Dr. SOEURN Visal
UiTM is one of the largest public universities in Malaysia and is the home of one of the 13 dental schools (6 public and 7 private) in Malaysia. UiTM has 170,000 students at their campuses across the country, and there are 17,488 staff members. Dental students at UiTM study for 5 years, and many go on to do post-graduate programs for example Master and PhD degrees. UP dental students have been visiting UiTM on an exchange program for the past two years.
Last week 8 UP students from years 4 and 7 visited UiTM for a week and engaged in a range of educational activities. They attended lectures on oral pathology and periodontal disease, learned more about how to read radiographs, and observed the treatment of patients in their modern and extensive dental clinics. The students were interested to see how the UiTM students communicated with their patients, and obtained informed consent. They observed the efficient work flow, how they carried out clinical procedures, and how they were very strict on cross-infection control. In addition, the UP students had a chance to see patients with maxillofacial trauma in their hospital.
The UP students greatly appreciated the warm welcome from UiTM staff and students, the hostel accommodation, the bright pink (!) uniforms, and the transport to and from the airport. Our team found the Malaysian students were really friendly and helpful. They would love to come again in the future if it was possible.
