AS the Health Ministry mulls reducing the training for medical housemen from two years to just one year, the MCA is concerned that this will lead to insufficient exposure to essential specialities and experiences needed for a well-rounded medical career. Twelve months is simply too brief.
With only six departments under the new proposal, trainee doctors may not gain the necessary experience in the areas they wish to specialise in. This limited exposure can significantly impact their skills development and professional growth, ultimately affecting the quality of healthcare delivery.
We propose maintaining the current training duration but adding more departments to provide a broader, more comprehensive experience. This would allow doctors to make informed decisions about their career paths. Additionally, efforts should be made to address senior-junior bullying issues within the medical community, which undermine the well-being and confidence of housemen.
Improved remuneration should also be implemented, as it is crucial for retention and motivation, given the demanding nature of their roles. The mental health of doctors must not be overlooked, and greater support should be available to ensure their resilience and well-being.
It is also essential to retain specialised fields like psychiatry, especially as mental health issues are increasingly affecting all age groups, including children. According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), 29% of Malaysian adults had a mental health disorder in 2015. These figures have likely risen post-pandemic, highlighting the importance of adequate training in this field.
In 2022, the NHMS found that 1 in 4 adolescents in Malaysia had depression, and 1 in 10 had attempted suicide. 872 young people in Malaysia died by suicide between January 2019 and May 2021. Children and adolescents in less affluent families are more likely to have mental health problems. Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital psychiatrist Dr Norzila Zakaria observed that the rate of mental health issues in children aged between 5 and 15 years, has leapt from 7.9%, or 424,000 cases in 2019, to 16.5%, or 922,318 cases in 2023.
Anaesthesiology should remain a core component of training, as it is vital in every surgery to ensure patient safety and comfort. The inclusion of primary care is also crucial, equipping doctors to handle a wide range of medical issues in community settings.
We are concerned that lessening the training period to just one year will result in more doctors opting out of government service. This would further destabilise the already overburdened public healthcare system. As a result, the number of patients per medical officer once the shift to the government healthcare rates would climb, further straining the system. One year is insufficient to prepare doctors for the practical medical challenges they will face. It takes time to develop the necessary experience and skills to navigate complex healthcare issues. We believe that maintaining a longer training period, with more departmental exposure, is essential to ensuring future doctors are fully equipped to serve the public effectively.
We urge stakeholders to carefully consider these proposals to ensure our medical training system remains effective and sustainable for the future of healthcare.
Datuk Dr Mah Hang SoonDeputy PresidentMCA
