Minimum entry requirement to study medicine may be tightened

The government may tighten the minimum entry requirement for students who want to pursue higher education in medicine, in future.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S.Subramaniam said a study and discussion with the Education Ministry had been carried out on this matter.

He said the proposal was to ensure that only truly qualified students would take up medicine and in the long-run, would control the number of new medical graduates entering the job market.

"Now it's (minimum entry requirement) 4Bs. We may raise it because a lot of students are getting A's now. We will also make this mandatory for students who are taking up medicine overseas," he told reporters after the Thaipusam celebration at Batu Caves, near here, today.

There are currently 33 medical schools in the country which produce about 5,000 new medical graduates each year and causing an influx of new doctors in the the job market.

"Our ratio has almost reached one doctor per 600 population and as far as training is concerned, the Health Ministry ensures that everybody will get adequate amount of training. We won't compromise on the level of training and exposure," he said.

Dr Subramaniam said the government had also frozen the registration of new medical schools in the country and applications to increase the student intake into their medical programmes.

Earlier, Dr Subramaniam who is also MIC deputy president, said Thaipusam at Batu Caves this year had attracted some one million visitors over the past 10 days.

He said a medical team from the ministry, assisted by members of the Red Crescent Society and St. John Ambulance as well as the Fire and Rescue Department, had been on duty at the site to provide medical help to those in need.

Up to today, the medical camp had registered 85 cases of visitors seeking medical help, he added.