Hey fellas I've a few questions:

1. Whose local medicine programme is better? IMU or Monash-Malaysia's?

2. For those who got accepted for IMU-PMS option, what were your pre-u results?

3. Is it true that IMU students doing the twinning option have to foot a bigger bill during the twinning years? (as opposed to someone that opted for the direct entry)

4. If #3 is true, how much extra are they paying?

5. How soon does one normally receive an offer from IMU after taking the interview?

6. How's the student life like at IMU?

7. Do PMS students entering phase 2 have to take the UKCAT for UK unis (and the ISAT, for australian unis)?

EDIT: Some context.

Just trying to graduate from an SMC-recognized university, preferably the cheapest route. The IMU-PMS (UK) option is more affordable than a UK direct entry option, but I've been having some doubts. Firstly, a few posts earlier, someone mentioned that IMU students have to pay more when doing the clinical semesters there. I understand that it's profit thing and all that but if the cost differential is too close to the UK direct entry option then I might reconsider my choice. Furthermore, not all the PMS options for IMU in the UK are recognised by the SMC (Exeter, Keele and Warwick) and I'll kill someone if I am partnered to one of those. I hear that if you're not happy with your partner option you can defer it a semester and you'll get a higher priority then (I think) but that's still not a guarantee.

Furthermore, I'm actually kinda set up for a UK direct entry option. Forecast is ok-ish (A*AA) and UKCAT is alright (2900+). IELTS not a problem either. The thing is, of course, it's a lot more expensive.

So, what do, fellers?

This post has been edited by indycolt: Sep 24 2015, 04:58 PM

I checked up on the number of placements they have to each PMS, the figure comes to about 6 out of 60 placings which are to non-SMC recognised universities. 90% is worth gambling on I suppose.

I was always under the impression that working licenses are near impossible to get in the UK...at least it seems to be the case with my seniors

Yep! Very odd decision by the SMC...in fact theirs is the strictest I've seen in terms of recognition of qualifications. I mean come on, TWO schools only for Malaysia? Two? Almost every other country seems to follow the IMED list.

Seems that our dear neighbors know the deal better than other countries heh..

I originally scheduled my interview for the Feb 2016 intake in November, but had to shift it earlier by a couple of weeks due to some circumstances. However that means that I would not have attended a hospital observation that I had planned to go before the interview. Do you think a lack of observation/attachment will have a hit on the overall interview? I mean I have done a bunch of volunteer work but I feel the hospital observation will play a big part.

Yep! PMS route. Oh one thing I gotta know, how long did you have to wait for your offer to be given? Very very crucial to a stupid situation I landed myself in.

Yep! PMS route. Oh one thing I gotta know, how long did you have to wait for your offer to be given? Very very crucial to a stupid situation I landed myself in.

Yep! Any reason why you didn't apply for an earlier intake?

Any sources on the PMS placement surplus? Not doubting you, just wanna see the source.

Oh that's a right shame :/ Well I'm suffering from over-applying tbh, total of 8 universities in 3 different countries that I've applied to haha. But of all places, IMU? How did you come about knowing this place?

HK? The plot thickens haha. Anyway thanks for the advice! Hopefully they won't bug me for not doing an attachment/observation. See you in february

Applied with my AS results...they gave me an interview date right after so I'm not sure if it carried any weight with it. Haha I should've waited a bit and applied with my forecast; it's loads better. PM'ed you btw

From what my seniors tell me, it's nigh impossible to get a working license/ one of the watchamacallits needed to get a job in the UK... most of them return back after their studies are done.

Sorry for the late reply haha, but I think I naively mistook 'recognition' as 'recognized by X country's medical council for registration', in which case most countries follow [this list] https://imed.faimer.org/

This post has been edited by indycolt: Oct 2 2015, 09:54 PM

Give IMU a call to check up on your application status?

Lovely. I live 5 minutes away from the Kinrara station after years of construction, can finally taste the fruits. Hopefully I pass the interview on Thursday and get admitted.

Bollocks. Just got word from my lecturer that the forecast result I 'ordered' will not be ready by the time I go for my interview. I did some cajoling to get the forecast to an A*AA (my AS-result was AAB) to give some breathing room, now Im shitting enough bricks to build a second Great Wall of China.

Is AAB good enough for the PMS option?? I did do well in the IELTS and I'm sure the interview will be fine but WILL I MAKE THE CUTOFF???

any reasons for this? I figured it was a cheaper way to get a UK degree...And the cut-off is usually AAA? The funny thing is as soon as I applied they gave me an interview date...and I know for a fact that offers are given out usually a week after the interview; do universities sometimes give interviews to applicants who are under the cut-off?

Hmm...makes sense but it must be funny for the interviewers knowing that a candidate they are interviewing won't make the cut...

As for the whole direct entry thing, I myself am applying for direct entry, forecast is not too fancy (A*AA) but my UKCAT (2930) and IELTS (8.5) is pretty ok. But even then I keep hearing of straight A* students who can't even secure one interview, let alone get an offer.

Also, it's cheaper to study here; not by a lot, but it's there haha. Take St George's for example. Direct entry would be GBP135k = RM 871k, via the PMS option would be RM858k. While RM13k is a small amount in the big picture, living costs aren't that pretty...I'd say GBP 800/month on average = RM61k a year. The two years of pre-clinical that you spend in Malaysia saves you RM120k already (I live 20 mins away from IMU and still live with my parents). So all in all you're looking at RM140,000 of savings...still not a really big dent (in the context of medicine tuition fees) but the difference is there.