Regular monitoring of medical courses to ensure quality of doctors

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw reiterates that there should be continuous and effective monitoring of all medical courses within or outside the country.

On 16.2.2011, Dr Tan comments on Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin's statement that the Government will check out medical courses offered by recognised universities to eliminate any doubt about their standard. Hitherto, medical degrees from about 50 foreign universities are accredited.

Malaysia requires good doctors to man hospitals and clinics. Patients have doubts on the quality of some doctors. Every year, there are over 3,500 medical graduates doing their house jobs in the country. How many have the skills and the ethics?

The Minister says that a team of officers will be sent to each of these recognised foreign universities to erase doubts about the quality and skills of their medical graduates. These include universities in Indonesia, India, Egypt, United States, England, Russia, Germany and Romania. We hope that this is done regularly not only on foreign iniversities, but also on the 10 public and 12 private medical colleges in this country.

Besides special team to monitor medical courses, there must be review of the the criteria for the selection of candidates for these courses including their suitability to become doctors. To be able to pass examinations is one thing, to be a good doctor needs something extra.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw