There are five civil medical universities and one military medical academy in Myanmar (formerly Burma). All medical schools are recognised by Myanmar Medical Council and State Government. They are: University of Medicine 1, Yangon University of Medicine 2, Yangon University of Medicine, Mandalay University of Medicine, Magway University of Medicine, Taunggyi NayPyiTaw State Academy (NSA) Defence Services Medical Academy
All medical universities in Myanmar offer the undergraduate MBBS degree (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery).
University of Medicine-1, Yangon
The University of Medicine-1, formerly the Institute of Medicine-1, is the oldest of four medical institutions in Myanmar. The students of four medical universities are selected from the candidates, who pass with the highest science scores in the matriculation examination of Myanmar. The university offers an M.B.B.S. equivalent of the M.D. degree. The University of Medicine-1 has three major campuses: (1) Lanmadaw Township campus, (2) Pyay Road campus, and (3) Thaton Road campus. UM(1)is training 600 doctors every year and 73 postgraduate courses.
History
A course in medical science was first introduced in Burma in 1923-24 at Rangoon College, on the premises of the Rangoon General Hospital. In 1929, the classes were moved to the present building in Lanmadaw Township, the foundation of which was laid by Sir Harcourt Butler, on 2 February 1927. The medical college became a constituent college of the University of Rangoon in 1930.
From 1942 to 1945, during the World War II, there was a temporary suspension of the M.B., B.S. course. A modified course was conducted instead, on the successful completion of which the Licentiate of the State Medical Board (LSMB) was conferred. Although the medical college building remained intact, all the laboratory equipment, and all the mounts and specimens collected in the Pathology and Forensic Medicine Department Museums were completely destroyed, and valuable books from the College library were also lost.
After the war, all the constituent colleges of the reconstituted Rangoon University became Faculties, and the Medical College became the Faculty of Medicine, under the administration of the Dean.
On promulgation of the University Education Act in May, 1964, the Institutes of Medicine were established. In 1973, the administration of the three medical Institutes and the Institute of Dental Medicine was transferred to the Ministry of Health, and came under the direct control of the Department of Medical Education, now known as the Department of Health Manpower.
Post-graduate courses were instituted at the three Institutes of Medicine in 1964, the Dean of the courses being responsible to the Rector for their organization and administration. With the addition of new courses in 1970, the Board of Postgraduate Medical Studies came under the administration of the Director. With the institution of the Department of Medical Education in 1973, the Board has been under the direct charge of the Director-General of the Department of Medical Education, now known as the Department of Health Manpower.
Courses offered and degree awarded The M.B. and B.S. course work extends over seven years.
Year Duration Foundation Year 1 year Medical Year 1 1 year Medical Year 2 1 year Medical Year 3 1 year Medical Year 4 1 year Medical Year 5 1 year House Surgeon 1 year Total 7 years
Subjects taught First M.B., B.S.
Language & Communication Burmese English Mathematics & statistics Physics Chemistry Botany Zoology Traditional Medicine (30 hours)
Second M.B., B.S. Anatomy Medical Physiology Medical Biochemistry
Third M.B., B.S. General pathology Microbiology Pharmacology
Students are also posted for six months each to the medical and surgical wards for clinical training.
Final M.B., B.S. Part I Forensic Medicine Preventive and Social Medicine (with three weeks residential field training in the rural areas) Systemic Pathology and haematology
Students attend lectures and clinics in medicine, surgery, child health, obstetrics & gynecology, and are posted to the various teaching hospitals, including posting in Departments of Preventive and Social Medicine for visiting urban health facilities.
Final M.B., B.S. Part II Child Health Medicine Obstetrics & Gynecology Surgery
Students are bound to classroom study in the first six months while they are rotated in the allied specialties, namely, eye, ear, nose & throat diseases, urology, neurology, tuberculosis, venereal diseases, orthopedics and traumatology, skin diseases, mental health and psychiatry, oro-maxillo-facial surgery, radiology, radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, anesthesiology, thoracic surgery, and paediatric surgery. Students are attached to hospitals in later one year while studying in clinical rotations.
A summative examination is held at the end of the Final M.B., B.S. Part II course. Problem Based Learning (PBL), Community Based Learning (CBL) and Behavioural Science will be incorporated, as relevant, in the M.B., B.S. course.
House Surgeon Training
All students, upon successful completion of the Final Part II examination, continue to receive hands-on training for a period of one year as house surgeons in one of the recognized Teaching Hospitals in Yangon and / or the state and division hospitals. Training periods are as follows:
Subject Duration Child Health 2.5 months Community Medicine 2 weeks Medicine(including Psychiatry) 3 months Obstetrics & Gynaecology 3 months Surgery(including Traumatology) 3 months
MB., B.S. Degree was conferred to the candidates a year after the final part II examination in the past, but is only after completion of House-Surgeon ship nowadays.
Improvements and changes M.B., B.S. Course (1930)
Yangon University passed a new curriculum for the M.B., B.S. degree course with a slight alteration in program structure of 1923 curriculum. There was no change in the 1st M.B., course. The teaching of Physical and Organic chemistry in second M.B. course was shortened to six months.
The 3rd M.B., B.S. course was of one-year duration and consisted of: Materia medica and Pharmacology General and Special Pathology including Medical Zoology and Bacteriology Morbid Anatomy including attendance to all post-mortem examination for three months. Morbid Histology Elementary Bacteriology and Medical Zoology Clinical clerkship
The final M.B., B.S. course was two years and it was divided into two parts (the Final Part I and the Final Part II M.B., B.S.).
The subjects taught in the Final Part I course were:
Forensic Medicine (including medico-legal post-mortem examination) Hygiene and vaccination (including Practical Hygiene)
The examination was held at the end of one year.
The course leading to Part II of the final M.B., B.S. examination was as follows: Systemic Medicine Systemic Surgery Systemic Midwifery Applied anatomy and physiology Outpatient clerkship - 4 months Special Departments
Three months - Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Two months - Venereal Diseases & Skin Maternity Hospital - 3 months Clinical clerkship in medicine & Surgery
To fulfil the regulation of General Medical Council of Great Britain the instructions on child welfare, prenatal care and causes of excessive infantile mortality had to be included.
The candidate who failed in any one of the M.B., B.S. examinations could transfer himself to L.M. & S. course, if desired to do so. But candidates who had passed the L.M. & S. course were not granted any concession to enable them to follow a modified course leading to the degree of M.B., B.S.University Regulation, 1930, Chapter 15, p. 207
The General Medical Council of Great Britain was again requested to reconsider the University's application for the recognition of its M.B., B.S. Degree as registrable qualification in Great Britain. The Committee of the General Medical Council informed the University that it was not expedient or just to accede to the request of the University.Report of the E.C. of the council of the University, 1930–31
M.B., B.S. Course (1935–36)
The prospectus of the Medical College of the University of Rangoon (1935–1936) stated that the duration of M.B., B.S. course was seven years (previously six years) from the time of matriculation - two years of pre-medical and five years of medical studies proper.
A candidate for admission into Medical College, had to pass the First M.B., B.S. course that normally extended over two years or one of the examinations recognized by the General Medical Council of Great Britain as prerequisite education.
There was no change in Second M.B., B.S. course but the subjects taught in clinical years were rearranged as follows:
The Third M.B., B.S. Materia Medica & Pharmacology Bacteriology & Medical Zoology
The Final Part I M.B., B.S. Pathology Forensic Medicine Hygiene and Public health
The Final Part II M.B., B.S. Medicine Surgery Obstetrics & Gynaecology
In the previous curriculum, Bacteriology and Medical Zoology were taught under Pathology in Third M.B., B.S. course. The teaching of Pathology was carried out in the Final Part I in 1935-36 curriculum.
Some of the rules for the students stated that the students who were absent without leave would be removed from the college and no student would be allowed to sit for a University Examination unless his attendance, work and conduct had been certified to be satisfactory by the Professor or Lecturer in each subject for which the student was appearing for the examination.
During the three years of clinical study, (i.e. starting from Third M.B., B.S.) the students had to work in the outpatient departments and the wards of the Rangoon General Hospital, and attend post-mortem examinations, clinics and surgical operations. They performed clinical duties under the supervision of the members of the staff of hospital who were also staff of the Medical College. The students were posted for a period of continuous duty at the Dufferin Hospital for training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The course of medical study was planned to conform to the requirements of the General Medical Council of Great Britain.
After passing the Final part II examination one could register as a medical practitioner with the Burma Medical Council. The M.B., B.S. degree was registrable in India and Burma. It was also anticipated that registration in Great Britain could be made in the near future.
The internship was not compulsory but the graduates were strongly recommended to spend a year at least as a House-physician or Surgeon in a well equipped hospital in order to gain experience and confidence in solving the problems that may be encountered in general practice. Only about ten posts were available a year in selected Civil General Hospitals in Burma. They were given an allowance of Rs.75/- per month.
The majority of graduates entered the private practice. Few posts were available in the Government Service; the Burma Railways, the Corporation of Rangoon and certain large commercial enterprises such as the Burmah Oil Co., the Irrawaddy Flotilla Co., Burma Corporation, Indo-Burma Petroleum Co. The initial pay ranged from Rs.200/- to Rs.400/- per month according to the nature of the duties and qualification of the applicants.The Medical College of University of Rangoon Prospectus 1935-36
University of Medicine, Mandalay
The University of Medicine, Mandalay (formerly called Institute of Medicine, Mandalay) is one of four medical schools in Myanmar. Unlike most tertiary education institutes, the Institute of Medicine is operated and managed by the Ministry of Health. The Institute of Medicine, Mandalay admits approximately 600 students annually, on the basis of scores from their Basic Education High School Examination (in science). Diplomas offered are M.B., B.S. (US equivalent of M.D.)
History