Change brings life in medical education in Malaysia

Malaysian Parliament should increase its scrutiny of the standard of medical education and the quality of doctors.

We should keep an eye on the Malaysian Medical Council and the National Accreditation Board, making sure that they play effective parts in monitoring the standard of public and private medical education.

Proposal by Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong on the concern of Malaysians about the standard of medical education in the country during the debate on the allocation for the Ministry of Higher Education in the Supplementary Supply Bill on 28 September, 2005.

The House was asked to approve an allocation of RM132,171,134 that had been used for the purchase of additional equipment and building to accommodate more students at the Medical Faculties of public universities for the session 2005/2006.

The Ministry of Higher Education says that it ensures that the ratio of lecturer to medical students is 1:6 and that only a limited number of additional intake is allowed such as about 40 more students in addition to ? 80 are taken at the University of Malaya(MU). It also insists that the British Medical Council (BMC) did not withdraw recognition of the MU medical degree in the 80s. Instead, BMC is attuned towards the European Union.

There is an urgent need for the Government to enquire into the state of public and private medical education and the quality of doctors in this country. It should also tell the truth about the derecognition of the MU medical degree.

Yes, Malaysia has made progress. It has medical faculties, both public and private, producing more doctors. But, it should not just wallow in self gratification. On the contrary, it should look into the weaknesses in our medical schools and the standard of doctors from recognized foreign medical colleges. The resistance to change is chronic.

We need more and better doctors. While we want to train more medical students, we must not sacrifice the standard. We do not want the stagnation of medical schools.

During the debate on the 2006 budget next week, we shall continue to raise the problems of curriculum, admission standard, graduation requirement, educational programmes, the award of medical degrees, the appointment of professors and lecturers, research, financing and the dependence on student fees in private schools.