THE STAR, TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018
COURSE FOCUS
ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES, MEDICINE, DENTISTRY & PHARMACY
THE most visible yet often
neglected part of your body is
your mouth, or more specifically,
your teeth. Having a set of shiny,
white teeth can not only help
boost your confidence by making
you more attractive but
contributes to your overall health
as well.
Dentistry is a fulfilling field that
helps people achieve their
optimum dental health.
Professions in this field are largely
associated with dental care but
can also include cosmetic dental
treatment.
This dynamic field has a
wide array of specialisations.
A traditional path will bring you
towards owning a dental care
practice while more modern
specialisations are focused on
research or cosmetic alterations.
Local need for dentists
Dentistry is not as simple as
teaching people how to brush and
floss. Oral disease due to poor
dental care is rampant, ranging
from tooth decay and gum disease
to cavities. Early detection is
extremely important since minor
symptoms such as an oral ulcer
can indicate more serious
conditions.
“Maintaining good oral health is
more than just brushing your
teeth. Educating people on oral
health is crucial for society to
maintain overall health and
quality of life,” says paediatric
dental specialist Dr Leong Kei Joe,
who is also president-elect of the
Malaysian Dental Association.
The pathway to dentistry
Many people carry the
misconception that dentistry is an
easier field of study than other
medical professions. This is an
unrealistic perception since
dentistry is appropriately complex
and challenging.
In Malaysia, pursuing dentistry
takes at least five years of
intensive education followed by a
year of compulsory service with
the Government. After that, you
can choose to specialise. The
process of specialisation usually
takes three years.
Specialisations you can choose
from include:
l Periodontology – Involves
Protect those pearly whites
dealing with diseases of the gums
and supporting structures of the
mouth and jaws.
l Orthodontics – Includes
diagnosing and correcting
misalignment of the jaws and
teeth.
l Prosthodontics – Focuses on
recreating and restoring parts of
the teeth or jaws damaged in
accidents or by disease.
l Paediatric dentistry –
Dedicated to the oral health needs
of babies and children, who have
different dental anatomy from
adults.
l Cosmetic dentistry –
Aesthetic appearance is the heart
of this line, with focus on obtaining
skills in correcting and restoring
teeth, jaws and other oral
structures.
l Veterinary dentistry – A
relatively rare field of dentistry
for care of animals such as race
horses whose dentists are called
equine dental technicians.
l Forensic odontology –
Involves criminal investigation
such as identification of disfigured
victims through dental records.
Career options
Even though the general
assumption is that you will be a
dentist upon completing your
dentistry degree, there are other
career options available as follows:
l Own practice – The most
common career option in the field,
having your own practice means
you get to be your own boss and
determine your own working
hours.
You can be a general dental
practitioner or specialise as a
dental surgeon, or both.
l Join hospitals – Getting a
hospital job means you can work
at an established institution with
an existing clientele and consistent
salary.
Being attached to a hospital also
means busy days, especially if
working at a government hospital.
l Join community health
centres – If you want to give
back to society, this option is
for you.
While fresh graduates
may be reluctant to work for
little to no pay at these centres,
some senior dentists are usually
happy to contribute their time and
skill due to their more flexible
schedules.
l Teaching – Another profession
for more senior dentists, being an
industry expert qualifies you to
impart knowledge to students.
Most teaching positions require
several years as a dentist or in
associated specialisations.
l Research – If your focus is on
bettering the field of dentistry by
developing new techniques in
treatment and prevention
procedures, a career in research
may be for you.
To conduct research projects and
studies, you usually need several
years under your belt as a dental
health practitioner.
Skills needed to succeed
Every profession needs people
who are not only passionate
about their work but also possess
Malaysia needs more dentists
“ACHIEVING optimal oral health
constitutes a major public health
challenge that requires strong
advocates who are committed to
promoting oral health initiatives,
emphasising disease prevention
measures and integrating oral
health into general health
practices,” says Dr Leong Kei Joe,
president-elect of the Malaysian
Dental Association.
In this sense, “advocates”,
while not limited to dentists, still
feature dentistry experts as major
stakeholders in educating
Malaysia about the importance of
dental health.
This is especially needed as
research from the past decade
has produced less-than-promising
findings in terms of dental health
literacy among Malaysians. Some
certain personality attributes
that suit the demands of that
career. The attributes needed for
pursuing dentistry are:
l Love for science – Science
forms the basic and future
development of dentistry. Having
a keen interest in science subjects
can make your journey in
dentistry an enjoyable one.
l Love for people – Dentists
deal with many people daily.
Even if you want to teach or
be a researcher in the field,
you need a few years as a
practitioner to qualify for those
positions.
A genuine care for people and
good social skills are needed by
any dentist, especially for one
wanting to specialise in paediatric
dentistry.
l Hard-working – As with
many other professions, being a
hard worker is necessary to
pursue a career in dentistry.
Completing your education is
not the end of your hard work as
you then need to get used to
working in the highly competitive
field.
results are as follows:
l Ninety-four per cent of
adults in Malaysia have some
form of periodontal disease
while the prevalence of dental
caries is 89.4% within the same
group, according to the National
Oral Health Surveys of Adults
2010 conducted by the Health
Ministry.
It was also revealed in the
same publication that around
75% of adults in Malaysia are
unaware of the need to maintain
oral hygiene.
l The National Health and
Morbidity Survey 2015 found that
5.2% of the population had dental
health problems in the two weeks
preceding the survey.
However, only 26.6% of
this group sought treatment
An oral
history
Dentistry may not be a fun
vocation but dentists have
been around for millenniums.
Read these fun facts:
l Hesi-Re, who lived in
Egypt more than 5,000 years
ago, is the earliest-known
dentist.
l Lucy Beaman Hobbs
became the first licensed
female dentist in 1866.
l Electric chairs used for
executions were first invented
by a dentist named Alfred
P. Southwick in 1881.
l Dental assistant Irene
Newman became the first
dental hygienist in 1905 when
she received training to clean
teeth.
or advice from a dental
healthcare provider.
The above data goes to show
the lack of awareness among
Malaysians regarding oral health,
but it is not wholly the fault of
any one party.
In 2016, Health Minister
Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam
announced that there was only
one dentist for every 5,100
Malaysians.
He also expressed an urgent
need for more dentists to cater to
Malaysia’s ever-growing
population.
Since the Health Ministry is
aiming for a dentist-to-population
ratio of 1:3,000 this year, it is a
good time to begin your dentistry
journey.
2 Course Focus
Cultivating a passion for caring
MORE than just doctors and
surgeons, healthcare involves other
specialists working alongside them.
Whether these individuals are
working diagnostic machines,
assisting doctors in medical
procedures or helping rehabilitate
a patient, they play an important
role in medical centres.
Nurses, technicians, pharmacists,
radiographers and dietitians are
just a few of the types of
professionals that run the industry.
A career in healthcare may not
be easy, but it is one of the most
fulfilling, especially to those who
hope to make a difference in this
world.
Malaysia is home to a
comprehensive range of healthcare
services and has a fast-growing
industry with many opportunities
for expansion. It is also a popular
destination for medical tourism.
With the many top-quality
healthcare institutions in the
country, students are spoiled for
choice when it comes to choosing
an education provider that
specialises in healthcare.
It is important to choose a
college that can equip them with
necessary and additional skills to
give them an edge over others in
the industry.
Ramsay Sime Darby Healthcare
College (RSDHC) is an established
college with more than 20 years
of experience in providing
healthcare education.
Known for its nursing education
and allied health sciences
programmes, it provides students
with quality education guided by
experienced clinical educators.
As the healthcare industry and
its needs continue to grow, the
college recognises the need for
specialised skill training and
provides a variety of nursing sub-
specialty programmes.
It has also expanded its offerings
to include courses for medical
assistantship, medical laboratory
technology, physiotherapy and
other health services.
With more than 10,000
graduates currently employed,
RSDHC was awarded a six-star
rating by the Higher Education
Ministry under the Malaysian
Quality Evaluation System for
Private Colleges 2016/2017.
As part of Ramsay Sime Darby
Health Care group, students of
RSDHC are guided by the EXCITE
core principles of the college:
l EX – Excel in everything we do
l C – Care and compassion from
the heart
RSDHC simulates real work environments to prepare students for professions in their chosen fields.
RSDHC is fitted with a comprehensive library and ICT resources.
l I – Innovate for continual
improvement
l T – Teamwork and respect for
one another
l E – Ethical in our practice
Graduates of RSDHC
programmes can experience
working both locally and
internationally. As the college is
associated with several hospitals in
the region, students have the
advantage of attachments with
Subang Jaya Medical Centre, Ara
Damansara Medical Centre or
ParkCity Medical Centre in
Malaysia, and Ramsay Sime Darby
Health Care hospitals in Indonesia
and Australia.
RSDHC offers a pre-university
programme for students interested
in health sciences before
advancement into the diploma
level. Its Foundation in Science is a
one-year full-time programme that
prepares students for tertiary
education in medicine, dentistry
and related health sciences. Intakes
are in January, April and July every
year.
Upon graduation from RSDHC
diploma programmes, students will
receive certificates for completion
of their respective courses,
professional examinations and
achievements in extracurricular
activities. Dean’s list certification is
awarded to high achievers.
These certificates of recognition
serve as testament to RSDHC
graduates’ industry-ready
capabilities that can further
improve their employment
opportunities.
All diploma programmes offered
by RSDHC are approved by the
Higher Education Ministry,
RSDHC's Setia Alam campus is equipped with faciities such as an anatomy
and physiology museum to enhance students' learning.
With more than
10,000 graduates
currently employed,
RSDHC was awarded
a six-star rating by
the Higher Education
Ministry under the
Malaysian Quality
Evaluation System
for Private Colleges
2016/2017.
certified ISO 9001:2008 and
accredited by the Malaysian
Qualifications Agency (MQA).
RSDHC offers preparatory
courses for the International
English Language Testing System
and Malaysian University English
Test examinations for students
who wish to achieve the minimum
English proficiency qualification to
pursue further study.
For SPM school-leavers, RSDHC
offers a three-month intensive
programme to candidates who are
sitting for repeat examinations in
July and November.
In collaboration with University
of Hertfordshire (UH), RSDHC now
offers the BSc (Hons)
Contemporary Nursing 2+0
programme. The course is for
practising registered nurses who
have successfully completed an
MQA-approved diploma in nursing.
The degree programme is
structured to help students achieve
their maximum potential. In each
semester, students will be taught
theories relevant to nursing
practices by UH lecturers.
Students can then apply the
lessons and skills learnt to their
clinical decision-making and
critical thinking at work.
For those interested in
postgraduate studies, RSDHC’s
Teaching Methodology course is a
programme designed for working
adults who wish to pursue a
teaching career in institutions of
higher learning.
This programme aims to equip
individuals with the ability to
apply a range of approaches that
will enhance the learning
experience of health science
students.
RSDHC is committed to helping
its students explore opportunities
and provide enough nurturing for
them to grow into their careers.
The college often holds
recruitment fairs and workshops
in addition to granting high-
achiever rewards such as
attachments with its affiliated
medical centres.
To ensure that students receive
the best college experience, RSDHC
provides quality venues for
education and living. Its aim is to
provide a learning environment
that is safe, allowing students to be
free of discrimination and
harassment.
In addition to spacious lecture
halls, laboratories and classrooms,
RSDHC is fitted with a
comprehensive library and
information and communications
technology resources. Students can
also use the free wireless Internet
connection provided on campus.
Furthermore, RSDHC offers a
comprehensive range of services
including counselling, academic
support, career enhancement and
personal development guidance,
international student support,
financial aid, and international and
local student accommodation
facilities.
“In as little as five years, there
will be a shortage of professionals
in most healthcare disciplines,
especially within the group that
has direct contact with patients,”
says Eliza Wong Pak Fong, acting
chief executive officer and
academic dean of RSDHC.
“RSDHC aims to provide as many
healthcare personnel as possible to
meet future demands of the
industry.
“We engage healthcare
institutions in providing financial
aid for underprivileged students.
This arrangement enables more
THE STAR, TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018
students to obtain qualification for
employment, leading towards
retention of adequate numbers of
healthcare personnel in these
institutions,” says Wong.
Another financial aid service is
the Yayasan Sime Darby Skill
Enrichment Programme, which
offers scholarships to students who
face financial constraints and are
keen to pursue vocational studies
at RSDHC.
Fulfilling industry demand
Nursing is an integral part of the
healthcare team and a profession
that is in great demand worldwide.
RSDHC is especially proud of its
nursing programme, which boasts
a 100% pass rate and excellent
career prospects for graduates.
Instead of only focusing on
producing new nurses, RSDHC also
provides further training for
existing nurses who are looking to
notch more qualifications in their
career.
“For working nurses, we offer
six months of post-basic training
in critical care nursing, renal
nursing, oncology nursing and
perioperative nursing
programmes,” says Wong.
Graduates of RSDHC nursing
programmes have a bright future
in the industry as there are at least
600 industry positions available
locally and internationally.
Nursing and health science
programme intakes are in April,
July and October every year.
Visit the campus
RSDHC is open every weekday
from 9am to 5pm. Walk-in
enquiries are welcome. Students
can visit RSDHC’s new campus in
Setia Alam or look out for RSDHC
representatives at major education
fairs nationwide.
Wong shares the institution’s
pride in its Setia Alam campus.
Best described as a campus in the
sky, it is equipped with state-of-the-
art facilities and can accommodate
up to 2,000 students at any one
time.
“All classrooms offer a view of
Setia Alam from different
directions. The Setia Alam campus
also offers students the
convenience of various practical
learning laboratories and
recreational areas for
extracurricular activities,” says
Wong.
n For more information,
call 03-3362 0100/0110, e-mail
college@ramsaysimedarbyhealth.
com or visit www.
ramsaysimedarbycollege.edu.my
THE STAR, TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018 3
4 Course Focus
A new
approach to
learning
THE rapid pace of technological
advancement has created a
disruptive world where nothing
is relevant for too long. There is
thus an urgent need for a
significant shift in the way
children are educated.
These coupled with the short
attention span of the modern
generation accelerate the need to
come up with intelligent ways of
learning. The conventional
method of didactic learning,
Monash students are coached towards success through active and independent learning.
where the teacher speaks and
the student listens, is obsolete.
Assoc Prof Dr Victor Chuang,
Monash University Malaysia’s
new head of School of Pharmacy,
sheds light on the faculty’s
initiatives in helping students
learn better.
“Beginning last year, we have
rolled out a revised syllabus with
a different teaching and learning
approach,” he says. With more
than 25 years of experience
behind him, Assoc Prof Chuang is
under no illusion to the
challenges that he faces.
“Students tend to focus on
what is coming out in
examinations. At Monash, we
endeavour to equip students
with head knowledge, the
necessary professional skills to
excel as well as qualities such as
integrity, empathy and the ability
to work collegiately with people,”
he adds.
The new method, which is
being simultaneously rolled out
by Monash’s Faculty of Pharmacy
and Pharmaceutical Sciences in
Parkville Australia, is aimed at
empowering students to drive
their learning process.
“The whole process has
progressed from a passive
teaching approach to active
personalised coaching. This is a
flipped classroom approach. We
guide students to teach
themselves, get information and
solve problems,” he says.
Where teaching was once
governed by lecturers, students
are now required to read up and
understand a given topic before
they pose questions in an online
forum.
This is where the lecturers will
respond, after which students
will attempt a series of questions
to check their understanding.
“Lectures will be conducted in
an interactive way where
lecturers provide further
clarifications on concepts that
cannot be explained easily
online, in addition to answering
students’ questions,” says Assoc
Prof Chuang.
In life, change is something
that humans struggle to grapple
with. It is no different for
students who have been brought
up in a system that encourages
rote learning. Acknowledging
this, Assoc Prof Chuang speaks
about the methods that are in
place to address these challenges.
“There’s a mentor and mentee
partnership where, after two
weeks, students will need to sit
down and reflect on the progress
of their learning, identifying
what learning issues they have
THE STAR, TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2018
At Monash, we
endeavour to equip
students with
head knowledge,
the necessary
professional skills
to excel as well as
qualities such as
integrity, empathy
and the ability to
work collegiately
with people.
and how they plan to resolve
them,” he says.
“We look at our students as
athletes. We are the coaches. We
find out their strengths and see
what they are lacking. Then we
provide them with the guidance
and tools to develop and
overcome their weaknesses.”
For his postgraduate studies,
Assoc Prof Chuang was a
benefactor of the Monbusho
Scholarship from the Japanese
Ministry of Education.
He focused on studying the
ligand-binding properties of
plasma proteins with the aim of
modifying protein molecules
using recombinant DNA
technology for drug delivery and
therapeutic purposes.
Having spent more than six
years in Japan and more than 10
years in Western Australia,
Assoc Prof Chuang relates to the
challenges that foreign students
may face in a different country.
With facilities such as the
Brain Research Institute Monash
Sunway and animal house in
place, Monash University
Malaysia is ahead of its
competitors in terms of research
facilities.
“For a private university to
maintain an animal house, I was
really impressed. Animal studies
are conducted to investigate the
efficacy of certain medication or
the effect of certain compounds
on living beings. This is a very
costly facility to maintain as the
animals are kept in a controlled
environment,” he says.
He may be new in Monash
University Malaysia, but Assoc
Prof Chuang feels very much at
home and has a clear and noble
idea of what he wants to
achieve.
“I feel well supported by all
the schools. It’s like a
community, where we can all
work together towards
providing research solutions
nationally as well as regionally,”
he shares.
n For more information on
programmes at the School
of Pharmacy, Monash
University Malaysia, visit
www.monash.edu.my/pharmacy