Medical graduates want clarity and certainty

HUNDREDS of medical graduates heaved a sigh of relief when they were called up by the Public Service Commission (PSC) last Friday, but thousands more remain in a limbo over the status of their application. Sadly, those who were not accepted were not given a proper reason, apart from being told they did not ‘rank’ as high as their peers during the interview session.

Desperate medical graduates have taken the initiative to call for updates with regards to the intake for housemanship from the PSC.

Unfortunately, most of our queries were responded to unprofessionally or many of us were told dismissively that the next intake would commence in July or August, provided vacancies are available.

A lack of clarity from the PSC engenders uncertainty among the graduates. The non-availability of the date of the next intake of housemen on the PSC website makes it difficult for graduates to plan for the future. Many who opt to work are unable to sign long-term contracts, fearing they may be called into the service at short notice.

We miss golden opportunities to hone our skills be it medical or otherwise, due to the lack of a structured plan from PSC. Clarity in knowing the exact dates as early as possible would keep medical graduates motivated, and prepared for the upcoming housemanship as we would be able to plan and confirm our attendance at housemanship courses.

An opaque system with no attempt from the relevant authorities to correct it serves only to heighten confusion and frustration among medical graduates.

While messages through the Whatsapp grapevine have been rife with news from individuals claiming to have information after they called the PSC, no official information has been forthcoming to assuage the anxiety in these graduates.

The interview process is questionable by itself. Questions posed to medical graduates were not standardised, with many interviewees not tested on their medical knowledge.

How can medical graduates be compared and ranked against one another when the barometers used were not uniform across the board?

We look to the PSC as the agency that should be the pinnacle of civil service efficiency and transparency. Instead, what we see is its inefficiency and opacity.

A FRUSTRATED MEDICAL GRADUATE

Johor Baru