Page 65 - Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences

The first batch of medical students was admitted to the Faculty of Medicine 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, and was completed in 10 months. The pioneer students thus began their medical
journey in May 1964. The faculty continued to grow and the second phase was ready for the students as they
embarked on to Year II the following May. Planning, building, procurement of equipment, recruitment of staff,
organization of the Faculty, and discussions on the curriculum continued unremittingly. Phase I of what was
then known as University Hospital,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 in March 1967. Phase II of the Hospital consisting of Paediatric, Maternity and Rehabilitation Units was
completed in December 1967, and welcomed patients in March 1968. The total construction period for the
faculty and hospital, consisting of the teaching departments, hospital (740 beds), hostel for clinical students,
Nurses Quarters with Nursing School, and Central Animal House was three and a half years.
The faculty and hospital, now known as University Malaya Medical Centre have grown significantly. Since 1993,
the Faculty of Medicine also began offering undergraduate programmes in Biomedical Science and Nursing.

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.

Page | 65 Biomedical Science Programme Guidebook 2023/24