Masters of Clinical Oncology in UM

So if you have decided to pursue Masters in Clinical Oncology (MCO) in UM

Let me take you through the process, speaking from my experience.
* Disclaimer: Please do check with the most current requirements, dates etc via KKM and UM websites. Things I say now may be outdated. Also I am not representing the faculty and/or MOH. It's all personal experience and my own opinion.

Step 1: Graduate from medical school.
If you're still in medical school and perhaps want a stint in oncology, you can consider doing an elective in an oncology department during your 4th or 5th year, whether in Malaysia or overseas.

Step 2: Finish your housemanship. 
This will take 2 years.

Step 3: Being a medical officer
I know that the hospital and department that we get may not be in our control, if you have an interest you can always express them to the Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri (JKN) when you report for duty.
If you have decided to pursue oncology, there are 2 main ways to go around this.

A) Apply to be in oncology department after housemanship
This depends on vacancy. Currently there are 6 oncology departments in the country, Penang, HSI JB, HKL, IKN Putrajaya, Likas (Kota Kinabalu), and SGH (Kuching).
As you work in the oncology department and if you really love it, express your interest to the head of department that you aim to pursue MCO. Then depending on the number of doctors in the department, the HOD will arrange for you to do 1 year of non-oncology posting to fulfill the MCO entry requirement. This 1 year may be segmented or continuous, as long as collectively you have 1 year.

Some examples are (Y = year, M = month)
1Y Oncology 1Y Medicine then back to Oncology
1Y Oncology 6M Medicine 6M Surgery then back to Oncology
1Y Oncology 4M Medicine 4M Oncology 4M Surgery 4M Oncology 4M ENT

For me I did
1.8Y Oncology 4M Medicine 2M Hemato 2M Chest 3M Surgery 1M Orthopedic Oncology

B) Apply to be medicine/surgery/O&G/pediatrics after housemanship.
This applies to be doctors who only gained interest in oncology later on, or those who are not in a place where there's no oncology service or those who are unable to get into oncology department.

What you can do is gain minimum 1 year of experience in those respective department, then apply for a transfer to oncology department later on.

What posting should I do?
This may or may not be in your control. Depending on the hospital and department heads. If you have a say, I strongly suggest a good mix of general medicine and general surgery. Yes these are busy departments but the knowledge and skills you gain in these core postings are very relevant later on because cancer patients have many general medical/surgical problems.

Step 4: Apply for MCO
So you have decided to apply. First make sure you're eligible ( this rule applies to all clinical masters program in Malaysia)

3 years SKT BY THE TIME OF APPLICATION
They must be 85 points and above, consecutively.

For example,
Started housemanship 1st May 2014, SKT 2014: 85 marks
Then SKT 2015: 85 marks
Then SKT 2016: 85 marks

At this juncture, technically you have 3 SKT scores but you're still NOT eligible for masters application, because your 2014 SKT is not a FULL year, i.e. from 1st Jan to 31st Dec.

Then SKT 2017: 85 marks
By this time, you may apply during July 2018 for the June 2019 intake. ( I hope you see the time gap)

So usually by the time you APPLY, you would have been an MO for minimum 1.5 - 2 years, and by the time you START masters, you would have been an MO for minimum 2.5 to 3 years if you get in by first attempt.

Once you fulfill the requirement, submit your application for Hadiah Latihan Persekutuan via MOH. Application opens in July each year (Google HLP KKM) Application period is only 1 month so do not wait until last minute because you need time to get some documents signed by the HOD and the Hospital Pengarah (director).

Then you wait. If you're shortlisted, then you will be called for an interview by the UM faculty. There's no entrance exam, and the interview is only 1 round. This is usually held in December or January, in UMMC or UM faculty of medicine.

Then you wait again, lots of waiting. Announcement of acceptance are usually released via the HLP website around end of April. Then in May there will be a lot of paperwork for submission to both MOH and UM, an orientation to attend, and lots of farewell!

I hope this gives you an insight of the whole process. Overall it's quite similar for all clinical masters program, just the entry pre-requisite may be slightly different.