The Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DIMLT) lecturers organised a study trip to the Institute Medical Research in Kuala Lumpur to provide students with hands-on industrial experience. Seven first-year students and two instructors, Jayatheswary and Yogeswary, joined the trip.
During the visit, students saw the first generation of microscopes and syringes and visited the biomedical museum and took selfies with staff members. They next went to the clinical biochemistry centre, where they were greeted warmly and shown around the laboratory.
In the laboratory, students saw how patient samples were handled, analysed, and interpreted. The centre houses five laboratories for various fields of study, including Molecular Biology, Pathology, and Forensics.
According to a National Institutes of Health report, hands-on learning experiences have been demonstrated to boost student engagement and information retention. According to the survey, such experiences can also improve students’ enthusiasm for furthering their studies in the discipline.
After returning from the study trip, students from the Genetics and Molecular Biology module were given an assignment to produce a report on their experiences, including instrument descriptions and functions addressed during the trip.
The study tour successfully provided students with meaningful real-world experience and an opportunity to learn how classroom theories are utilised in the industry.
