The Academy of Medicine of Malaysia (AMM) welcomes the recent submission of a joint Cabinet memorandum concerning the proposed amendments to the Medical Act 1971 (Act 50) by Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad and Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir.
We reiterate our unwavering support and deepest gratitude in recognition of the commendable efforts made.
The AMM has long advocated for solutions to the registration issues faced by medical doctors who have obtained their specialist qualifications and satisfactorily completed their training programmes to be registered in the National Specialist Register (NSR).
The proposed amendments constitute a pivotal step towards resolving these long-standing issues and ensuring a streamlined recognition and registration process of medical specialists.
The Cabinet’s agreement in principle to this proposal is a testament to the government’s commitment to address the critical shortage of quality specialists in our country.
We eagerly anticipate the tabling of the Bill for these amendments at the Second Meeting of the Third Session of the 15th Parliament in 2024, following Cabinet approval.
The proposed amendments to the Medical Act will allow both pathways for specialist training to be implemented more systematically from the legal perspective.
To ensure quality, all specialist training programmes under universities and the parallel pathway should meet the standards and the specialty-specific requirements of the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC).
Recognition of quality-assured training programmes will enable doctors who have fulfilled all the necessary requirements to register as medical specialists in the NSR.
The AMM, which administered the NSR together with the MOH for 11 years before the enforcement of the Medical Act, had already put in place NSR procedures and guidelines for the registration of specialists.
These guidelines assess the training, specialist qualifications, and competencies achieved upon completion of training. Under the purview of the MMC, a similar evaluation process which is aligned to the Medical Act has been continuing to enable medical practitioners, both from the Master\s programmes and the parallel pathways, to be registered in the NSR.
The AMM. as the leading professional body representing specialist practitioners from various areas, looks forward to the positive impact these changes will bring to our health care system and the enhanced quality of care that specialists will be able to provide to Malaysians.
We, the under-signed:
- Academy of Medicine of Malaysia (Prof Dr Rosmawati Mohamed, Master)
- College of Anaesthesiologists (Prof Dr Ina Ismiarti Shariffuddin, President)
- College of Dental Specialists (Dr Ahmad Sharifuddin Mohd Asari, President)
- College of Emergency Physicians (Dr Alzamani Mohammad Idrose, President)
- College of Otorhinolaryngologists – Head and Neck Surgeons (Prof Emeritus Dr Lokman Saim, President)
- College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (Prof Dr Siti Zawiah Omar, President)
- College of Ophthalmologists (Prof Dr Hajah Shatriah Binti Ismail, President)
- College of Paediatrics (Prof Dr Thong Meow Keong, President)
- College of Pathologists (Prof Emeritus Dr Cheong Soon Keng, President)
- College of Physicians (Prof Dr Paras Doshi, President)
- College of Public Health Medicine (Dr Anita Suleiman, President)
- College of Radiology (Prof Dr Norlisah Mohd Ramli, President)
- College of Surgeons (Dr Siow Sze Li, President)
The Academy of Medicine of Malaysia, embracing 12 colleges and 24 chapters, is a registered, non-profit professional organisation representing medical specialists in various specialities in the country.
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