University Malaya Medical Centre

University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) formerly known as University Hospital is a government-funded medical institution located in Pantai Dalam, southwest corner of Kuala Lumpur, the dynamic and bustling capital city of Malaysia. It was established by Statute in September 1962 and is part of University of Malaya.

Shortly after the end of the second World War, a commission was established under the Chairmanship of Sir Alexander Carr-Saunders to enquire into and make recommendations concerning university education in Malaya (Malaysia). The Commission arrived in March 1947, and after an intensive study recommended that the King Edward VII College of Medicine and Raffles College be almagated forthwith to form a University of Malaya. Accordingly, the University of Malaya was established in Singapore on 8 October 1949 as a national institution to serve the higher educational needs of the Federation of Malaya and of Singapore.

In 1957, a Commission of Enquiry was set up by the Governments of the Federation and of Singapore at the request of the University of Malaya to review the constitution, working and finances of the University in the light of the experience and rapid expansion of last seven years and of the prospective expansion in the near future, including the plan for developing the University in Kuala Lumpur, and to make recommendation. Arising from the Commission's Report and that of a Joint Constitutional Committee appointed by the two Governments, legislation was passed in November 1958 providing for the continuance of the University of Malaya as a single University, but with two largely autonomous divisions of equal status, one in each territory. This legislation came into effect in January 1958.

In 1960 the Government of the Federation of Malaya indicated that the Kuala Lumpur Division of the University of Malaya should become he national University in the Federation with effect from the beginning of the session 1962/63, and likewise the Singapore Government indicated that the Singapore Division should become the national University of Singapore. Steps to achieve the establishment of these two separate Universities were finalized during the year 1961 and the University of Malaya was established on 1 January 1962.

The University of Malaya is situated on a site of about 750 acres of land in Pantai Valley on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, a rapidly growing city of over half million inhabitants, the capital of Malaysia and near the geographical centre of the Peninsula. One outstanding feature of the University is its rapid growth and development.

The Faculty believes that the education of a physician is a continuous process extending over his life-time, each stage resting upon the preceding one and each preparing him for that which follows. The first stage is the undergraduate course in which the main effort is directed towards the acquisition by the student of scientific methods of thought- the ability to think logically, critically and independently. Much factual information must of necessity be absorbed, but it is the development of the powers of observation and of competence in clinical methods that take priority in importance. Others essential attributes that must be cultivated are an understanding attitude towards people as persons and a strong sense of responsibility of a doctor towards society. The second is the graduate stage, the pre-registration, housemanship or internship year, which provides general vocational experience in the broad field of Medicine. This should be followed immediately by post-graduate experience over several years organized to provide the special knowledge and skills relevant to a particular branch of Medicine. The final stage is one of continuing education to enable the doctor tp keep abreast of new developments in Medicine through personal experience interpreted by reading and attendanceat medical meetings and refresher courses.

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