Creating more cardiothoracic surgeons

Photo: 123rf

MALAYSIAN Medics Inter-national (MMI) is deeply concerned by the issues surrounding the parallel pathway for the qualification of cardiothoracic surgeons in Malaysia and the derecognition of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh. The parallel pathway programme was created in 2016 to address the huge deficiency of cardiothoracic surgeons nationally.

According to a news report, as of March, more than 1,500 patients were awaiting heart and lung surgery (“Heart and lung patients in dire straits”, The Star, March 23; online at bit.ly/star_heartlung). And cardiovascular diseases are on the rise every year. Thus, we humbly call upon the Health Ministry (MOH), the Higher Education Ministry (MOHE), the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), and the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) to consider the following.