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FACULTY OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITI MALAYA

http://medicine.um.edu.my

The first batch of medical students was admitted to the Faculty in 1964. A year earlier, these
students, 40 of them, were placed in the Faculty of Science as pre-medical students. Construction
of the faculty building began in July 1963, was completed in 10 months, so that the pioneer
students were able to begin their course in May 1964. The building programme continued and
the second phase was ready in time for Year II teaching the following May. Throughout this
period, planning, building, ordering and receiving of equipment, recruitment of staff,
organization of the Faculty, and discussions on the curriculum continued unremittingly. Phase I
of the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre consisting of the main block together with podium or
“technical box” (operating theatres, radio-diagnostic, accident and emergency, polyclinic,
pharmacy, central sterile supply, cafeteria, administration and medical records) was completed
in December 1966, and the first wards were opened as on March 1967. Phase II of the Hospital
consisting of Paediatric, Maternity and Rehabilitation Units was completed in December 1967,
and became functional in March 1968. The total construction period for the Medical Centre
consisting of the faculty departments, hospital (740 beds), Hostel for Clinical Students, Nurses
Quarters with Nursing School and Central Animal House was three and a half years. Over the past
three decades, the medical centre has expanded tremendously, and today it has 900 beds (the
number will be increased to 1200 beds after renovation).

Philosophy of the Faculty of Medicine

The philosophy of the Faculty is to mould students to be competent, highly-skilled and
knowledgeable health professionals, who can work with others as a team, who are caring and
concerned about their patients and society, and who can emerge as leaders in their community.

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