Subramaniam: Many medical students not prepared for doctor’s life

Many of those taking up medicine do not have a realistic view of a doctor’s working life, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.

“They take up medicine and became doctors without knowing exactly what is the (personal) life and working life of a doctor.

“They later realise that they cannot fit into the system,” Dr Subramaniam said.

The ministry, he said, had been trying to resolve the issue by making housemanship more organised and providing counselling to housemen.

“I have told the respective sections to make some changes, such as giving exposure, counselling and training to these people before they start their housemanship.

“If they find working at one particular place is too stressful, we even give them a choice to change to another hospital to see if the change would help them,” he said at a press conference after launching the Workplace Health Promotion Seminar 2017 organised by the Social Security Organisation (Socso) and the Malaysian Health Promotion Board (MySihat) here yesterday.

He was responding to a comment by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa, who said that hospital interns, or housemen, make up the highest number of civil servants who have been sacked from the civil service.

The housemen, who were absent from work for up to 400 days at a time, were served with termination notices.

On the “disappearance” of housemen, Dr Subramaniam said the number of those who had dropped off the system has become fewer over the years.

“There are also those who could not finish their housemanship in the two years required of them. About 20% to 30% of housemen out of the yearly average would extend,” he added.

Dr Subramaniam said while there have been suggestions for medical students to be interviewed to test their aptitude, it was within the purview of the universities to carry out such tests.

“On our side, it is to make the working environment more conducive so that they can fit into it. So collectively, we hope this problem can be addressed,” he said.