PhD in Medical & Health Sciences

3 years (Full-time)
4 years (Part-time)

The field of Medical and Health Science encompasses a vast discipline focused on understanding the complexities of the human body. IMU’s programme provides an opportunity for students to develop leadership skills through rigorous research, equipping them with specialised expertise essential for advancing healthcare and driving innovation. IMU offers access to a comprehensive range of research laboratories and state-of-the-art facilities designed for medical science exploration. Additionally, students can benefit from IMU’s collaborative research initiatives with prestigious local and international institutions across various healthcare fields.  

Students will be mentored by faculty members who are recognized experts in their respective fields, both nationally and internationally. IMU’s academic community consistently strives for excellence in research, with many faculty members presenting their findings at international conferences to stay updated on the latest advancements in specialised areas. Their research is also published in internationally peer-reviewed journals. Researchers at IMU have successfully secured external funding through government grants such as the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), the Exploratory Research Grant Scheme (ERGS), and ScienceFund. Additionally, IMU invests over RM1,000,000 annually in internal grants to support ongoing research activities.  

IMU provides extensive infrastructure and resources to facilitate research. The university houses eight research laboratories and eight tissue culture laboratories dedicated to medical research, covering a total floor space of 26,000 square feet. IMU also maintains an advanced animal storage facility, spanning approximately 770 square feet, equipped with state-of-the-art caging and experimental animal maintenance systems. Significant funding is allocated to ensure the continuous development of research facilities. Students will also benefit from IMU’s research collaborations with various local and international institutions in fields such as cancer, bioactive molecules, nutrition, and environmental health. Furthermore, strong partnerships have been established with local hospitals, particularly Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar, to support clinical research initiatives.

Applicants are required to have obtained:

PhD in Medical and Health Sciences

• A Master’s Degree accepted by the University’s Senate; or;
• Other qualifications equivalent to a Master’s degree that are accepted by the University’s Senate.

Note:

• A bachelor’s degree in the field or related fields with first-class (CGPA of 3.67 or higher) or its equivalent from an academic or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme;
• The eligible candidates will be undergoing an internal assessment to evaluate the candidates suitability for the direct entry.

Bachelor’s degree candidates who are registered for master’s degree programmes may apply to convert to the doctoral degree programmes subjected to the following conditions:

• within 1 year for full time and within 2 years for part-time candidates;
• having shown competency and capability in conducting research at doctoral level through rigorous internal evaluation by the HEP; and
• approval of the University’s Senate.

English Proficiency Requirements:

For International Students

• IELTS: Band score 5.0; or
• TOEFL (iBT): Overall score of 42; or
• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE): Overall score of 154; or
• Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE): Overall score of 154; or
• Cambridge Linguaskill: Overall score of 160; or
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): Overall score of 47;

The following categories of students are exempted from the above requirements:

• International students from countries in which English is the first language.
• International students who graduated from any Malaysian or other institutions where the curriculum is delivered in English.

• Cancer / Oncology
• Environmental Health
• Toxicology / Molecular Biology / Biotechnology
• Biochemistry
• Microbiology
• Clinical Research
• Infectious Diseases
• Psychology
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Chronic Diseases
• Community Health
• Building-Related Illnesses
• Human & Medical Genetics
• Non-communicable Diseases
• Digital Health

The selection of supervisor(s) is determined by the research area and is based on mutual agreement between both parties. Principal supervisors must be engaged within IMU, while co-supervisors may be from any established institution. All supervisors are subject to IMU’s credentialing guidelines.