It’s been 10 years since I first wrote in MMA magazine that surplus of doctors is inevitable if the government continue to approve too many medical schools (here and here). No one listened, including MMA president himself. In 2010, our great minister who is currently the transport minister announced that “there will not be surplus of doctors by 2015“. Just a year later, in May 2011, the cabinet issued a 5 year moratorium. Unfortunately, it is simply too late. By then , as I wrote in MMA Magazine in April 2012 (written in September 2011), there were already 36 approved medical schools conducting close to 45 medical programs. Since I started blogging in 2010, I had also written many times about these issues. I predicted that “jobless” scenario will happen by 2015/2016. A blessing in disguise, is the closure of AUCMS (5 programs) and few more twinning programs by certain universities.
Today, TheMalaysianInsider published a report on the “jobless” scenario of medical graduates. It looks like not only the waiting period for posting is about 6-8 months, the waiting period for SPA interviews is also taking 3-4 months. This will create a waiting period of close to a year. Some graduates wanted the SPA interview to be done sooner, probably within a month. I feel many do not understand how civil service works. The appointment to civil service is done by SPA. However, SPA can only offer you a job based on vacancy. So, how would SPA conduct an interview if they do not have any post/vacancy to offer? Thus, SPA can only conduct interviews once they have a considerable amount of post available. Even then, they will call for interview based on first come first serve. With more than 5000 graduates entering the market from this year onwards (4740 new registration in 2014), how many can they call for an interview at any one time? As of this year, all medical schools in Malaysia will be producing graduates!
Once SPA offers you a post in civil service, only then you can apply to MOH for a posting. This is now done via the “ehousemen” portal. Since 2015, you are given the liberty to choose where you want to do your housemanship. However, you decide your own fate on the waiting period. The more popular the hospital, the longer the waiting period. Based on the press statement by DG in December 2015, only once your appointment is confirmed, provisional registration will be issued by MMC. Please be informed that those who went to do medicine after the Minimum Entry Requirement was announced in May 2011 need to fulfill this requirement to be able to get a job. Your SPM results must also be submitted for provisional registration. SPA may reject those who did not fulfil the requirement. SPM BM requirement has also been made compulsory since last year. It has always been a requirement to join civil service but the rule was relaxed in 2006 for doctors.
While no one listened to all that a right thinking medical personal had warned, it is the graduates who eventually ended up in this mess. Poor human resource management and in the name of education hub, our quantity government has done it again. From nurses, teachers, pharmacist and now doctors are all in “jobless” scenario. While housemanship is a rolling post , most will still get a post eventually, probably after 1-2 years. BUT what happens after that? I understand that MO post are also full. Since new posts has been frozen since April 2014, how would the government be able to absorb all post-housemen doctors? I would predict that eventually, housemen post will be given on contract basis and new application has to be made for MOship. Either that or we need an entry/exit exam. The best solution will still be reducing the number of students entering the medical field by strengthening the entry requirement or having a common qualification exam. No one can prevent anyone from doing medicine in this capitalist world but having a stringent criteria will deter many from doing it without proper qualifications.
Medicine has become just like any other job. No job is guaranteed. Never do medicine for wrong reasons!
Grad doctors wait in vain for houseman posting
BY ISTA KYRA SHARMUGAM
Published: 15 February 2016 9:00 AM
There are not enough housemanship posts in public hospitals following a government freeze. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, February 15, 2016.
Despite graduating with a medical degree in October last year, Muhammad Faiz Hassan, 29, is working odd jobs, repairing cars and dabbling in wedding photography to support himself.
He is among hundreds of future doctors who are forced to earn a living in fields unrelated to their medical studies because of a two-year backlog of housemanship placements in public hospitals.
“I’ve heard that we may be expected to wait from six months up to a year for a placeent.
“This is an incredibly long time, which not only affects my financial situation, but also worries me, that I might get rusty with my medical knowledge.
“I am now applying for an assistant teaching position at a medical school in Cyberjaya. This way, I hope to stay in touch with my field and be prepared once I finally get called to work,” said Faiz, from Batu Pahat, Johor.
Faiz, a National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) recipient, said he felt pressured to find employment fast after receiving an email informing that he was required to start repaying the loan, six months from the notice date.
“My course was RM300,000 in total and I took the maximum loan of RM150,000 under PTPTN.
“In addition to the interest expected to be incurred, I am daunted by the large debt I am starting out with immediately after graduating.
“My parents are pensioners and I do not want to burden them, which is why I am hoping the government will be able to sort out my housemanship as soon as possible.”
He said most of his seniors have to wait long despite having gone for the Public Services Commission (PSC) interview, after which they were given an online ID to track their housemanship application.
“Through the e-housemen system, we can know when the next intakes for housemanship will be open.
“But I am still waiting to go for my PSC interview. If this can be sped up, it would be helpful.”
Mastura Mukhtar, 24, from Alor Star, Kedah, said many of her seniors have to wait two to three months after their PSC interview before getting a placement.
“At least, if we are called for the PSC interview faster, we will not have to wait so long.
“I’m rather lucky to have doctors as parents and can shadow them at work, but not many of my batch mates are in a similar position.
“I, too, plan to take up part-time teaching to earn some pocket money and kill time,” she said.
According to Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Ashok Philips, the current backlog was because of a shortage following a government freeze on posts.
“There are only 5,000 housemanship posts each year in the 43 public hospitals nationwide.
“There are about the same number of medical graduates a year… some 20% of housemen take more than two years (the stipulated period) to finish, which creates a backlog in the number of available posts,” he said. – February 15, 2016.
– See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/grad-doctors-wait-in-vain-for-houseman-posting1#sthash.93YCDAB2.dpuf
Pagalavan's Avatar 
Hi nice to meet u again sir, regarding this issue, actually i have an idea for a solution for this situation of doctors in malaysia.
Maybe these fresh doctors can also be given a choice to enroll into research team instead of the definite part to be housemanship practice…because some doctors are really into research and not so much into clinical practice actually…
what do u think sir?
Unfortunately, Malaysia is not a research based country. Furthermore, you will never be able to practise as doctor without full registration. Huge amount of money has also been spent to be a doctor, unless under scholarship.
the noose is tightening………
Unemployed doctors.. i wonder if having a moratorium on new medical programs gona really help. In fact money outflow will occur.
Doing medical studies elsewhere like in Indonesia, Russia, India is much cheaper, so there will always be opportunities even if the door is closed locally.
The only way to go about it is building more hospitals and perhaps reducing the number of foreign university recognition by increasing standards. We recognize a lot of foreign medical schools that developed nations dont recognize due to perhaps substandard quality.
What is the point of building more hospitals when there are not enough of specialists to govern the younger doctors?
Our local schools are not great either.
Building more hospitals is not the answer. WE don’t have the funds and furthermore, you need specialist to be a training hospital.
There is a need for more goverment hospitals as the existings ones are always so congested with some wards exceeding BOR 100% all the time.
However, the issue is there are are not enough specialists to fill them.
Having said that, with the current surplus of MOs and HOs, in 10- 20 years times, provided many of them enter and complete their post-graduate studies, they would be able to fill that void.
So considering how long it takes to build a hospital in Malaysia, they should start planning now!
Expanding the public health service is not possible because there is not enough money. The government’s ecpenditure is already in deficit, worsen by dropping oil prices and royalty payments.
There is another bottleneck which will become increasingly acute, that of postgraduate training. The current Master’s system can barely cope with an intake of 1000 students a year. Normally, in most developed countries, about half of all graduates proceed to speciality training, with the other half doing GP, health or admin/managment work. With already 5000 new graduates this year, and expected to increase over the next few years, it is impossible to increase the Masters programme to 2500 a year. That is why the MoH is now looking at alternate pathways.
More problems are expected. We are all too aware of the poor quality of many graduate doctors nowadays. The reason is simple: too many mediocre and disinterested students are taken into Med school. Let’s face it: you cannot make diamonds out of carbon.
If we make the same mistake with post graduate training, ie taking in random poorly qualified students, and/or dilute/dumb down the specialist training just to make the numbers, we will transfer the current problem of incompetent junior doctors to incompetent specialists.
Do we really want that?
I will say this again, building more hospitals is NOT the answer. We need an integrated healthcare system.If you take Klang Valley for example, we have doctor:population ratio of 1: 400 but why are we still seeing overcrowded Polyclinics and hospitals in public sector? The answer is simple: maldistribution of doctors between urban and rural and between public and private. So, no matter how many hospitals you build, the situation will not change. 80% of population still goes to public sector.
Furthermore, completing postgraduate education is not like undergraduate education. We do not want to be producing low quality specialist just to fill the post. However, in bolehland, it will happen anyway!
Currently there may be uptill 15% surplus for mo post in most hospital. And the sad fact is eventhough we have plenty of house officers out there, the working attitude is very different. Like many of previous Dr Paga’s posts, most have no idea what medical life is, and start to complain being “bullied”,”overwork”,”your generation is different from us”. With increase of doctors, we are hoping for improved quality of medical care overall, question is, are we?
quantity is not equal to quality
And SPA will not entertain request for interviews unless you have your graduate certificate. And for Monash Sunway graduates who graduated last year, they wont get it until their convocation in April 2016. Their counterparts in Oz who completed at the same time had their convocation in December last year. Looks like some of the delay is from the University.
For accountancy and engineering graduates, you will be employed within the next month after you complete the course.
accountancy and engineering grads will be employed within the following month? if they are lucky.. loll
There are only 4 medical schools in the republic of ireland. For local irish citizens it is a stringent selection process. Only the brightest get in. Also there is an aptitude test to make sure candidates are not just book smart.
However there are more irish med schools in malaysia then in ireland itself. The selection criteria is ‘can you pay the fees’. Profit drives selection in these franchise med schools. I doubt the irish med schools ( and any franchising private med school) will lose sleep over the current houseman crisis.
Not surprisingly irish citizens who do a degree in malaysia in an irish affiliated med school cannot gain registration in ireland. Goes to show how much faith they have in their own schools overseas.
Why the discrepency? Irish schools are careful when producing docs for its own population. Expectedly they are profit seeking abroad.
We malaysians on the other hand are happily paying a fortune for these med ed capitalist. At the same time destroying a once noble and respectable profession.
The very people ie government who should have foreseen this and avoided the current situation applauded the capitalist to keep setting up shop. No doubt someone had a sweet deal… and surprise surprise here we are today.
all the branch campuses in Malaysia do not accept their own citizens as students. That is the fact. The reason given is that they do not want their citizens to fill up the places as it is cheaper and it suppose to cater the needs of the country where the branch is.
I suspect It is probably also a case that the medical councils in these countries would not accept qualifications from hybrid campuses abroad, because there is no control over selection, intake and quality of teaching
Send a few lecturers or external examiners and charge astronomical school fees. The stuff love it. First class flights to exotic malaysia with 5 star accommodation… yes perks of having hybrid campuses abroad. Don t worry those Malaysians will pay… the more expansive the more prestigious.
DSM should include wannabedoc mania as a psychiatric illness in malaysia… maybe that would create a new subspecialty and provide some new doctor jobs so desperately needed
Diselusioned, “Wannabedoc mania as a psychiatric illness to create a new sub-specialty and more jobs”? Making this childish joke makes you no better.
Are you sure that those branch campuses which are of better quality than most of the local private med schools and few public unis are to be blamed for this situation? Get your facts right please before spreading your ignorance:)
I rather trust those branch campuses compared to the local med schools.
Its difficult to tell which medical school is better nowadays because student selection is so indiscriminate any Abu, Chong and Bala gets into medical school. The difference is how much money you have to go to which school. Got money, go to expansive branded one with foreign name, no money go to not so branded one. Local public unis used to be the best but nowadays because student selection is politicized they are no better.
I do think the only difference of these foreign branded med schoos are the students ability to pay. There will be many brilliant students, and not so brilliant students in every med school, foreign or local. But it will be the same in UM, UKM, TAR, IMU, PMC or AIMST, Quality of students depends on ability to pay rather then brilliance of students. The way it is: there are just too many med schools available. Every school has to lower their standards to survive.
Yes every medical school is to be blamed for the current situation, So are the regulatory bodies who allowed them to set up shop. As long as you are producing doctors, you are adding to the burden of houseman glut. 15 years back if the MOH or whoever in charge did some planning, we would be much content with IMU and PMC being the only private med schools. But then came monash, Perdana and many more, all of which were set up when there were already obvious signs of the impending houseman glut.
If you are offended because you paid a few extra quid compared to ahbeng who got it cheap at the local unbranded med school, only to find out we are all in the same shit basket anyways, then tough, thats life.
Wannabedoc mania is a mental disorder. It has caused massive problems in Malaysian Healthcare. It is an over attachment and delusional believes with a Dr title that in reality is just as it is–> Hard work and hard workl. Yes I will continue joking about it dear Jason, not to make me better or worse, but more as a satire of the current situation.
Desillusioned, please do continue your joke as if anyone cares. Indeed I am gov-sponsored scholar in a international branch campus. I do agree with you that students with good financial background will have better opportunity since they are able to afford those top-brand med schools. However, you can’t deny the higher quality of teaching and curriculum in those branch campuses as compared to other local dubious universities.
Please correct the misconception that the MoH, or the MMC is responsible for this problem. They are not. The responsibility lies with the MoHE for issuing the licences for medical schools. The MMC will just have to accredit the training is adequate, and the MoH absorb all graduates, no matter how incompetent.
All local med schools suffer from the basic problem of not being able to select the BEST students for their programmes. IPTA is hampered by Bumi policies, and preferentially takes in 3.5 pointers from Asasi over 4.0 from STPM/Matrik. IPTS is basically about money. So they will take anybody with money, right down to the bottom of the MMC guidelines for minimum qualification, to fill places.
Branch campuses are no better. One just need to look at Monash Malaysia’s selection policy, and compare with the Clayton policy, to see the difference. Without dropping the requirements, they cannot fill the licensed quota they have. If they follow Clayton’s criteria, they possibly will get only 20 students to qualify.
Ok Jason you certainly cared enough to warrant a response. Thanks for that.
On the matter of branded unis having better teaching then the unbranded ones I would take that with a pinch of salt, knowing that others may differ in opinion. My argument is: these universities are set up to produce doctors for the Malaysian market. How much do Australian, UK, Irish doctors know about whats best for Malaysian students?? I bet any MO in Malaysia has more experience dealing with dengue fever then any infectious disease physician from a western country. If these branch campuses were producing doctors for their own countries, then it would make sense, but they are not.
The student who went abroad to a western country thinks they have the best education because they went to world renown unis. The student who is in a branch campus from an international university think they have a better deal then the others in unbranded unis because they are affiliated to western universities. The local public university students think they are the good because their selection was the most stringent. The russian/ ukrainian students think they are good but were not given an opportunity because of their skin. The JPA sponsored students think they are the brightest of the group because their hard work brought them the scholarship, the self funding students think they are bright and working hard on their own effort, sometimes bitter of sponsored students wasting away government money. These ideas motivate us, make us feel good of ourselves. It is human nature to think that way, and certainly not wrong. But we should not forget this are but lies we tell ourselves.
At the end of the day, when you qualify, what makes you a good vs pariah dr is whether you can look fear in the eye, keep calm and presevere for the sake of your patient. No medical school can teach that.
It’s a sad situation that we are in. However, rather than feeling frustrated about the current situation and at our nonsensical government policies, let’s try do what we can to change things. I think Dr Paga should publish a book (in process, I think?) so that his message will reach a wider audience, and hopefully more influential people out there. I’d hope that our own DG would at least be aware of this blog. There’s quite a considerable number of readers here, admittedly of mixed views, and we should at least do our part in making the public more aware of the current issues that we have in the medical profession. Instead of feeling angry and depressed, we should educate the public ie family, friends, colleagues outside medicine. Unfortunately, a lot of people out there still would want to send their children to medical school and spend loads of money because of various reasons despite what we know. And these ‘universities’/’medical courses’ thrive because there is demand.
Finally, things could be worse (yes, I said it). Regardless of debt, reduction in quality, or the chaotic way the medical system works in Msia, I’d still rather have a country with too MANY doctors, rather than one with too many crooks (yes, they could be one and the same, and yes, you might argue we have ONE big crook/crook army but that’s a different story). These doctors may be unemployed, but at least there’ll be more people who could do CPR when you collapse in the street with an MI. You’d hope so, anyway.
i strongly refute more doctor is better, please take note, this is medicine, not a business making entity, not the more the merrier! . in overseas with tight medical council controls and stringent law, do you know what i encounter?
1. repetitive same meds given although warning saying pt will get agranulocytosis and bone marrow suppression, and the patient died eventually
2. missed rashes even by SMO eventually lead to meningitis and death of a small baby
3. in chaotic emergency situation, the most senior person has to take a step back as leader and to oversee the whole CPR, giving instructions on who to do what. do you think more doctor will help in this tremendous stressful situation? don’t you understand less is more in this situation and you can’t hv 10 person doing chest compression at the same time but no one giving adrenaline!!
4. a junior recklessly put a pt in cast with ill knowledge in x ray and the whole elbow is so stiff and probably he will not get full extension again?
5. pt has to endure pain simply because x ray finding is normal and no referral for further MRI/CT
off course the first 2 scenario ended in lawsuit and got convicted. i am not saying i am a great doc but if you have no quality control and with more doctors it will be hazardous to the society and tht is what dr p always say license to kill!!this is medicine, not more the merrier, but a group of efficient and smart doctor, albeit a small number!!if this can happen in western countries i can’t see why this can’t happen or worst in msia?
Meanwhile, my friend is still thinking he can get housemanship straight after graduation! LOL!
There are just too many ignorant people out there and they won’t listen anyway
Apparently pharmacists and dentists are already facing and will face similar gutter as well in the near future. People of my generation *meaning the sporing graduations* just aren’t responsible enough to do research of their own on the career projection and outcome. Today, after graduation we lament and cry for aid in despair in local publications so that “authorities” would do something.
My take in this: have the decency and responsibility to read up on the facts before jumping into any bandwagon. For me who have been in the limbo between vet and med, I can’t put anymore emphasis on the need to know what you want and aim for in life, at least from A to P, not Z.
It’s an eyesore, pretty much to see people from my generation to graduate and not getting placements for the money they have invested on their education like medicine or pharmacy; constantly sulking for the fact that some of them didn’t even know how long it takes to be a full-fledged MO! They post about how inspired they are by the specialists they learn from in med school; only to not know about the ugly truth when reality hits.
Conclusion; with our system the glut for these professions probably will put plenty in limbo for a long while. Being as receptive to incompetency like our country’s various system. the most our public can put off is to write to papers and publications to cry in despair; and then wait.
If we have had any chances of making this straight, associations would have done something before this happened already. Good luck to future med graduates, that goes to my ex-coursemates in Monash as well.
The problem in Malaysia is ” no one listens”! Our students are too pampered and spoon-fed since school days unlike the western populations. Thus, they do not do any research. I blame the education system.
Hi Dr Pagalavan
I just wonder do you know what is the situation for medical specialist in Malaysia at the moment?
I have been working for 2 years in Ireland post MRCP and planning to come back to Malaysia in July.other option for me would be working in Singapore or continue my training in Ireland.Would appreciate your advice.
Many thanks
Nik
Please dont come back to malaysia.if you want to be near to malaysia with better pay then singapore is the answer.otherwise continue working in ireland.my honest reply
We are still short of specialist. Why don’t you complete your training in Ireland and then return to Malaysia.
Dear Nik,
Your problems would be as follows:
Working in Ireland –> Compete for a training post. Non EU–> Not impossible but a bit more challenging. Worthwhile staying if you can get into a scheme of your choice.
Leave Ireland–> Now not to be racist or anything but being an old timer seeing what my colleagues have done: Bumi colleagues–> Go to UM/UKM get a lecturer job or even enter masters program. Non Bumi colleagues –> Generally go to singapore. Don’t know of a non bumi colleague in similar situation as you who has been offered a good training post in Malaysia (Or could also be they never bothered asking)
Another option is to be a registrar not in a training post in Ireland, do the USMLEs and go to the USA. Might take a few years to achieve but in my personal opinion that is the best option.
Nik please stay at Ireland or go to Singapore. You’d be miserable in Malaysia.
forget about msia, as a specialist overseas, you can easily earn $250,000 just on 38 hours/week. forget about singapore bcos a car can easily cost you S120,000. stay in aussie/nz/canada to get the above rate. worst still your contribution towards singapore cpf/superannuation is crazy which will be deducted from your salary, but other western country will still pay you when you are old even you have no superannuation contributions at all. just my honest opinion. work hard for 6 months in western country and come back for holiday for 6 months, trust me, you can still live like a king. But if out of altruism and you are so patriotic, then think about msia, may be free service to them.Trust me, you will leave pretty fast, somemore with the 1.5 million of Bangla, mostly carrying TB or hiv infesting the country as no proper screening system.
It is not easy being a doctor, even for those at the top of their profession with legal suits such as these:
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/cancer-centre-oncologist/2538932.html
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/doctor-sued-for-alleged/2428112.html
Hi Dr Pagalawan, im currently a medical officer working at a private hispital. Im keen on rejoining civil service. Is it possible? The reason is because i would like to do my masters in ophthalmology. Im unsure .Can you please guide me on how to go about applying for it. Thanking you
Previously, you can under contract. However, i can’t say the same now as the government got not enough post. You can try applying.
Since the restructuring of the Budget 2016, my hopes of studying medicine overseas is dashed. I have no alternative but to study locally in private medical schools as I am a JPA Bursary scholar. I had two offers, one is IMU and the other is NUmed.I read in your blog that NUmed is recognised in UK. Does that mean it has an advantage over IMU? I need your professional advice. Thanks!
Firstly, you will be bonded for 10 years, so it does not make a difference. Secondly, while GMC recognises NuMed degree, the chances of you getting a job there is almost nil based on current immigration laws. Please read my blog entry HERE and HERE.
Dr, does it mean we don’t have any chance to go overseas(eg doing postgrad in Aus given my degree is recognised by AMC) as we are bonded for 10 years? Thanks.
Firstly , recognised by AMC does not mean anything unless you do your internship in Australia and receive full registration . Thus, you will not be able to get a job there for your postgraduate training since you can’t be registered without internship. However, you can do part of your training overseas as an attachment . MOH will give sponsoship for that , usually for a year.
Lyn, I presume you are in Monash Malaysia. There is a small chance of being able to get an Internship job in Australia, some Monash Msia graduates have been/are working in Tasmania. However, the Internship bottleneck remains tight, and even onshore graduates have problems getting jobs.
If you don’t get to do Internship in Australia, then you cannot get full registration in Australia.
If you are a JPA scholar, then your bond will prevent you from NOT working in Malaysia.
Lynn, if you get internship in Oz, you can take it up despite being bonded to JPA as long as you repay what is due. Gomen will only be too happy to receive any payback due to the current shortage of vacancies. Majority of JPA scholars in UK will not come back; at least until they obtain their specialisation.
[…] be informed that due to shortage of post, MMC has clearly informed that only after SPA offers you a job, you will be given the Temporary Registration. SPA has been […]
Good day there! I’ve been a keen follower of the situation in Malaysia with regards to shortage of prevocational training in the country. I read that you are providing the most honest opinion in terms of that as well.
However, the question remains after almost a decade of discussion and ad-hoc solutions for the shortage of prevocational training opportunities. Is there any holistic approach into managing this solution. It is rather weird to see how medical schools harp on seeing patient as a whole, and yet the medical community including the health department is not seeing this “shortage of prevocational training” patient as a whole.
1. Has there been a national conversation into finding a real solution to this issue?
2. Is there a role for a national pre-medical school tests in Malaysia, equivalent to GAMSAT in Australia or UKCAT in the UK?
3. Are we absolutely sure that international medical graduates working in Malaysia have met competencies that are in line with competencies required by the medical board? Is there a role for an exam similar to PLAB in the UK and AMC exam in Australia, and scrapping of the Second Schedule in the Medical Act?
I sincerely hope you are advocating for the medical community as much as you are posting here in your page. I could only sense negativity in your blog overall and providing no real solutions to the problem that have been plaguing the nation for years.
This shows you have not really read what I have been writing all this while! The answers and solutions have been written many times in this blog if you care to read properly. The problem is politics! The issue of common entry exam was shot down by our cabinet in 2011 when it suppose to be included in the amended Medical Act2012. So, you should direct these questions to our politicians. It is people like you who shot down all the ideas and problems that I foresaw many years ago but now claim that we are not doing anything about it. I was condemned by many for telling the predicted future. FYI, I have been in MMA and brought up these issues almost 10 years ago.
Doctor, good days! I am SPM 2013 leaver who is one of those affected by JPA glut. I am passionate of becoming a doctor but after reading your post, I know reality should be considered as well. Since we are waiting for more than six months for housemanship, what can we do during the waiting period? May I apply for paramedic or medical assistance position while waiting? Will it affect my application to housemanship?
The waiting period may be way longer by the time you graduate. So far, I have not heard of any medical graduates applying for medical assistance or paramedic position as these positions are reserved for those who graduate as paramedics. It is diploma position. No one will likely give you a temporary post.
Oh I see. Then while waiting for the posting, any suggestion of what can we do? This is because we will need to start paying back the loan after six months if we don’t secure a job with the government…
Part time job in anything
Grab car drivers working in KL earn them more than RM5K nett monthly (after deductinf petrol and car maintenance cost) by just working part time. That’s why teksi drivers in KL are protesting.