Competency Test for Medical Graduates

Test for MD

Malaysian Medical Council has introduced a new examination for medical graduates intending to practice in Malaysia. However, according to MMC president Datuk Ismail merican, only those medical graduates from doubtful colleges or institutions that are not up to mark will be required to sit for a local qualifying examination.

Those from reputable institutions like Cambridge would not have to do so, said MMC president Datuk Ismail Merican.

“This exam will be fair and we will be able to know whether the doctors are competent. The exam is flexible as the students are allowed to take it three times. Students might be allowed to take bridging courses to improve themselves."

COMMENTS:

The proposal seem reasonable and would help to ensure, to a certain degree, that graduates do possess the relevant knowledge.

The main issue that would probably arise is:

What does MMC mean when they said 'Doubtful Colleges' and those that are 'NOT UP TO THE MARK'?

This statement implies that MMC has set a subjective qualification which the public and those colleges and institutions will not be able to objectively satisfy those requirements that are necessary to fulfill the criterias. It also imply that MMC can, within their own subjective discretion, decides which college is doubtful or not up to the mark. It will ultimately give rise to difference of opinion and disagreement, and another potential future outcry, leading to calls for political intervention.

I just wonder why is it that our system managers would not seek to implement system that can be transparent, accountable, and be able to pass public scrutiny. Too often, and repeatedly, we set up systems that will grant wide subjective discretions and powers to the unelected, and it often lead to axiomatic biases and mala fide decisions and thus provide enormous loopholes for corruptive behaviors to persists.

On the statement by the president that those from reputable institutions like Cambridge would not have to sit for the exam, that's too simplistic. Everybody, including morons and oxymorons, understand the quality of graduates from Ivy League universities. But there are three hundred over universities that are accredited by MMC and hundreds more that are not accredited by MMC. How does MMC judge which uni is doubtful and not up to the mark?

The hypothesis is: The system intentionally set up system qualifications that are elastically subjective such that the final decision-making rest on the absolute hands of the officers who are empowered to pick and choose at their whims and fancies, and within what they deem fit. Therefore, there is no right and wrong; only what they think is right is deem right, and if they decide it is wrong, it is conclusive, subject to further appeals and the need to 'Kautim'.

This is Malaysia Boleh and the Kautim cultures!