Scholarship doctors should do postgrad studies locally

NST: Government-funded doctors studying abroad who want to continue with postgraduate studies there should be made to return to attend local universities instead.
Such a policy would bring back these much-needed doctors to fill vacancies in government hospitals, said two leading figures in medical education.
It would also make it tougher for them to break the bonds they signed in return for their scholarships, they said.
Yesterday, Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said up to 100 Malaysian doctors have been working as locum in Ireland when they should have returned to serve out their bonds.
He estimated the Government has spent between RM60 million and RM100 million on these Ireland-trained doctors, who should have served at least 10 years in government hospitals.
Many of them were on Mara scholarships, according to Dr Chua who paid a visit there recently.
Universiti Putra Malaysia’s deputy dean and head of surgery, Professor Dr Yunus Gul, said doctors can pursue post-graduate specialisation in local universities.
"Universities here have the programmes and facilities," he said.
Specialist studies here range from liver and cancer, to obstetrics and gynaecology.
Some narrower sub-specialisations are also available, said Datuk Dr Jeyaindran Sinnadurai, the Royal College of Physician of Ireland’s Dean of Examinations for the region.
Both Dr Yunus and he were critical of doctors who have refused to return from Ireland and who have apparently been encouraging others to do the same.
They urged the Government to act against these doctors and tighten loopholes which allowed them to escape their obligations.