KUALA LUMPUR: Students tend to equate pursuing a healthcare career with becoming a doctor, a dentist or a nurse but these are not the only options in the field.
Mahsa University Faculty of Dentistry Preclinical Sciences Department head and senior lecturer Dr Ooi Der Jiun said there are other opportunities, such as being a dental surgery assistance and a dental technologist.
“Dental surgery assistants help dentists in their work while dental technologists work to produce dentures, crowns and bridges, among others.
“These are the ones behind the scenes whom many people do not recognise as being part of the dental team,” he said at the Star Education Fair 2023 held at the Pavilion Bukit Jalil Exhibition Centre here yesterday.
On the career prospects of nursing students, KPJ Healthcare University School of Nursing deputy dean Salida Johari said there are many choices for them to choose and that the career pathway is very good, especially if they further their studies.
“In the clinical setting, they can be administrators, such as unit managers and chief nursing officers. In the academic world, they can become clinical instructors, nursing lecturers, deputy deans or deans of nursing.
“They can also be nurse researchers and work in other areas in industry, such as industrial nurses, or go into insurance, or become advisers in the legal aspect,” she said, adding that while there is a high demand for Malaysian nurses overseas, there is a shortage of nurses locally.
“Students must have confidence and patience, and keen to learn new skills.”
Both Dr Ooi and Salida were at the fair as presenters of their respective talks titled “AI is transforming dentistry, but will it replace dentists?” and “Pathway to a Nursing Career”.
