New Straits Times
05-26-2010
PTPL builds career in health sciences
Edition: Main/Lifestyle
Section: Main Section
GREATER access to education has provided students with more options to further their studies, either at local or foreign colleges and universities. Education can also be pursued from the comfort of one's home.
But what makes a qualification worth twice its value is the employability factor of its holders. At PTPL Group of Colleges, this aspect is given much emphasis, which explains why it is looking at education beyond the academic realm.
An example is the three-year Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT) for students who prefer to develop a career in sciences. PTPL's focus on health sciences is in line with its mission of producing employable graduates as well as meeting the needs of the nation's human capital development.
The diploma programme aims to produce medical laboratory technologists, who will provide support and assistance in the area of health sciences. Their role is to assist doctors in the diagnostic process of identifying patients' illnesses.
This is a crucial task as the diagnoses will be used as a determiner for doctors to prescribe accurate and effective medication. In addition, it is also important to ensure diseases can be contained and not contracted by other individuals.
A student pursuing the diploma programme is expected to focus on five major subjects:
* Chemical pathology - investigation on blood and other fluids for biochemical abnormalities;
* Medical microbiology and immunology - isolation and identification of pathogenic microorganism;
* Cytology - check the changes on the cell morphology;
* Medical parasitological - study of viruses; and,
* Hematology - study of blood cell in the diagnosis of disease.
DMLT graduates will find that many opportunities await them in career or educational advancement. As they are trained to conduct experiments on patients' samples, they also play an important role as research assistants. There is also a promising future for further studies as graduates are eligible to do their degree in health sciences-related disciplines.
Among these are biomedicine, bioinformatics, food technology, biotechnology and microbiology, areas considered crucial to most developing nations.
In addition, they are also eligible to further their studies in medicine, dentistry or pharmacy. This is consistent with plans by the government to increase the number of professionals in the field of health sciences.
Many students have found their progression to the Management & Science University extremely advantageous. DMLT graduates will have the option of taking up programmes offered by the Faculty of Health & Life Sciences (FHLS). At MSU, students are given exposure to develop competency through lecture series, visiting professors and industrial visits.
Another opportunity for PTPL students is progressing to the MBBS programme through MSU's International Medical School in Bangalore, India. Graduates can also further their studies in various disciplines under the International Students Exchange Programme (ISEP).
There are more than 40 universities in the Asean region, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, India, Czech Republic, Poland, Japan, Switzerland and South Africa in the ISEP list.
For further information on courses offered under the PTPL Group of Colleges, call 03-55136688.or visit the nearest PTPL centres.
Alternatively, type INFOPTPL<space>name<space>email and send to 013-2433677/017-3993034 or 016-6308966. Check out also www.ptpl.edu.my
PTPL students bring cheer to elderly
Residents of the Sri Pritchart Old Folks' Home in Kinarut, Sabah, received a pleasant surprise when some 80 students from Kolej PTPL Sabah visited them recently.
And it was not just a normal visit as the students, accompanied by four lecturers, came with a mission.
They conducted various activities for the benefit of the residents.
Among them were blood pressure check-ups and planting flowers in the home compound.
Entertainment was provided by the students through their Bridging Band.
The youngsters managed to captivate the senior citizens with their 'unplugged' performance.
The community service programme, organised by Kolej PTPL Sabah Students' Development Unit and in collaboration with its Students' Representative Council and Kelab Modal Insan, had 'Love the Senior Citizens' as its theme.
The aim was to instil and inculcate among students the spirit of caring and protecting the people's welfare.
Participants of the programme were made up of students from various semesters and courses.
The residents certainly had an enjoyable time, judging from their happy faces, and they looked forward to more such visits from the students in future.
The group made some contributions which were presented to the home by Students' Development Unit officer Aizat Mohketar.
(Copyright 2010)
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