Defence Services Medical Academy
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The Defense Services Medical Academy (DSMA) (, ), located in Mingaladon,
Yangon Yangon, formerly romanized as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar. Yangon was the List of capitals of Myanmar, capital of Myanmar until 2005 and served as such until 2006, when the State Peace and Dev ...
, is the University of Medicine of the
Myanmar Armed Forces The Tatmadaw, also known as the Sit-Tat, is the armed forces of Myanmar (formerly Burma). It is administered by the Ministry of Defence and composed of the Myanmar Army, the Myanmar Navy and the Myanmar Air Force. Auxiliary services includ ...
. One of the most selective universities in the country, the academy offers M.B., B.S. (equivalent of the
M.D. A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of physician. This ge ...
) degree programs. Upon graduation, most DSMA cadets are commissioned with the rank of
Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...
in the Myanmar Army Medical Corps. The military physicians are to serve the healthcare needs of rural people when they are assigned in the country's remote regions where access to healthcare is poor.


History

The DSMA was founded in 1992 as the Defence Services Institute of Medicine (DSIM) to develop physicians to serve in the
Myanmar Armed Forces The Tatmadaw, also known as the Sit-Tat, is the armed forces of Myanmar (formerly Burma). It is administered by the Ministry of Defence and composed of the Myanmar Army, the Myanmar Navy and the Myanmar Air Force. Auxiliary services includ ...
. Prior to the founding of the academy, the Tatmadaw had recruited its medical and dental officers from civilian medical school graduates, who had to undergo a month-long basic military training program at the Medical Corps Center. While the medical corps of the Tatmadaw had always been short of physicians, by the early 1990s, the shortage became more pronounced as the
military government A military government is any government that is administered by a military, whether or not this government is legal under the laws of the jurisdiction at issue or by an occupying power. It is usually administered by military personnel. Types of m ...
, fearing student unrest, had shut down most civilian universities, following the
8888 Uprising The 8888 Uprising, also known as the People Power Uprising and the 1988 Uprising, was a series of nationwide protests, marches, and riots in Burma (present-day Myanmar) that peaked in August 1988. Key events occurred on 8 August 1988 and ther ...
in 1988. Most civilian universities were closed off and on for much of the 1990s. The military run universities essentially became the only venue for those who wished to continue university education inside the country. The DSIM was operated by the Ministry of Health and the Directorate of Medical Services. The purported "aim of the DSMA is to produce good Medical officers endowed with brilliant physical and mental ability to safeguard The Three Main National Causes" espoused by the military government. The first batch of 47 cadets from the DSIM were commissioned as lieutenants on 17 December 1999, after six years of study and a year as house-surgeons. Through nine intakes, the DSMA produced a total of 1525 medical officers. As of 2008, the DSMA had produced seven Doctor of Medical Science degree holders. The academy is only source of medical officers for the DMS. In terms of Master of Medical Science, by the early 2008, the DSMA had produced 335 specialists, including 48 physicians and 41 surgeons. Nowadays, many army doctors' clinics can be seen in Yangon and specialists of army hospital are also practicing at many private hospitals and clinics. Army doctors are serving the country both in rural and urban regions in the form of private and public practice.


Admissions

The academy accepts approximately 400 students annually. Unlike at the country's other four civilian medical schools, the selection process goes beyond high
University Entrance Examination The University Entrance Examination or Matriculation Examination () is an academic examination administered to 12th standard students at all schools in Myanmar, including government schools, comprehensive schools and private boarding schools, ...
scores. All prospective candidates must be male and must have high enough college matriculation exam scores to enter any civilian medical university. In addition, the prospective student must sit for another entrance exam as well as physical and psychological exams. After 2010, the matriculation examination marks are not considered for entrance. Personal interview becomes the most important step for entrance. The academy has accepted fewer than 100 students a year since 2010, and only 40 students are accepted to DSMA in 2012. The selection criteria are: * Males/Females not more than 18years of age * DSMA entrance exams on 1.
biology Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...
,
botany Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...
and
zoology Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the anatomy, structure, embryology, Biological classification, classification, Ethology, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinction, extinct, and ...
and 2. English * Physical fitness * Teamwork and comradeship screening * Psychometric assessment * General interviews * Medical checkups The entrance selection including physical fitness tests, teamwork and comradeship screening, psychometric assessments and general interviews process takes about five to seven days at Officer Testing Team. Only those who pass all the tests and steps above are admitted to the DSMA. Students are eligible for state scholarship programs. The benefit of being a student at DSMA is to get a stipend after acceptance to the school and faster career development than civilian medical doctors. The salary is higher than civilian doctors.


Programs

The DSMA offers courses for both basic and advanced degrees in medicine and surgery, and runs 20 graduate programs in medical sciences. *
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery A Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (; MBBS, also abbreviated as BM BS, MB ChB, MB BCh, or MB BChir) is a medical degree granted by medical schools or universities in countries that adhere to the United Kingdom's higher education tradi ...
(M.B., B.S.) * Diploma in Medical Science (Dip.Med.Sc.) * Master of Medical Science (M.Med.Sc.); Physiology, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Pathology, Public Health, Forensic Medicine, Internal Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Anaesthesiology, Radiology, Otorhinolaryngology, Ophthalmology, Mental Health, Rehabilitation medicine, Radiation oncology. * Doctor of Medical Science (Dr.Med.Sc.); Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Cardiac surgery, Cardiology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Radiology, Anaesthesiology. Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Urology, Renal Medicine, Forensic Medicine, Gastroenterology, Paediatric surgery, Rehabilitation Medicine. * Ph.D. * Diploma in Medical Education Nowadays, many army doctors are studying in public health master's degree locally as well as internationally. The new generation army doctors are likely to take the duty at Ministry of Health and influence the Myanmar health system set up. The DSMA is equipped with lab materials, modern textbooks, and training resources. As intern surgeons, the students must take a field practical tour of duty at military hospitals, where they get field training from professional surgeons. The academy is open year-round, and is in session for eleven months of study in an academic year—ten months of medical science coursework plus a month of military science and military leadership. Some DSMA graduates continue their post-graduate education in the UK, India, Thailand, Russia, United States, Germany, Belgium and Singapore.


Coursework

The M.B.,B.S. coursework extends for 7 years and is the same as the major coursework of civilian medical schools such as the University of Medicine 1, Yangon and the University of Medicine 2, Yangon.


Subjects


First M.B., B.S.

Language & Communication *
Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...
*English *
Mathematics Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many ar ...
&
statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that concerns the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data. In applying statistics to a s ...
*
Physics Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...
*
Chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...
* Basic Computer Science *
Biology Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...
(
Botany Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...
and Zoology) * Behavior Sciences * Introduction of Human Anatomy,
Physiology Physiology (; ) is the science, scientific study of function (biology), functions and mechanism (biology), mechanisms in a life, living system. As a branches of science, subdiscipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ syst ...
and
Biochemistry Biochemistry, or biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology, a ...


Second M.B., B.S.

*
Anatomy Anatomy () is the branch of morphology concerned with the study of the internal structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old scien ...
*
Physiology Physiology (; ) is the science, scientific study of function (biology), functions and mechanism (biology), mechanisms in a life, living system. As a branches of science, subdiscipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ syst ...
*
Biochemistry Biochemistry, or biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology, a ...


Third M.B., B.S.

*General Human
Pathology Pathology is the study of disease. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in the context of modern medical treatme ...
* Medical Microbiology *
Clinical Pharmacology Clinical pharmacology is "that discipline that teaches, does research, frames policy, gives information and advice about the actions and proper uses of medicines in humans and implements that knowledge in clinical practice". Clinical pharmacology ...
All cadets are posted for 18 weeks each to the medical and surgical wards for clinical training at the school's teaching hospitals in Yangon.


Final M.B., B.S. Part I

*
Forensic Medicine Forensic medicine is a broad term used to describe a group of medical specialties which deal with the examination and diagnosis of individuals who have been injured by or who have died because of external or unnatural causes such as poisoning, assa ...
* Preventive and Social Medicine (with three weeks residential field training in the rural areas) *Systemic
Pathology Pathology is the study of disease. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in the context of modern medical treatme ...
and
Haematology Hematology ( spelled haematology in British English) is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to blood. It involves treating diseases that affect the production ...
Students attend lectures and clinics in medicine, surgery, child health, obstetrics and gynaecology and are posted to teaching hospitals, including urban health facilities as part of preventive and social medicine teaching.


Final M.B., B.S. Part II

* Child Health *
Medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...
*
Obstetrics & Gynaecology Obstetrics and gynaecology (also spelled as obstetrics and gynecology; abbreviated as Obst and Gynae, O&G, OB-GYN and OB/GYN) is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics (covering pregnancy, childbirth, and t ...
*
Surgery Surgery is a medical specialty that uses manual and instrumental techniques to diagnose or treat pathological conditions (e.g., trauma, disease, injury, malignancy), to alter bodily functions (e.g., malabsorption created by bariatric surgery s ...
Students study the allied specialties: eye, ear, nose and throat diseases, urology, neurology, tuberculosis, venereal diseases, orthopaedics and traumatology, skin diseases, mental health and psychiatry, oro-maxillo-facial surgery, radiology, radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, anaesthesiology, thoracic surgery, and paediatric surgery. A summative examination is held at the end of the final M.B., B.S. Part II course. Problem based learning, task based learning, community based learning, and behavioural science are incorporated, as relevant.


House surgeon training

All students, after a successful completion of Final Part 2 MBBS Examination, continue on to hands-on training for one year as house surgeons in the recognized teaching hospitals in Yangon and/or the state and division hospitals. Only after the completion of house-surgeonship is the student awarded the M.B., B.S. degree. Every DSMA cadet also studies military science and military leadership for one to two months per year from First M.B., B.S. to Final M.B., B.S. Part I. After graduation, every medical officer has been trained as a platoon commander. Medical Officers are trained in military hospitals for one-year duration. After studying one year as a medical officer, they become a regimental medical officer and serve for the country. There is one and half year refresher course at military hospitals every three years.


Teaching environment

*Defence Services General Hospital, Yangon (1000 bed, Mingaladon) *Defence Services General Hospital, Naypyitaw (1000 bed, Naypyitaw) *Defence Services Obstetric, Gynaecological and Children's Hospital, Mingaladon, Yangon (300 bed) *Defence Services Orthopaedic Hospital, Mingaladon, Yangon (500 bed) *Defence Services Liver Hospital (500 bed, Mingaladon, Yangon) *No. 2 Military Hospital (500 bed, Myoma Street, Dagon, Yangon) *Defence Services Obstetric, Gynaecological and Children's Hospital, Naypyidaw (300 bed) *Defence Services General Hospital, Pyinoolwin (700 bed) *Defence Services General Hospital, Meitila (500 bed) *Defence Services General Hospital, Aungban (700 bed) *National Health laboratory *Directorate of Medical Research (lower Myanmar)


See also

* List of universities in Myanmar * Medical Universities (Myanmar)


References


External links


Location: on Google Map

List of Universities registered under HINARI, WHO





A Collaborating Centre of the Joanna Briggs Institute, Myanmar

Nagao Foundationmyanmar.gov.mm


{{authority control Universities and colleges in Myanmar Universities and colleges in Yangon Medical schools in Myanmar Military academies of Myanmar Military medical installations 1992 establishments in Myanmar Educational institutions established in 1992