THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 AUGUST 2020
COURSE FOCUS
Student support
during the pandemic
SOCIAL DISTANCING is the new reality in
education, with students having to accept
the radical change in the way that learning
is approached. However, the abrupt shift
from face-to-face classroom instruction to
online classes can put students at risk for
mental health challenges due to isolation
that comes with self-study.
Newcastle University Medicine
Malaysia’s (NUMed) teaching delivery and
learning approaches emphasise the holistic
development of both the hearts and minds
of its students. During these trying times,
caring communication has been key to
NUMed students’ well-being across the
different Movement Control Order
(MCO) phases.
In fact, the Covid-19 pandemic has
accentuated NUMed’s efforts in ensuring
its students are getting the support they
need. From messaging to email and text,
During these trying times, NUMed
stepped up its efforts to enable staff
and students stay connected and
make online learning a success.
The new norm of nursing education
THE current Covid-19 pandemic has
impacted economies worldwide and put a
spotlight on careers that will be added and
lost. The nursing profession has always
played major roles in times of crises,
providing care to those affected. The
stability of the job continues to be the
pulling factor to join this profession.
International Medical College (IMC) is a
private college with a long-standing
reputation in providing nursing education.
IMC’s Diploma in Nursing is approved by
the Higher Education Ministry and
Malaysian Nursing Board. It is also
accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications
Agency, ensuring quality learning in line
with the requirements set for a higher
education institution.
Being one of the top private nursing
educators in the country, IMC continues to
stay abreast of the latest developments and
guidelines, including the teaching and
learning methods for its students. IMC
adopted the e-learning early this year and
the teaching faculty transitioned effectively
from classroom to online teaching when the
pandemic spread.
Student nurses were able to continue
with their learning during the movement
control order. Online assessments were also
staff and students alike are keeping
connected to make online learning a success.
Dr Ma Brenda Pancho, an associate
professor and Dean of Student Affairs,
shares that the adjustment extends to
academic staff as well. They have had to
adjust very quickly to online teaching by
manipulating various technologies and
software. “We have a buddy system for staff
to maintain regular online social connection
during the pandemic. Regular online staff
meetings serve as a platform to discuss
current issues on online teaching and
learning, as well as for staff socialisation,”
she explains.
Students who have not been able to return
to their hometowns or countries of origin
are provided with free meals for lunch and
dinner. Accommodation support
is also given to them and those
who still need to take their
used to ensure that learning was on a par
with the theory requirements of the subjects.
The human touch aspect of nursing
continued after the Higher Education
Ministry and Malaysian Nursing Board
allowed resumption of clinical practice,
ensuring the students do not fall behind in
their skills.
What sets IMC apart is the clinical
exposure that students gain at Pantai –
Gleneagles Hospitals and government
hospitals, which contribute to students’
competence and confidence in providing
good patient care upon completion of their
training. International Medical University
doctor lectures and sessions from industry
leaders provide an edge for students
studying at IMC. Soft skills are taught by
dedicated lecturers and students leave the
college with fond memories of their college
experience. To date, all IMC graduates are
successfully employed in Malaysia and
around the world.
Parents and prospective students can find
out more about the Full Sponsorship with
Guaranteed Employment that are offered to
students pursuing the three-year
programme. The availability of PTPTN loan
is suitable for those wish to pursue the
profession at their choice of employment
Mentorship, study skills guidance and counselling are available at NUMed to support
students.
Students are also encouraged
to access online support on
how to maintain their well-
being during the pandemic.
These include Newcastle
University’s own online
resources on their websites
and a new app called
inCLUde, designed to help
students take small steps to
improve and maintain their
well-being.
final exams. As for local and international
students travelling back to their hometowns
or countries, travel assistance is given to
facilitate the process.
Uncertainties and worries are also eased
with help from academic mentors and
personal tutors. “They were enjoined to
contact their mentees or tutees at the start
of the MCO to encourage access to pastoral
support or counselling provided by the
NUMed Support Team and Counsellor,” says
Dr Brenda. For students preparing for their
exams, the Student Support Team is ready
with study skills advice via online meetings,
emails or calls.
upon successfully passing the programme.
n IMC is currently accepting applications for
its September 2020 intake in Subang Jaya,
Selangor. You may contact the college to set
up an appointment for a visit to learn more
about the college. Alternatively, submit your
application online at www.imc.edu.my/apply-
now
The nursing profession has and always will play a key role in society.
Students are also encouraged to access
online support on how to maintain their
well-being during the pandemic. These
include Newcastle University’s own online
resources on their websites and a new app
called inCLUde, designed to help students
take small steps to improve and maintain
their well-being. Each student has a
network of personal support from peer
mentors, through personal tutors to
professional counsellors who are ready
to help.
“Online sessions were also conducted
for new students on how to look after
themselves in general and during the
pandemic. The spirit of the NUMed
community is very much alive at this time.
We try to support and help each other by
working in our respective teams to come
up with strategies on how best to deliver
our teaching online,” Dr Brenda concludes.
NUMed continues the tradition of
excellence set by Newcastle University by
offering undergraduate degrees in
medicine (MBBS) and biomedical sciences
(BSc), as well as opportunities for
foundation and postgraduate studies.
NUMed is currently accepting
applications for the September intake of
its Foundation in Biological and
Biomedical Sciences, MBBS and BSc
Biomedical Sciences.
n For details, call 07-555 3800, WhatsApp
011-1231 5411 or 012-784 9456, email
admissions@newcastle.edu.my or visit
www.ncl.ac.uk/numed
2 Course Focus
Learn radiology
THE field of radiology incorporates a wide
range of digital imaging technology and
provides many different career opportunities.
Jobs in this field include radiologist, radiology
technician, technologist, assistant and nurse.
In this issue, Course Focus will look deeper to
what it means to be a radiologic technologist.
Radiologic technologists are also at times
called radiographers. The job scope involves
operating equipment and conducting tests
using X-ray, CT, MRI or mammography
technologies to produce digital images of
internal organs, bones and tissues. What sets
radiologic technologist apart from radiology
technicians is their level of education. Most
radiologic technologist have a bachelor’s
degree and are eligible for supervisory
positions.
If you seek treatment at a hospital for a
broken arm, chances are that you would meet
the radiologic technologist on duty who will
conduct an X-ray on you to better evaluate
the extent of the fracture.
Radiologic technologist are not doctors,
instead, their job is to scan the areas of the
body based on the requirements of the
physicians. The radiologic technologist’s main
focus is to make the necessary adjustments
for the clearest results on the imaging
equipment.
Large doses of radiation can cause the cells
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 AUGUST 2020
in your body to become cancerous. Hence,
the radiologic technologist would explain the
image capturing procedure to patients and
ensure that the patient is not exposed to any
unnecessary radiation.
If you are considering this as a career,
having some soft skills such as
communication skills come in handy.
Radiologic technologist must be able to
accurately explain to patients what they are
about to experience. They would also have
to be able to succinctly convey information
to physicians.
Most radiologic technologist work in
hospitals although there are many others
that work in doctor’s offices, medical and
diagnostic laboratories, and outpatient
facilities.
To become a radiologic technologist, you
would need to complete either a diploma or
degree course in radiography or medical
imaging.
There are many branches of radiography
and medical imaging that you can also
consider such as abdominal imaging breast
imaging, cardiac imaging, emergency
radiology, musculoskeletal imaging,
paediatric radiology, interventional
neuroradiology (INR), neuroradiology,
nuclear medicine radiology (nuclear
radiology) and interventional radiology.
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 AUGUST 2020
THE International Medical
University (IMU) BSc (Hons) in
Biomedical Science is a three-
year programme and one of the
select few in Malaysia accredited
by the IBMS, the leading
professional body for scientists
and students in the field of
biomedical science globally.
Having completed a curriculum
mapped to international
standards, all graduates with an
IBMS-accredited degree are
eligible to apply for registration
as a biomedical scientist with the
Health and Care Professions
Council in the United Kingdom
upon completion of the IBMS
Certificate of Competence
training portfolio. Accreditation
also provides eligibility for the
institution to become a member
of Heads of University Centres
of Biomedical Science.
Applicants may choose to
obtain a biomedical science
degree at IMU, or select a credit
transfer track to complete their
studies at one of three partner
universities – University of
Newcastle in Australia, University
of Otago in New Zealand and
University of Strathclyde (UoS) in
the UK. An attractive 1+1+2
articulation has been recently
introduced, whereby SPM-leavers
can now start with the one-year
Foundation in Science
programme and follow with one
year of the biomedical science
undergraduate programme at
IMU, before completing another
two years at UoS to obtain the
Strathclyde BSc (Hons)
Biomedical Science degree.
O-Level or equivalent
qualifications are also accepted
as entry requirements, based
on eligibility.
Also inked in the
Memorandum of Understanding
with UoS is the prospect for IMU
biomedical science (BMS)
Expert in medicines
BEHIND the glory bestowed
upon doctors in ensuring the
well-being of the masses, there is
another equally important
person involved in a patient’s
recovery – the pharmacist.
In general, most of our
interactions with a pharmacist
involves acquiring medications
that were prescribed to us from
the doctor, or when we consult
them at drugstores on the
correct medication we should
take for our ailments. However,
providing people with
medication is not all a
pharmacist does.
In the medical world, the
relationship between the roles
of the doctor and pharmacist is
crucial for the well-being of
patients. While doctors diagnose,
treat and perform surgical
Course Focus : Allied Health Sciences, Medicine, Dentistry & Pharmacy 3
Seamless transition via
strategic partnerships
graduates to gain direct entry biomedical science degrees provides a
into the Strathclyde MSc Forensic platform for graduates to build
Science in a 3+1 articulation rewarding careers in the global arena.
pathway. BMS graduates will The next commencement dates for
spend only one year in this programme are in July and
Strathclyde to complete their September. If you have pre-university
master’s degree on a 15% qualifications and an interest in
studentship of the published fee. biomedical science, apply online now
UoS’ MSc Forensic Science is the and join the university in your pursuit
longest running MSc Forensic of a promising and rewarding career.
Science course in the UK and is If you have just completed your
accredited by the Chartered SPM and do not have pre-university
Society of Forensic Sciences. qualifications, consider enrolling in
Graduates of Strathclyde forensic the one-year IMU Foundation in
science form a global network of Science, the preferred foundation and
highly respected positions in direct route for entry into any of the
criminology. Forensic university’s local degree programmes.
practitioners and professional
scientists provide input for the n For more information, call 03-2731
programme, and students 7272, email start@imu.edu.my or visit There are multiple ways for students to gain valuable international
participate actively in www.imu.edu.my studying experiences with IMU.
practical crime scene and
courtroom exercises.
A recipient of the Times Higher
Education UK University of the
Year 2019 award, UoS excels as
one of the top 20 UK universities
for research. Nestled in the
cultural melting pot of vibrant
Glasgow, UoS was also named the
Scottish University of the Year
2020 by the Sunday Times Good
University Guide, as well as the
Queen’s Anniversary Prize for
higher and further education.
The institute also prides itself as
a five-star awardee of the QS
Stars Rating System.
Indeed, this fruitful
collaboration between
universities offering
internationally accredited
procedures on patients,
pharmacists provide information
about drugs to patients, doctors
and other health practitioners.
This includes advice on the
selection, dosages and side
effects of medications.
In some cases, they will also
monitor the health and progress
of patients to ensure they are
using their medications safely
and effectively. This is especially
so in environments such as
nursing homes. As the elderly
tend to live with multiple health
conditions, medication
commonly prescribed to treat
specific conditions may in turn
bring about further
complications. Hence, extra care
and supervision must be given.
> TURN TO PAGE 4
4 Course Focus : Allied Health Sciences, Medicine, Dentistry & Pharmacy
Bees and honey in Malaysia
SINCE time immemorial, honey has been
acknowledged for its nutritional and
medicinal benefits. Honey is the only insect-
derived natural product with industrial,
nutritional and therapeutic values.
Honey is a combination of nectar and bee
regurgitation. It contains at least 181
components, including small amounts of
vitamin C and carotenoids, making it a
popular ingredient and alternative treatment
for wound healing, beauty remedies, throat
infections and nutritious supplements.
Depending on the flower nectar where the
bees visit, there are more than 300 types of
honey in the world. Not only is honey thick,
golden and sweet tasting, honey can also be
smoky, spicy, fruity or floral. Some are even
as dark as coal.
The Asian rock bees (Apis dorsata) can
produce large amounts of honey in
comparison to other honey bees. These bees
are found mainly in Asia and are typically
around 17 to 20mm long. When they build
their hives on tualang trees, located in the
north-western region of Peninsular
Malaysia, Tualang honey is produced.
Tualang honey contains anti-inflammatory
and antimicrobial properties. Due to the
rampant deforestation involving tualang
trees for development, research on tualang
honey is not sustainable, making many
researchers turn to other types of honey.
Cinnamon honey contains
cinnamaldehyde – a natural chemical that
can increase the production of progesterone
(female hormone) and decrease the
production of testosterone. Therefore, it is
most suitable for women undergoing pre-
menopausal symptoms. The honey is
collected from plantations that grow
cinnamon trees.
Manuka honey has become increasingly
popular in recent years. The honey is made
by bees that forage on the flowers of the
Manuka bush in New Zealand and contains
a unique ingredient, methylglyoxal, which
has specific antimicrobial properties. Since it
is widely researched on, it is considered as a
gold-standard for many researchers. Tualang
honey has similar antibacterial properties
with manuka honey but is more active
against certain bacteria: Stenotrophomonas
maltophilia and Acinetobacter baumannii.
Prof Gan Siew Hua, Head of School of
Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, and
her team investigated and compared the
quality of eight different types of Malaysian
honey (tualang, sourwood, rubber, Borneo,
longan, gelam, pineapple and acacia) to
Manuka honey. Manuka honey had the
lowest moisture content, indicating its
resistance to microbial growth and have
a longer shelf life. Sourwood honey had a
moderate sugar content, making it ideal
for people with diabetes.
“Research also indicated that sourwood
and tualang honey contained the highest
concentrations of phenolics and flavonoids,
making them the best source of antioxidants.
Manuka and gelam honey are high in
calcium and may therefore be useful in
those with osteoporosis (porous bones).
Rubber tree honey is rich in iron, making it
more suitable for anaemics. Besides, rubber
Prof Gan Siew Hua.
The unsung medical hero
> FROM PAGE 3
Behind the scenes, pharmacists are
responsible for preparing drugs for
patients. They must keep an eye out for the
patient’s individual prescriptions and
personal health conditions to avoid harmful
drug interactions. An article by the
University of Queensland, Australia, Do
pharmacists make medicines anymore?
explains pharmacists are trained to
compound (to make medicines for a specific
person) common medication in the forms of
creams, ointments and tablets.
There are many reasons to compound
medication; some examples include patients
who have allergic reactions to certain
ingredients in the medication, children who
may need more suitable doses of a certain
medication, animal-friendly medication for
animals and dental products to assist
dentists during dental procedures. Some
pharmacists specialise in specific drug
therapy areas, such as drugs for
chemotherapy, psychiatric illness and
intravenous nutrition support.
In certain sectors such as pharmaceutical
companies, pharmacists are involved in the
production of drugs, adherence to drug
THE STAR, TUESDAY 18 AUGUST 2020
tree honey contains high amounts of zinc,
which may be useful for wound healing,
acne or eczema, and men’s prostate health.
A substance known as
5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is an
important parameter for measuring honey
purity and freshness. It is released during
overheating, poor storage and in old honey.
In Prof Gan’s study, honey samples that
were stored more than 12 months indicated
a higher level of HMF than the
recommended value. Due to this reason,
though it can be stable for decades and
even centuries, Prof Gan recommends
honey being consumed within one year
of processing.
“Honey is a staple in many kitchens, and
if appropriately stored, honey is the only
food that will never rot. They are best stored
in glass jars. If stored in plastic containers,
the container can leach chemicals into the
honey, which can be detected in minute
concentrations,” says Prof Gan.
As much as honey is loved, and even
though we have intricately weaved our
survival with bees, it is still common to be
afraid of these flying insects. Bee stings can
sometimes be life-threatening. Fortunately,
there are some out there who do not mind
being stung. Beekeeping has become a
hobby for many individuals, who later grow
their passion into full-time businesses.
regulations and registration of new drugs.
Pharmacists are trained in the specialised
area of pharmacology, which is the study of
drugs, and are therefore more well versed in
the field of drugs and medication as opposed
to doctors who focus more on anatomy,
physiology and pathology during their
studies. Therefore, when you pop that
paracetamol pill in your mouth for a fever
or any other illness, always remember that
the manufacturing and drug composition of
those medications were carefully monitored
by a qualified pharmacist.
In a hospital, the pharmacist is also the
custodian of medicines and pharmaceutical
products. He is in charge of the procurement
and distribution of all medicines, ensuring
the hospital is always well stocked and
does not spend unnecessarily in its
medicine inventory.
Pharmacists around the world contribute
a lot to the medical field, especially in the
academic, community, hospital and
industrial areas. Without them, we will have
no knowledge on medication, no one to
dispense drugs, no one to ensure patients
are getting the right doses of medication,
and no one to produce those drugs.