PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has called for the government to allow Medical Officers (MO) to decide whether they want to apply for the Hadiah Latihan Persekutuan (HLP) scholarship to specialize through the parallel pathway. According to MMA president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz, the current system requires all MO in public healthcare to apply for the HLP government scholarship, regardless of the pathway they choose for specialization. There are two pathways available, namely the MMED local masters or the parallel Royal Colleges programme. Dr Azizan suggested that the HLP should not be mandatory for the parallel pathway, as some doctors are willing to self-fund their specialist training due to the lack of available openings and limitations in attaining the HLP.
Dr Azizan also expressed concerns about the long waiting times for the HLP to enter their specialization training, which can range anywhere from one to four years. This delay is negatively impacting the production of much-needed specialists in the country. He highlighted the acute shortage of specialists across the board and questioned whether the government will be able to provide enough specialists in the coming years, considering that Malaysia’s population-to-specialist ratio is significantly lower than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average.
Furthermore, Dr Azizan pointed out that the government has set a target of 28,000 specialists by 2030, but with the current number of specialists being produced each year, it is unlikely that this target will be achieved. Many junior doctors have also raised concerns about the limited offering for the HLP scholarship and the long wait for entry into the parallel pathway programme. According to a survey conducted by the MMA, a majority of junior doctors surveyed favored the parallel pathway program over taking up a Master’s degree in medicine.
The survey, which included 393 medical officers, showed that over 80% of respondents preferred the parallel pathway program. The HLP is required for junior doctors to complete the necessary rotations for their training, enabling them to apply for specialist registration through the National Specialist Register. Without the HLP, they would not be able to train as specialists under a parallel pathway instead of pursuing a Master’s degree. The issues raised by the MMA highlight the challenges faced by medical officers in pursuing further specialization and the impact of the current system on the country’s healthcare system.
