The termination of contract Medical Officers has begun

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As far back as in 2013, we had predicted that there will be jobless doctors in Malaysia. It was an easy prediction to make as the number of medical graduates both from local medical schools as well as those from abroad, exceeded the number of available positions for house officers and medical officers. The JPA had not increased the number of positions to keep up with the demand for training posts for junior doctors (6,000 new doctors every year, not enough jobs)
It reached a point where there were no longer “permanent positions” for new junior doctors , only contract positions offered.

The maximum period for a contract appointment would be five years, namely, three years for graduate training and two years for mandatory service.
With the policy change, MOH succeeded in appointing 16,407 graduate medical officers from December, 2016 to October 2019 with an emolument expenditure of RM1.63 billion, he said.

By 2019, the three years contract for first batch of contract House officers would have finished, and as contract Medical Officers, they have no assurance of renewal of their contracts. which have a “maximum period of 5 years” in any case.
This will be a real dilemma for the Medical Officers who are pursuing post-graduate training, as without any proper experience or enrollment in training posts, their hopes and ambitions to become specialists will be dashed.

So now it has begun. The first contract terminations of medical officers have struck, in Sarawak. 4 medical officers did not get their contracts renewed, including two mentioned who had passed their part I post-graduate examinations.

The critical answer we want from KKM is what criteria are being used when deciding which contracts are to be terminated?
Is there any discrepancy between West Malaysian and East Malaysian doctors?

There is still a shortage of doctors in Malaysia – especially in the middle and senior ranks, and maldistribution between rural and urban sectors. The jobless situation is in reality due to the lack of funding for positions required to cope with the demand. Our public sector doctors are over worked and under paid. KKM in admitting this has appealed for more posts from JPA

The Health Ministry has submitted a request to the Federal Government for additional posts of 10,675 involving government hospitals and clinics nationwide.
Its deputy minister Dr Lee Boon Chye said the application was to address the shortage of positions especially medical staff in the Emergency Department including the shortage of doctors, pharmacists and dentists.

Are you a junior contract doctor in Malaysia? Worried about your future?
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