KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Medics International (MMI) has called for the government to accelerate the recruitment of medical graduates, suggesting a targeted approach to swiftly integrate them into the housemanship system for a quicker transition from graduation to practical training.
The move, it said, would not only address extreme shortages but also help to overcome the issue of brain dead which has been a concerning trend in the healthcare system.
Its statement came following a report that there was a critical shortage of house officers in different medical units within the medicine department of the University Malaya Medical Centre.
Citing Singapore as an example, MMI said the transition period between graduation and work offered by republic was much shorter than in Malaysia where graduates have to wait about six months.
"With a shorter gap (transition from graduation to work), more medical graduates are able to work sooner to reduce the shortage of house officers," it said.
Previously, it was reported that the Department of Medicine had UMMC had implemented a 'Zero HO' protocol (meaning, no trainee doctors).
MMI said the reduction in the number of trainee doctors in the healthcare system caused great concern because it could have various impacts including increasing the burden borne by the existing workforce thus contributing to the problem of fatigue.
It said the delegation of tasks by focusing on critical departments was important so that the quality of service to patients is not affected.
MMI also called for effective collaboration between the Health and Higher Education ministries to bridge the gap and ensure better healthcare outcomes, including by implementing cross-disciplinary training programs for medical students to equip them with essential skills training.