As of this month, my blog is 4 years old. As of today, this blog has hit 1.5million views since it started. Over the years, I wrote about many issues surrounding the field of medicine to wake people up from their “guaranteed job, money and good life” dreams. I was ridiculed many times and even given rude comments for telling the truth but no one can argue with the facts provided in this blog. After 4 years, finally the government admits that we are going to have surplus of doctors within the next few years. When I wrote this 4 years ago, in fact 6 years ago, I was laughed at!
Our Health Minister recently spoke on this issue and have recommended that the entry qualifications into medical school to be reviewed. He admits that we are reaching the doctor: population ratio of 1: 600. Thus, all application of new medical schools and application for increase of intake will be frozen. But yet again, we did hear this 2 years ago (May 2011) but nothing happened. Politics and money takes priority, I guess.
Frankly, getting 5Bs in SPM is nothing nowadays. The latest PMR results shows that close to 8% of students got straight As. So, how many students would have got at least 5Cs and above. Interestingly, these results are not for public viewing. I tried looking for the statistics in Ministry of Education/LPM website but I could not find. Is it a national secret? What I could get is only the media statement regarding the general performance of the students. IN 2011, almost 70% of PMR students got at least all Ds and above. If you ask anyone who had interviewed graduates etc, they will definitely tell you that the standards of our exams and universities have gone down the drain. The quality of graduates are atrocious. Even from some of the comments in this blog, you can guess the intelligence of the students. Personally, I don’t blame them as the education system do not encourage students to think or learn.They don’t read anything other than what is thought in school. According to World Bank report, the standards of our teachers are also going down the drain. Almost 93% of our teachers do not even have 3 distinctions or more in SPM but yet the intake of teachers have increased by 30% over the last 5 years. We are more worried about quantity than quality, similar to the situation of medical graduates now. We should never compromise quality for quantity!!
The mushrooming of private universities/colleges since 1990s is partly the reason for this deterioration. The fact remains that these private entities are a profit driven venture. What they need is money but who cares of the quality of products. It is not them who are going to employ these graduates. The same goes to medial schools as well. We have had nurses with GCPA of near 4.0 but you will be shocked when you interview them. They can’t even answer simple questions which should have been thought in the nursing college. When you check their SPM results, you are in for another shock!
The fact remains that we have too many universities/colleges in this Bolehland with too few academics and many “kangkung” professors! We simply do not have enough human resource to support such a number, as I have written BEFORE. The politicians just wanted to make money and decided to make Malaysia into an “education hub” of Asia. God save this country!
GONG XI FA CAI TO EVERYONE………………………..
Entry requirements for medical school may be tightened, says Subramaniam
JANUARY 17, 2014
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 — The government may tighten the minimum entry requirement for students who want to pursue higher education in medicine, in future.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam(picture) said a study and discussion with the Education Ministry had been carried out on this matter.
He said the proposal was to ensure that only truly qualified students would take up medicine and in the long-run, would control the number of new medical graduates entering the job market.
“Now it’s (minimum entry requirement) 4Bs. We may raise it because a lot of students are getting A’s now. We will also make this mandatory for students who are taking up medicine overseas,” he told reporters after the Thaipusam celebration at Batu Caves, near here, today.
There are currently 33 medical schools in the country which produce about 5,000 new medical graduates each year and causing an influx of new doctors in the job market.
“Our ratio has almost reached one doctor per 600 population and as far as training is concerned, the Health Ministry ensures that everybody will get adequate amount of training. We won’t compromise on the level of training and exposure,” he said.
Dr Subramaniam said the government had also frozen the registration of new medical schools in the country and applications to increase the student intake into their medical programmes.
Earlier, Dr Subramaniam who is also MIC deputy president, said Thaipusam at Batu Caves this year had attracted some one million visitors over the past 10 days.
He said a medical team from the ministry, assisted by members of the Red Crescent Society and St. John Ambulance as well as the Fire and Rescue Department, had been on duty at the site to provide medical help to those in need.
Up to today, the medical camp had registered 85 cases of visitors seeking medical help, he added. — Bernama
World Bank: Worsening education obstacle to Malaysia’s high-income hopes
DECEMBER 11, 2013
Children attend their first day of elementary school in Standard One (Primary One) at a local school on the start of the new school year in Kuala Lumpur 06 January 2003. — AFP picKUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 — Education standards that were deteriorating despite Putrajaya spending twice as much as neighbouring countries on schools could stand in the way of Malaysia’s plans to join the ranks of developed nations, according to a recent World Bank report.
In a report titled “Malaysia Economic Monitor: High Performing Education” that echoes criticism over the recent performance of Malaysian schools, the World Bank highlighted the critical role quality education plays in a country’s aims to gain a high-income status.
In 2011, Malaysia spent the equivalent of 3.8 per cent of its gross domestic product on education, or more than twice the average 1.8 per cent within Asean nations.
“A nation’s human capital, which is largely built by its education system, is a fundamental driver of economic growth,” it said in the report.
“The quality of cognitive skills of Malaysian students, as measured by standardized international tests, is not on par with the country’s aspirations to become a high-income economy.”
In its report, the World Bank noted that while Malaysia has extensive coverage with its schools and achieved near-universal access that has nine in 10 Malaysian adults undergoing at least lower secondary education, a commensurate increase in quality was not observed.
“In addition to ensuring the system has the broadest possible coverage (quantity), the quality of education is perhaps even more critical.”
Pointing to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey results released last week, the World Bank was blunt with its assessment of Malaysia’s underperformance.
It said Malaysia did not only trail high-performing education systems in East Asia, but also poorer nations such as Vietnam, which outperformed the country by a significant margin.
In the latest edition of PISA, Malaysian students lagged far behind their peers in Singapore, who placed second behind top-scorers in Shanghai, China, as well as 15-year-olds in Thailand.
While Malaysian students registered marginal improvement for mathematics, they lost ground in both science and reading ability.
The combined results meant Malaysia was 52nd overall out of the 65 countries, and firmly entrenched in the bottom third of the survey.
Aside from the stagnant PISA performance, the World Bank also highlighted Malaysia’s continued decline in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) benchmark in which the country once performed well.
“Learning outcomes in the TIMSS were above the international average between 1999 and 2003, but declined sharply in 2007 and further in 2011,” it said.
To arrest the decline, the World Bank said Malaysia needed to prioritise teacher quality over quantity, noting that the sharpest fall in education standards coincided with an aggressively expanded recruitment programme for educators.
It noted that the teacher population shot up by 30 per cent between 2004 and 2013, an issue that it said may have since worsened; the number of trainees enrolled in teacher training institutes have ballooned from 37,439 in 2011 to 46,491 this year.
Another problem was the low standards of those seeking to become teachers. It noted that 93 per cent of those applying for the Bachelor of Education programme did not have the necessary academic qualifications (3 distinctions or more at SPM level), while 70 per cent offered a place in the programme also fell into the category.
Only 3 per cent of offers went to applicants considered high-performers.
Pagalavan's Avatar 
do you know any biologist? how is their work and how much do they earn per month?
A successful biology tuition teacher can earn RM 15-20k per month!
it depends on what you want to do after graduating!
Dear Dr Paga,
I am a forth year medical student.
I would like to know where can i find information on how can I specialize to be a pediatrician recognized in Malaysia?
Thank you
This blog!
the internet, other paediatricians or doctors
but dream on, wont be possible as there are so many grads these days. Be a good houseman first then u talk
There’s nothing wrong with having dreams to drive one’s career pursuits. And if Bing is good enough, he/she might well make it. After all, even in the face of huge competition, there has to be some winners. If you even try, your chance of succeeding just went up.
There’s also nothing wrong trying to learn the intended specialist career pathway early. It helps one to structure his/her postgraduate pathway and plans. Yes, important to first learn to be a good houseman; but if one waits to the end of housemanship before thinking of the next career step, it will be a little late.
20 years ago, I was a third year overseas medical student in a UK institution. Whenever I mentioned the surgical specialty to which I aspired, *all* my contemporaries and seniors just laughed and said it was an impossible choice given just how competitive it is.
Today, I am a subspecialist consultant (and still a farang since I have not adopted UK nationality) in the very same specialty that everyone said was an impossible mountain to climb; in one of the most famous units in the world for this specialty.
From small acorns grow the tallest oaks. Do not automatically deride anyone for having dreams and aspirations. Someone has to become a paediatrician in future. Why not Bing, if he/she is good enough and is prepared to do what is required to get there?
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.
-Samuel Beckett-
(No, not the Scott Bakula Quantum Leap Samuel Beckett!)
bing,
I don’t get you. You are already in fourth year, and probably have done paediatric posting and interacted with the paediatricians. Why can’t you ask them directly? Even if you have not started paediatric posting, this question can always be ask to any lecturers really. Come on, you are already in fourth year, shouldn’t you be a TRY to be more independent rather than being spoon fed?
Surely that will depend on which medical school and uni you are in now? If it is about post graduate training in Malaysia itself, it’s all in one of the earlier thread.
The informations are available in this blog. Only 2 ways to become a paediatrician: MRCPCH or Master’s in Paediatric.
it cant be helped.ive witnessed several student who got into medicine with such a bad spm result(im talking about c and d here).after some investigation,i found that each and every one of them are linked to Dato or big time businessman with deep association with government.they literally bought the system with their riches.that’s why whenever i see a doctor with Big People connection,i’m 95% sure they aren’t really qualified to be a doctor.And based on my lifelong observation,boy am i right.the other 5% deserved my respect though.
There will always be oligarchs in any country. And they will always have their privileges within the system, inaccessible by the common man. Such is life. But at least in most developed nations, a system of checks and balances limits an excess of abuses. The problem with Bolehland is “all cheques, no balances”!
Well, yes to a certain extent, but I have seen many without any political connections or whatsoever. Agents have been instrumental in these substandard students getting into medicine and now, many of them are practising as doctors.
This “agent” affliction is rife in Bolehland. Seems like no one knows how to do anything for themselves and relies on agents all the time. But then, it’s what happens when local services tend to be riddled with obstructive individuals (mostly in cahoots with agents for mutual financial gain).
It has little to do with pulling strings, and mostly to do with having money. Unlike most other countries which selects their future doctors carefully, Malaysia’s privatised (some say piratised) education system allows people to buy education, and inevitably, that will self select students with rich parents, and unfortunately, the majority of them will be mediocre students.
Most countries’ universities set high standards. Is there any other country in the world where the Ministry of Health needs to set minimum entry requirements to prevent mediocre students from becoming doctors?
Nothing new! I know students with Fs, who have done medicine in Russia etc, before the minimum requirement came about
http://aididmuaddib.blogspot.com/2010/12/ecpiaq-air-jamban-lagi-baek-bro.html
if you read this blog, u will find out about this one university.. The Open University for Complementary Medicine, Colombo ..
may i know if u know something about this particular university..
p/s: the words in the blog may be harsh.. 😛
Isn’t it so obviously a scam? Or are our youths today really so dumbed down?
There are MANY such kangkung universities giving such certificates for money. Nothing new. Unfortunately, complimentary medicine is not regulated like modern medicine. This is because it is “complimentary” and not suppose to bring any harm to body BUT DOES NOT work anyway. The MLM companies are just using our society’s ignorance to make money!!
http://aididmuaddib.blogspot.com/2010/12/ecpiaq-air-jamban-lagi-baek-bro.html
if you read this blog, u will find out about this one university.. The Open University for Complementary Medicine, Colombo ..
may i know if u know something about this particular university because based on the blog.. the blogger said that this university have simply given ‘dr’ tittle to those who are pursuing study there.. maybe you can come out with this topic..
p/s: the words in the blog may be harsh.. 😛
Even Homepathy and Chinese medicine healers are calling themselves doctors. MMC says that as long as they DO NOT practise modern medicine, they can’t take any action!
Given the glut of housemen and stiff competition for master course in ipta, is it still possible for a JPA-sponsored non bumi student, graduating in 2018 (from a local ipts) to get a place to study master in pathology in future? This master programme is offered in um, ukm and usm but there is no information about the number of applicants accepted per year. I know this sound pretty arrogant and ridiculous as I am not even a medical student for time being, but I want to know is there a fair chance for every MD graduate in future to become a lecturer, associate prof. and professor in IPTA in future? I hope to gain some insights from an insider. Thank you.
BTW, how do you know that your interest is in Pathology? You are right, it sounds rather weird. Most people do not know where their interest is till they start their clinical years. Even then, many will change their mind when they start their housemanship. NO one knows what will happen in the future. I will be more worried about getting a job as a housemen rather than thinking about Master’s program. You need to have worked at least 3-4 years before even being eligible for Master’s. Nothing is fair in Malaysia!!
By the time you graduate. There will be probably 5-6k new doctors from your year alone. The current number of Master program offered is around 1000. Pathology Master offered will probably be 10-15 from each university. That means a total of 30-45 intake per year for pathology. By the time you are eligible for the pathology Master program, that would be probably year 2023 or 2024 (if you were able to secure a job (MO) at the right hospital and right department), the intake might increased to 15-20 per university, the total number of master programs at that time will be around 1500-2000. So on paper, the number of applicants for these Master programs will probably around 10000-15000 applications (new and repeat applications) for these limited seats. And of course the seniority does taken into consideration. JPA sponsorship usually offers NO advantage in your application for master program. So you can assess you chance of getting a master program in any discipline..
Problem is that with increasing quantity, quality often get compromised.
Letter to Star Editor….Dental Chairs the problem.
Dr Pag…did u see this Letter in Star yesterday…Tuesday.
Your comments please….
Hi doctor Paga, i was thinking about doing medical research after MBBS. I would like to have some advice on it and the pathway that I would need to take to do this.
What type of research are you talking about ? Basic medical research , clinical research etc ? Generally, all of it will need a postgraduate degree
Dear Dr. Paga
is that true that many male in gynecological than woman???
Yes, of course
Dear Dr. Paga,
I hope this is not out of topic. Do you have any idea that there are no more HO post even for the JPA or MARA oversea graduates? Because I got this story from a patient of mine, whose son is a JPA sponsored medical student at UK, told to do HO at Singapore, but no detail to the scholarship bond. How can this happen?
There would always be HO posts and eventually, First priority would be given to government sponsored students.
I don’t think so. There will always be HO post when the current HO finishes their postings. The problem is whether it is enough for 5-7000 graduates/year in the next 2-3 years. Thus, there should not be any issue for government sponsored students as they will be given priority.