Medicine and Dentistry

If your dream is to become a doctor, then you should definitely study a major in Medicine. You will learn all about the human body and how to diagnose and treat diseases. New methods of curing illnesses will also be discussed and you will be encouraged to do research into the field of medicine yourself. As this field is always developing, you will never stop learning.

Interview with Medicine students

Bunham Hay and Sophal Ret are both Medicine students at Université des Sciences de la Santé in Phnom Penh. Bunham (5th year student) explains that he chose to study Medicine because he loves to help and wants to save people’s lives. Sophal (8th year student) decided to study Medicine, because she wants people to be happy and healthy by relieving them of their pain. She thinks in becoming a doctor she will have a respected profession that will earn her a reasonable salary after graduation.

Sophal explains that she loves learning more about all mechanisms in the human body. Her favorite subject was Physiology, since she got to learn a lot about how the human body functions. Bunham’s favorite subjects were Medical and Surgical Pathology and Anatomy. What Sophal dislikes about the major are the long working hours that come with it. For example, sometimes she has to be on call for 24 hours, which is exhausting. Bunham mentions that he dislikes the amount of study material students have to read and memorize.

Medicine students have to work at healthcare institutions to put their knowledge into practice throughout their study. Currently, Sophal works full-time as an internist at a hospital as part of her final year. Apart from working hours, she spends around 20 hours per week on self-study. After graduation, Sophal would love to work as a physician, while Bunham would love to become a surgeon. Bunham recommends other prospective Medicine students to also take a specialized exam after finishing year 6, just like he will. 

The two students mentioned that there are three high school subjects which are important for this major. Firstly, Biology is applicable to Medicine, since you learn about cells, anatomy, and physiology. Secondly, Chemistry is relevant because you learn about reactions to certain molecules such as Calcium, Potassium, and Sodium. These are needed to save lives. Lastly, the subject of Ethics is relevant, because in order to be a good doctor you need to act ethically. Bunham mentions that a solid foundation in Mathematics is also useful for Medicine students.

Sophal’s tip for prospective Medicine students? Make sure that you really love the work. As a Medicine student, you need to be committed, motivated, and willing to study hard. Also make sure that you have a realistic career expectation, because the field of Medicine requires hard work, loads of discipline, and you need to be willing to sacrifice much time and effort into your career.

The following universities offer this major:

• Norton University, Phnom Penh
• University of Health Sciences / Université des Sciences de la Santé, Phnom Penh
• University of Puthisastra, Phnom Penh

_{Please be aware that the majors offered by universities change over time and that the overview given on this page might not be entirely up to date. We advise you to do your own research on the university’s website or to contact the university’s student affairs office to check that they offer the major of your choice.}