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Your route to Public Health Physician

The whole way from school to the job, then what each way of taking it costs. Every figure links to where it came from.

Add your form, results and a few preferences and this route shows where you are on it, how your grades compare and which programmes fit. Update your answers

The steps

  1. 1
    Now

    Form 4 to SPM

    Science stream with Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Additional Mathematics. Aim for A- in each, plus English.

  2. 2
    After SPM

    Pre-university

    1–2 yrs

    Matrikulasi (1 or 2 years), Asasi (about 1 year) or STPM (1.5 years) lead to public medical schools through UPU. A-Level, IB or a private foundation lead to private and overseas schools.

  3. 3
    Degree

    Medical degree (MBBS or MD)

    5–6 yrs

    Five years at Malaysian universities. Some overseas programmes run five and a half or six.

  4. 4
    Training

    Provisional registration and housemanship

    1–2 yrs

    Register provisionally with MMC, then train as a house officer in a Malaysian hospital, rotating through medicine, surgery, O&G, paediatrics, orthopaedics and one elective posting.

  5. 5
    Career

    Medical Officer (UD9)

    Full MMC registration after housemanship, then a post as a Medical Officer.

After that

  1. 1
    Training

    Service before specialist training

    KKM sponsors a master's after at least three years of service including housemanship, one year after full registration, and a pass in the MedEX entrance exam.

  2. 2
    Training

    Specialist training, e.g. Anaesthesiology

    4–6 yrs

    A four-year Master of Anaesthesiology at a Malaysian university, usually sponsored by KKM, or a six-year parallel pathway through the College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland. Other specialties follow the same steps with their own programme, e.g. O&G through MRCOG over five years.

  3. 3
    Career

    Specialist, on the MMC Specialist Register

    After training, at least six months of supervised work as a specialist, then entry on MMC's Specialist Register, which replaced the National Specialist Register.

Programmes on your route

Finding programmes…

Local public, local private or overseas

Matrikulasi, Asasi or STPM, then a UPU place at a public medical school. By far the cheapest, and the most competitive to get into.

Rough total
RM109,000 – RM141,000

Degreemate's sum of the sourced figures below, not a quote from any institution. Fees change each year.

Includes an older figure. Check it with the institution.

What goes into it

Entry requirements to plan for

Scholarships and sponsors to check

Leads to check, not offers. Intakes and eligibility change each year.

If this route doesn't fit

Figures reviewed 7 Oct 2026.