MALAYSIAN doctors who graduate from British universities are frustrated by the Malaysian Medical Council’s (MMC) outdated ruling for compulsory housemanship in paediatrics and obstetrics.
Medical students in Britain do housemanship in two disciplines of their choice after graduating and are registered in medical councils there.
MMC requires doctors who wish to come back and work in Malaysia to go through compulsory housemanship in paediatrics and obstetrics, if they have not done them in the place where they studied.
The doctors are compelled to do this, despite having passed all these disciplines during their MBBS examinations. Apart from this, they are required to do compulsory government service for two years.
I did my housemanship in 1968 when we had a choice on the disciplines and did not do obstetrics during housemanship.
During my MO services in government hospitals, I had successfully conducted caesarian-sections and managed gynaecology cases with my skills and experience obtained during the MBBS programme.
It is time MMC discard this unnecessary ruling and register doctors who are already registered in renowned foreign medical councils and wish to work in their home country.
V.S.
Mentakab, Pahang
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