Taylor’s and Assunta to nurture the next generation of doctors

Taylor’s University and Assunta Hospital signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signifying a three-year collaboration on clinical teaching for medical students and preparing them for future medical practice. This partnership brings together the university’s expertise in quality medical education and Assunta Hospital’s long-standing reputation as a provider of private healthcare.

The MOA will allow Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students in their final year and semester of study at Taylor’s to undergo their clinical postings at Assunta Hospital. Under the supervision of specialist doctors from Assunta, students will experience rotating in several disciplines including Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Orthopaedics.

Adopting an experiential approach to the “master and apprentice” principle, a traditional model for teaching-learning medicine, this teaching method will allow students to observe how patients are managed and treated by practising doctors. This way, they will be receiving direct exposure to the day-to-day operations of a hospital, including the technology and the costs involved in the delivery of medical care in Malaysia today.

Diversifying teaching-learning

The initiative is also in line with the Ministry of Health’s vision of diversifying teaching-learning opportunities for medical students and working together with the private sector, where an estimated 55 per cent of all Malaysian doctors work.

Aside from providing an avenue for students’ clinical postings, the partnership also aims to appoint the involved Assunta consultants as adjunct academic staff at the university as well as leverage their combined expertise to collaborate in research and other scholarly activities. The two parties also disclosed their enthusiasm to organise corporate social responsibility projects in the future.

“Through this partnership, we aim to provide varied teaching and learning activities for our final year MBBS students so they are given the opportunity to observe how real patients are managed and treated by practising doctors. This in turn will help to enhance their readiness in real-life practice situations as we play a role in nurturing skilled and quality medical and healthcare professionals,” said Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer, Professor Dr Pradeep in his welcoming speech.

Mr Christopher Chua, Chairman and Board of Directors of Assunta Hospital added, “the Hospital has produced many well-trained nurses through the establishment of Tun Tan Cheng Lock College of Nursing in 1961. I am delighted that the hospital has expanded its role now to the training of medical students. The community focused multi-disciplinary hospital, which has dedicated 50 percent of our operating surplus towards helping the poorest of the poor will definitely provide a wholesome learning environment to the medical students from Taylor’s University and at the same time this collaboration will help to further enhance the standard of healthcare to our patients.”

During the signing ceremony held at Taylor’s Lakeside Campus, Professor Dr Pradeep recounted the relationship between the two parties which has been ongoing for almost a decade. He revealed that several Assunta consultants have taught students part-time at the School of Medicine, imparting a valuable perspective on its students as seasoned practitioners in the private medical industry.