The College of Physicians Malaysia (CoPM) welcomes and is encouraged by the recent high-level joint meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary to the government (Ketua Setiausaha Negara), involving the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Secretary-General of the Public Service Department (JPA), the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Finance (MOF), and other key stakeholders to discuss matters affecting specialist and subspecialist training pathways in Malaysia.
The College views this meeting as a positive and significant step forward. It reflects a shared recognition at the highest levels of government that the development of Malaysia’s future specialist and subspecialist workforce is a national priority.
We are hopeful that the discussions and commitments arising from this engagement will translate into tangible and practical solutions that will benefit physicians on the ground and ultimately improve patient care throughout the country.
As the professional body representing physicians and physician trainees, the College remains committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen postgraduate medical education and ensure a sustainable pipeline of future specialists and subspecialists.
Malaysia faces growing health care demands driven by an ageing population and increasing rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, respiratory illnesses, and other complex medical conditions. To meet these challenges, the nation requires a steady supply of highly trained subspecialists.
The College fully supports the maintenance of high standards in specialist and subspecialist training. Excellence, competency, professionalism and patient safety must remain at the centre of all training programmes and selection processes.
At the same time, the College is concerned that uncertainties surrounding eligibility requirements and administrative processes may unintentionally create barriers to career progression for qualified specialists, particularly those who have completed recognised Master’s (MMed) and Parallel Pathway training programmes.
The College is particularly concerned that unresolved issues relating to Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (LNPT) and the recognition of service performed during recognised training programmes may inadvertently disadvantage MMed-trained physicians and create unnecessary delays in progression towards subspecialty training.
Importantly, this discussion is not about lowering standards. Rather, it is about ensuring that pathways remain transparent, predictable, equitable and aligned with the realities of modern postgraduate medical training.
The College firmly believes that no trainee should be left behind, especially those who have committed themselves to rigorous specialist training while simultaneously contributing to the delivery of patient care within the public health care system.
These physicians continue to shoulder significant clinical responsibilities, provide essential services to patients, and support the health care system while pursuing advanced training. Their dedication and service should be recognised and supported as part of Malaysia’s long-term health care workforce development strategy.
The College supports clear communication of eligibility requirements, consistent interpretation of criteria, recognition of service performed during recognised training programmes, prospective implementation of policy changes, transparent feedback mechanisms, and continued collaboration between MOH, JPA, MOF, the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), and professional bodies.
The College acknowledges and welcomes the recent engagement involving multiple government agencies, recognising that the challenges surrounding specialist and subspecialist workforce development encompass both human resource planning and postgraduate medical training.
These are complex issues that cannot be resolved by any single agency alone. The College believes that a whole-of-government approach is essential to ensure that workforce policies, training pathways, service requirements and national health care priorities remain aligned.
The recent high-level engagement is therefore a positive example of the collaborative approach required to address these challenges in a sustainable and meaningful manner.
Given the potential impact on current and future trainees, the College respectfully calls for the maintenance of the existing eligibility criteria and processes pending further review and engagement with relevant stakeholders.
Preserving the status quo at this stage will provide certainty to trainees, training institutions and health care services while discussions continue towards a sustainable long-term solution.
The College remains optimistic that the recent high-level discussions will lead to meaningful reforms that strengthen, rather than hinder, the development of Malaysia’s future subspecialist workforce.
Any future changes should be carefully planned, transparently communicated and implemented in a manner that safeguards both training quality and workforce sustainability.
Ultimately, strengthening specialist and subspecialist training is not merely a professional issue—it is an investment in the future health of the nation. Malaysia must continue to nurture, support and retain its future subspecialists to ensure that patients have access to high-quality care for generations to come.
In doing so, no trainee should be left behind, particularly those who are actively undergoing training while simultaneously contributing to patient care and service delivery within the public health care system.
This press statement was issued by College of Physicians Malaysia president Dr Paras Doshi.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
