecturers are great too. We have few popular lecturers like Dr. Bhupinder from Penang for forensic medicine. Not bad for a 6 yer old medical uni. =)