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Postgraduate Life

Postgraduate Life

News and views from the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine's postgraduate community

Eric Fung, doctor and Internal Medicine MSc student

Eric Fung on Calton Hill in Edinburgh

Dr Eric Fung is a GP trainee and a current student on our Internal Medicine MSc programme. We spoke to him about his experience so far.

​1. First of all, please tell us a bit about yourself and your career so far

My name is Eric Fung. I am an international student from Malaysia. I graduated from Edinburgh Medical School in 2018.

I am currently a third-year student in the MSc Internal Medicine programme, and I work as a full-time specialty registrar in general practice in the East of Scotland.

2. Why did you choose the Internal Medicine MSc programme?

There are two main reasons that spurred my decision. Firstly, as a GP trainee, I am trained to apply my clinical knowledge and skills in a very broad way.

However, I am intrigued by the intricacies of medicine and the internal medicine programme would equip me with the advantage of understanding and providing better patient-centred care in the future.

Secondly, as an Edinburgh alumnus, I have truly enjoyed my undergraduate study in the University of Edinburgh Medical School, hence I continued my journey of learning with the school that I truly adore.

3. What is your favourite aspect of the Internal Medicine MSc?

The MSc Internal Medicine programme is a part-time online course, and this is exactly the biggest selling point for a full time doctor like me who wants to pursue a postgraduate degree. Personally, I prefer to learn at my own pace, and the course fully reflects and supports this.

The MSc course also provides a valuable platform for students to hold discussions and learn from the experts through online forums. Students of different backgrounds and specialties all come together to share their experiences with each another. This is the golden opportunity that I’ve always wanted to be a part of.

4. And what is the biggest challenge? How did you deal with this?

My biggest challenge is meeting the deadline for assignments. Most modules do give their students a few weeks to complete the assignments. However, this can still be challenging for those who work frequent on-call and night shifts, especially when the deadline is around the corner.

Having good time management skills is the key to overcoming this, which is something I am currently working on.

5. How has the Internal Medicine MSc benefited your career?

This MSc programme has substantially benefited my career at a junior level as it allows me to develop my skills as a clinician and explore various medical specialties within the programme.

Having gone through the course for 2 years, I have learned to provide clinical reasoning to every situation I’ve encountered and gained better understanding of disease pathology, thereby enhancing my diagnostic accuracy and improving my management plans.

Equipped with better knowledge and confidence, I am able to improve productivity and efficiency at work, as well as prioritise patient safety. In addition, I also found myself becoming more reflective in my clinical practice, thanks to the second- and third-year modules on clinical decision making and improving diagnosis.

I personally found the Science of Medicine and other elective modules extremely helpful in consolidating knowledge for the MRCP written exams and as a result I have passed both papers on first sitting.

6. Would you recommend this programme to other doctors and health professionals?

Definitely a big YES! This programme has help shaped my experiences and boosted my confidence in medical knowledge and research skills, at a postgraduate level. I believe that this programme will benefit all health professionals, regardless of seniority or specialty, as there is always something valuable to take away from the course.

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