“These students who decide to do a medical degree later are often more mature and directed towards their goals.
Prof Wiener says the curriculum is based on the evolving concept of individualised medicine.

“They may have developed an appreciation for medicine during their first degree or through their research experiences,” he said, adding that his first degree was in economics.

Prof Wiener, who will be dean of the Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine, said entry to the MD programme will be open to individuals who have completed a first degree with the pre-requisite subjects, have sat for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and gone through an interview.

The pre-requisite subjects include biology, general chemistry, advanced chemistry, advanced mathematics such as calculus or statistics, physics, and courses in humanities or social sciences. Candidates must also be computer literate and have good writing and verbal skills.

“The first intake will be in September next year and the Genes to Society (GTS) curriculum – used at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine – will be introduced here,” he said.

Prof Wiener explained that the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine began revamping its curriculum in 2003. In 2009, it implemented the GTS curriculum – which is aimed at reframing the context of health and illness more broadly – to encourage students to explore the biological properties of a patient’s health within a larger, integrated system, including social, cultural, psychological and environmental variables.

“The whole curriculum is based on the evolving concept of individualised medicine,” he said.

The MD degree that will be conferred will be from the Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine, he added.

Although the Johns Hopkins University – located in Baltimore, Maryland – has campuses in China, Singapore and Italy, he explained that this was the first foray for the School of Medicine outside the United States (US).

During her visit to Malaysia last month, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin witnessed the signing of collaboration, affiliation and licensing agreements between the Academic Medical Centre Sdn Bhd, Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medicine International.

When announcing that Johns Hopkins University would be setting up a medical school and hospital in Malaysia during his visit to the US in September, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said a site at Serdang, Selangor had been picked to set up the facilities, which would in turn become a medical research hub for the region.

The medical school, he said, would offer a four-year programme, adding that it would be a private initiative between Malaysian and American investors.

Najib said it was a world-renowned medical school and had adopted a different curriculum compared to other institutions.

“They are using the ‘Genes to Society’ curriculum, which is a more personalised medical approach,” he said.

Higher Education Ministry deputy director-general (private higher education institutions) Prof Datin Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir had said the successful negotiations to bring the Johns Hopkins Medical School to Malaysia was proof of the nation’s appeal as a regional education hub.