More liberal

theSundaily PUTRAJAYA (May 6, 2012): Medical graduates from unrecognised varsities will be able to sit for the Medical Qualifying Exam (MQE) in any local medical university in the next five years or so.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai told theSun today that regulations have been amended to allow all 33 local medical varsities, both public and private, to conduct the MQE.

He had on May 1 announced that medical graduates from unrecognised universities will be able to sit for the MQE at 16 local universities, compared to only three previously – Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).

The 13 other universities are Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Penang Medical College, International Medical University, AIMST University, Melaka-Manipal Medical College, Royal College of Medicine Perak, Monash University Sunway Campus, UCSI University, Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, and the Management and Science University.

"These 16 universities (which can hold the MQE now) are matured universities and they are able to conduct the examination along with their own students," he added.

Yesterday, Liow said the remaining 17 local varsities offering medical degrees "will be allowed to conduct the examination once they have successfully produced their first batch of medical graduates."

He said the changes are to make the exam more liberal and accessible to such graduates, but gave the assurance that quality will be maintained at all times.

"It will be more liberal but at the same time, we will focus and control the quality of our medical graduates," he said after attending a national briefing for the 1MCA Insurance Scheme here.

The MQE, which is compulsory for graduates from unrecognised foreign medical varsities, is set at par with the final-year examinations for local medical graduates.

Graduates from universities unrecognised by the Health Ministry have to pass the exam to begin their housemenship and eventually be registered as doctors in Malaysia.

Liow had also announced previously that medical graduates will be able to sit for the MQE an unlimited number of times until they pass the exam, compared to just three tries previously.

"The reason is... you must be fair to the graduates. Studying medicine is getting more challenging, and if they are committed and they feel they can pass, they should be given the chance to try. Medicine is a lifelong learning process," he said when asked about the rationale behind the move.

According to statistics from the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), passing rates for the MQE are low, with less than 10%-15% of candidates passing each session.

However, the number of candidates who have sat for, and failed all three times is low. Last year, only two candidates had failed all three times.

"That is not the main problem now... the main aim is to make sure we (the ministry) do not hamper their pursuit of medicine, especially since they have completed five years of studies," Liow added.

On the political front, Liow, who is also MCA deputy president, said the initial list of potential MCA candidates for the upcoming general election is ready.

"The first round of names (is based on) the same number of seats (to be contested by the party), no increase," he said briefly when approached.
In the last general election, the MCA which contested 40 federal and 90 state seats saw its worst defeat when it won only 15 federal and 32 state seats.