QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ASK BEFORE STARTING AT NUMED
1. What is the fail rate for the MBBS programme at NUMed?
Universities rarely publicise details of how many students fail to qualify after the five year programme. The fail rate in final exams at NUMed has been in the 8%-16% range in the last few years. The fail rate in most UK, and in other Malaysian medical schools, public and private, is of the order of 3%-5%.
There are likely to be a number of explanations for this, such as
entry criteria, but the more fundamental issue relates to whether it is ever
possible (or even necessary) to deliver a UK style curriculum in Malaysia, and
examine students as though this was the case, with the same, inflexible exam
regulations.
It would also be worth asking how many students have to
repeat the various years of the programme, before they are able to pass.
It is often stated that this is the unique selling point of the degree programme at NUMed. It is however not without its pitfalls and hazards. This was demonstrated most clearly during the recent pandemic, when most UK students were qualified by the University and the GMC without sitting final exams, whilst the Malaysian students had to do most of the usual exams, without a great deal of modification to adjust for the very different learning experience they had had during the year.
As I have said previously, it is like playing a game of football with two different sets of broadly similar, but not identical rules, which can only lead to predictable chaos.
More recently exams
have had to be scrapped after they had been sat, because of issues around the
digital links between the UK and Malaysia- it is not difficult to imagine how
stressful this would have been for the students involved.
From 2024, all
students will have to pass the Medical Licensing exam set by the GMC, and
universities will have to incorporate these into their own exams- can this work
in Malaysia?
Again much play is made of the fact that NUMed graduates will
be able to apply for and complete the two year UK Foundation Programme in the
UK. Whilst that may be the situation at the moment, with eased visa processes,
this may not be the case in the middle of this decade, with expanded UK medical
schools producing an additional 1500 graduates every year.
Questions should be asked about the quality of the clinical faculty at NUMed. The number of clinical staff seconded from the UK has reduced considerably. Departing staff are not replaced, generally because it is expensive to do so.
Students are often taught by Clinical Teaching Fellows, out
from the UK for a year. These are very newly qualified doctors, without a great
deal in the way of clinical experience, and although they can be useful for
teaching certain parts of the curriculum, they are no substitute for a
well-experienced faculty, with appropriate postgraduate qualifications.
Many of the clinical faculty do not have Annual Practising
Certificates from the MMC, or contracts of employment with local hospitals.
This model is quite different from that of other private medical schools in
Malaysia, where the clinical teaching is delivered in much closer collaboration
with local clinicians.
"I would just say the quality of teaching in NUMed has been atrocious and criminally underwhelming. Teachers being placed there just because they have certain qualifications, not because of actual teaching skills.
As we all know, having the knowledge does not necessarily make you a good teacher.
In fact, I would say there are only a handful of lecturers I would even consider teachers by definition. As most were redundant and employed just for namesake."
4. Is NUMed truly a research-focussed institution?
One only has to look at the SETARA ratings, which are heavily weighted in favour of research outcomes, to see where NUMed ranks. Unlike IMU and Monash Malaysia, it definitely does not have a six star rating. The impression on the ground is that NUMed operates in isolation, with very little collaboration with local universities on the national stage.
5. What is the culture at NUMed like?
We all expect certain standards of behaviour in our
universities, which in turn sets the organisational culture. Is it open and
free? Are decisions made in a transparent, collaborative way? Are students
valued as learners, or are they merely ‘cash cows’?
Is debate and discussion encouraged? Are different views listened to? Is dissent tolerated? Are students and staff alike treated with respect?
I have my views, but if you do not ask the questions, you will never find out!
Dr Al Amaladoss
Formerly Associate Professor (Clinical) in Psychiatry
NUMed.
Why is there a sudden exodus of clinical specialist lecturers from Numed?
ReplyDeleteThere are a whole host of reasons, ranging from personal ones, to professional ones. From my perspective, the toxic culture at the organisation became unbearably toxic.
DeleteDear Dr.Al, Final year Numed students are once again plagued with discrepancies that have yet to be explained to the students by the UK. Students are struggling and no one seems to be on their side.
ReplyDeleteThanks for getting in touch Sugar Bun. I am not surprised that this is the situation. What are the details? I did hear that exam results won't be related until after (probably non existent) assistantships
ReplyDeleteHello Dr
ReplyDeleteI have been asking the questions as we r planning for my son admit into this year
Most importantly we r NOT getting the feedback on quality of education being imparted
Has it gone down
Are they other private medical colleges that offer the clinical quality education
Any further references please help
Rajesh
Thank you. I think the fact that you are not being given answers to legitimate questions speaks volumes about the culture of the institution. You need to ask who is delivering the teaching, especially in the clinical years, how experienced they are, and how familiar they are with a UK curriculum. My view is that you cannot do this without adequate NHS experience, and that junior teaching fellows are a poor substitute. There are of course other private institutions to consider, but it is not my role to advertise them!
ReplyDeleteThank you sharing this wonderful Blog. If you really looking for study in abroad through scholarship. we are here to help you to get your dream college.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly the Clinical Dean at NUMed is leaving. We are in the dark as to whether she has resigned to take up another position, is retiring or has been sacked.
DeleteDr Al Amaladoss
Dear Dr. Al Amaladoss, thank you for sharing your unique insight into NUMed.
ReplyDeleteI was just researching into NUMed and stumbled across your blog. As an international student, is it worth studying at NUMed? It is equally as expensive to pursue MBBS from where I live, but the ranking of the university here is significantly lower compared to Newcastle. With a degree from a UK university branch, I have hopes to complete my foundation training years in the UK, especially since Malaysia doesn't allow international students to do their housemanship and unfortunately I have no intention to go back to my home country :( as I have never lived there. I contacted the NUMed admissions office recently and they told me that everyone who applied for UKFP in the past 4 years have all got in. I am not sure how many people is "everyone" though. Please kindly give me some advice as I am really unsure at the moment!
Thank you.
Thank you. The situation with getting a place on the UKFP depends on the need for the doctors in the UK, which then informs UK government visa policy. There has been an expansion in UK medical undergraduate numbers, and they will be graduating in the next few years, so there is no guarantee that the need for overseas will persist. May I suggest, respectfully, that you reflect on your reasons for wanting to do medicine? It is about serving people who need your services
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
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DeleteNice blog!
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