Greetings from the University of Medicine, Taunggyi, Myanmar. The university has been established since 2015, but it is now officially launched on its website. It is great honor for me to be the Rector of this University at this moment because I know we have some of the very best clinicians and teaching staff in Taunggyi today for our students to deliver high class education in Medicine with particular regard to their application in health care. Thanks to all the staff of University of Traditional Medicine, Taunggyi.
Prof. Dr. Hla Win Myint
Rector
To be in conformity with four-year-national education development plan and with 30 year-long-term health care policy, the Medical Universities in Myanmar have been training greater number of students in order to meet the target need of the country.
With the aim of raising the number of physicians, 30 year long term Myanmar health care policy is being implemented by the government targeting to increase in a larger doctor-population ratio that is from 1:3300 in 2000 to 10:1100 in 2030. In 2001 another new medical university was founded in Magway and the intake of students has been raised up each year from 550 in the beginning to 2400 in 2012.
As a result of this increase, the number of teachers and students in the classroom and the clinical trials became unbalanced to ensure the quality of Medical Education and to produce qualified medical doctors. At the 9th Medical Education Seminar held in July 2011 there decided to reduce the annual student intake of medical universities from 2400 to 1200. In addition, the seminar reached a decision to extend the study period from six years to seven years. Due to reducing the number of medical students in the short term, there arose a growing need for more doctors to provide healthcare for the growing population. Finally, it was agreed to establish more medical universities and the big decision was approved by the Ministry of Health Management Committee meeting, the universities central council, the university academic council, the National Education Committee and the President office.
According to the aim of establishing more medical universities, in 2013-2014 a pre-set plan was made to set up a new medical university in Taunggyi, Southern Shan State.
In February 2013, a letter of notification No.7 Makha (b) 2013 (326)/ 2364 dated 20.2.2013 was sent by the Ministry of Health and Sports to the President’s Office requesting for the opening of a new medical university in Taunggyi, Shan State. The President Office forwarded the matter to the Ministry of Finance and Revenue and the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development with the letter of notification No. 60 (1) /7/ President Office dated 6.5. 2013. The agreement by the Ministry of Finance and Revenue with the letter of notification No.(Da) Dha.2/ 10 (3407)/ 2013 dated 30.5.2013 was sent back that the request is in accordance with the stipulation.
The work of searching land plot and asking budget to Shan State government were carried out in 2013- 2014 with the letter from the Ministry of Health dated (27.2.2013) letter No. 15 Makha (Gagyi ) 2013 (334) / 2711 . On 4 March 2013, Union Minister for Health, together with Director General for Human Resources for Health, made land survey and set up the constitution and establishment of University of Medicine, Taunggyi (UMTGI).
After accepting agreement from Ministry of Health and Sports and Shan State Government, a master plan was drawn by doing land survey and forwarded the plan to Administration Committee of Ministry of Health with the letter No. (3178)/ 7.629 / ASY (Shan) dated (28. 3. 2013). Daw Nilar Kyaw and engineer team helped to do the estimate and design planning for master plan from June to September 2013. After that, the contract for building the University and buying necessary facilities was put out to tender in 2013-2014.
The process of tender was implemented by choosing the best one from the 43 eligible tender companies with the help of intellectuals from Ministry of Construction. Signing the contract with approved companies and land reform process were done in January 2014. Another land survey process was inspected by Union Minister of Ministry of Health and Director General from department of medical science in Feb, 2014.
University of Medicine, Taunggyi is located in Naung Lay village tract, Taunggyi township, Southern Shan State. The initial campus area was 20.52 acres wide on which six lecture theatres, eleven apartment buildings for staff and students and a two-storey building which is used as food courts were constructed. After that, an additional (25.48) acres of land was provided to build for student dormitory, staff housing, stadium, gymnasium and convocation hall. So, the total land area of university becomes 46 acres.
University of Medicine, Taunggyi was inaugurated by Agga Maha Thiri Thudhamma U Thein Sein, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar on 3 October 2015.
On December 21, 2015, the 1st M.B,B.S (12/2015) course of University of Medicine, Taunggyi started with 139 students from Shan State, Kayah State and Mandalay Division (Mahlain) including 16 students from self-administered areas (Shan and Kayah States) who passed the university entrance exam in 2015.
Currently, the school has an enrollment of approximately 625 students in its undergraduate degree programs. The school has 136 academic staffs and 133 administrative staffs.
Sao San Htun General hospital and Women and Children Hospital (Taunggyi) are affiliated teaching hospitals of University of Medicine (Taunggyi).
To be a world class academia to produce compassionate and competent medical doctors.
Students are able to:
Prof. Dr. Win Htay Aung
Rector
M.B.BS., M.Med.Sc (Public Health)
Ph.D (D.S.M.A)
(6.7.2015 to 18.11.2019)