Housemanship for medical graduates extended to 2 years

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 3 — The Health Ministry has extended the housemanship for medical graduates to two years to ensure that they start off their career as doctors on a strong footing, director-general of Health Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican said.

He said previously housemanship was only for a year in three compulsory disciplines — either medicine, paediatrics, surgery or medicine, surgery and obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G), with four months in each posting.

Now it is compulsory for them to be trained in six disciplines, namely general medicine, paediatrics, surgery, orthopaedics, O&G and emergency medicine, with four months in each postings over a period of two years, he said at a seminar on housemanship training in Malaysia here.

Dr Mohd Ismail said housemen would be employed on the salary scale UD41 (RM1,999-RM5,317) and upon successful completion of their housemanship training, they would be confirmed in service and promoted to UD44 (RM3,028-RM5,570).

He said housemen would be guided, monitored and assessed by specialists not only on their knowledge and skills but also their attitude towards the profession.

"If their performance is not up to the standard, the period of training could be extended," he said.

He said at present the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) recognised 366 medical colleges, both local and overseas, and they collectively produced about 4,000 doctors annually.

Dr Mohd Ismail said he had instructed the specialists to "take extra efforts to teach and train their housemen properly and with civility."

He said a recent study in 28 general hospitals revealed that 67.8 per of the trainee doctors found their training highly stressful and 53 per cent sometimes thought of quitting because they could not cope with the stress.

The survey also showed that the highest level of stress encountered was related to working hours and workload and 30 to 40 per cent of them did not have time for social or recreational activities, 21.8 per cent required counselling and 5.8 per cent needed specific treatment, he added. — Bernama