| University of Health Sciences | |
| Native Name: | |
| Mottoeng: | Together Towards Excellence in Health Sciences Training and Research[1] |
| Type: | Public research |
| Rector: | Saphonn Vonthanak |
| Students: | 6,143 |
| Faculty: | 1,720 |
| Undergrad: | BMedSc,BDentSc, BPharm, BNurs, BMidW, BPH, BSc, Professional Diplomas, Associate degrees. |
| Postgrad: | MD, DDS, PharmD, MPH, MSc, MHA. |
| Doctoral: | Specialization (MD-D.E.S), PhD. |
| Address: | 73 Monivong Blvd (93) |
| City: | Phnom Penh |
| Country: | Cambodia |
| Nickname: | Central Khmer: សាលាក្រហម |
The University of Health Sciences (UHS; Central Khmer: សាកលវិទ្យាល័យវិទ្យាសាស្រ្តសុខាភិបាល, Central Khmer: ស.វ.ស., UNGEGN:, ; French: Université des sciences de la santé, French: USS) is a public university offering degrees in health sciences (medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, public health, etc.) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The University of Health Sciences was first established in June 1946 as the School for Medical Officers, following which it became the Cambodian Royal School for Medicine in 1953, and the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in 1962. In 1967, the Faculty of Pharmacy was moved to Phnom Penh University.
In 1971, it became the Medical and Paramedical Faculty, in which a dentistry section was developed. It was totally abandoned and severely damaged throughout the genocidal regime of Pol Pot.
The university resumed its activities in January 1980 as the combined faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry, and it became the University of Health Sciences in 1997. In late 2001, the university became a public administrative institution comprising the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Pharmacy, the Faculty of Dentistry, and the Technical School for Medical Care.
In addition to its primary mission to train in the field of human resources for health (sub- decree 127 of the Royal Government of Cambodia), the UHS is to become a multidisciplinary University by 2012, in accordance with the recommendations of government sub-decree 54.
After 6 years of general medical education (a foundation year + 5 years), all students will graduate with Bachelor of Medical Sciences (BMedSc) (Central Khmer: បរិញ្ញាបត្រវិទ្យាសាស្រ្តវេជ្ជសាស្ត្រ). This degree does not allow graduates to work independently as Physician, but it is possible for those who wish to continue to master's degrees in other fields relating to medical sciences such as Public Health, Epidemiology, Biomedical Science, Nutrition...
Medical graduates, who wish to be fully qualified as physicians or specialists must follow the rule as below:
All Medical graduates must complete Thesis Defense and pass the National Exit Exam (Central Khmer: ប្រឡងចេញថ្នាក់ជាតិក្នុងវិស័យសុខាភិបាល) to become either GPs or Medical or Surgical Specialists.
The faculty of Pharmacy offers 5 year undergraduate program (a year foundation study plus 4 year of pharmaceutical sciences) leading to Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) (Central Khmer: បរិញ្ញាបត្រឱសថសាស្ត្រ) superseded the old title of "Diploma of Pharmacist".
After finishing the undergraduate curriculum, all graduates are required to sit for the National Licensing Exam to become Certified Pharmacist (Central Khmer: ឱសថការី).
Postgraduate degrees are available through a contesting Entrance Exam. The degrees consist of:
It takes 7 years to complete dental curriculum to get the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) (Central Khmer: សញ្ញាបត្រទន្តបណ្ឌិត).
At the end of year 5 (a foundation year + 4 years), all dental students will graduate with Bachelor of Dental Sciences (BDentSc) (Central Khmer: បរិញ្ញាបត្រវិទ្យាសាស្រ្តទន្តវទនសាស្រ្ត); However this degree does not allow those graduate to become fully qualified Dentist.
The DentSc is the bridge for dental students to go further for 2 years of internship. After completing 7 years dental education, the graduates must sit for the National Licensing Exam and defense thesis to become Doctor of Dental Surgery (equivalent to master's degree).
For specialization, the school run a program with technical support from foreign universities (Australia, Japan). The current specialty training degree is eligible only for DDS holders, this program is called "Master of Dental Sciences in Orthodontic (MDentSc)" (Central Khmer: បរិញ្ញាបត្រជាន់ខ្ពស់ផែ្នកអ័កតូឌុងទីក) which last for 4 years of combined lectures and practicum.
The school consists of the training of Nurses, Midwives, Radiation Technicians, Medical Laboratory Technicians, Physiotherapists. There 2 main categories of degrees offered at the TSMC including:
The UHSC open a new degree in Public Health in academic year 2013-2014: The program will lead to confer Bachelor of Public Health (BPH). បរិញ្ញាប័ត្រ សុខភាពសាធារណះ.
The university plans to open more degrees related to health sciences in the near future such as Nutrition, Epidemiology... etc.
The UHSC have a strong cooperation with the School of Public Health (SPH) of the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH). The SPH started to offer master's programs relating to health sciences since 2007.[2] The degrees available at SPH are:
The UHS-C has 6 affiliated university-hospitals and 4 national centers for giving places to medical students for clinical clerkship, internship and residency training.