I have a relative there, so I'm just typing on what I've heard and know. It may not be 100% accurate.

1)The pre-med is very hard and restrictive. While its sturctured like SAM (for those wanting to get into medcine), it does not have the recognition of SAM. Other than AIMST kedah, only some Indian uni's recognise it, with Salem being (I think) one of them.

2)The drop out rate can be quite high.

3)The people there aren't the cleanest people around, which he describes as "shocking" for a medical environment.

4)Chinese food and culture in general is an endangered species there. Mostly Indians, with Indian food. (Personal note: I have nothing against any type of edible food, but at the end of the day, we still want to stick to familar dishes)

5)He feels the quality of teaching there "questionable". I also happen to know the MMA (Malaysian Medical Association) has also raised concerns about the standard of graduates and the course in general.

Thats all I can say.

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This post has been edited by haya: Aug 9 2008, 04:36 PM

http://www.kwongwah.com.my/news/2008/11/05/6.html
http://www.sinchew.com.my/node/89142

Sure it wasn't on the front page with a red colored headline and full page pictures, but I do have to echo the sentiments of some people here: you guys seemingly don't read papers in any language. Period.

Now who is being defensive? Now who is not admitting their mistakes?

I don't read every single article, but I certainly know something called search.

the visa on arrival for Malaysians was a leftover from the Commonwealth era, where the ties with the UK were still strong. But very early on (in the early 70's) India lost that "privilege", for the simple reason there were just too many Indian nationals who went there to study/work/holiday, and never left. Now the same "syndrome" is affecting Malaysians, regardless of race, creed and travel history.

They will be even stricter on Malaysian students going to the UK to study, probably starting the end of a time where Malaysian's looked to the UK for further studies. So stricter tourist regulations -> stricter student visa requirements -> stricter working rules -> what's the point really, going to the UK to study?

It doesn't matter if Malaysian doctors were not the one who abused the visa. You are tarnished with the same brush as Malaysian citizens, rightly or wrongly. And the removal of visa on arrival will (indirectly) affect M'sian doctors, where it will be even harder getting jobs in the UK (because the employers want people who wouldn't have too much problem getting a visa), as if it is not hard enough.

But I will let this matter rest. We have gone too far from the original title of the thread.

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Added on January 17, 2009, 9:55 pmNow why do you think medical education in some quarters is expensive?

This post has been edited by haya: Jan 17 2009, 10:01 PM

I wouldn't say I'm surprised. There are people who seriously decide on where to go based on the ratio of "leng lui's" available.

Says volumes through, when a "medical science and technology" institution of higher learning can't even get simple things like toilets right.

Having international students in AIMST would be a bit unusual, as AFAIK they don't have twinning programs, save for those from the subcontinent who couldn't get into other medical schools. But international students using Malaysia as a stepping stone is all too common.

Inti is pretty much kept afloat with the Mainland Chinese/Nigerians/Namibians who do 2 + 2 programs and end up in the developed world. I have met Mainland Chinese and Nigerians who would have never been able enter Australian/New Zealand universities, if it wasn't for spending a few years in M'sia.

Even IMU is filled with Singaporeans who could not have gotten into western medical schools directly, so they use IMU's (relatively) lax admission standards as a spring board.

No international student comes to Malaysia for a education as a ends. It is always a means to another end.