Turning away the brains
posted in - Nation, - Palmdoc |Thanks to dranony in the MMR forums for the heads up on this Letter to the Star (by a wandering doctor whose name might be vaguely familiar to you – enough clues ? 
) I reproduce it here as I feel it is important
I READ with interest the report regarding Malaysia’s lack of cancer specialists ‘Lack of Specialists Affecting Cancer Treatment’ (The Star, Jan 16).
We also frequently read of calls by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) and other governmental bodies for Malaysian specialists trained overseas to return and help add to the medical skills so badly needed.
Indeed, MMC president Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican has done an admirable job trying to attract brains to return.
However, speaking as a sub-specialist in thyroidology and endocrinology trained overseas, I feel that the problem lies at a lower level – within the hospitals and universities.
I have many close doctor friends here in the US, as well as in other countries who have shared their bad experiences.One, an internist-oncologist from Kuala Lumpur who trained at the famous Mayo Clinic in the US, decided during a vacation to Malaysia to visit the premier teaching hospital in KL to meet with the head of department to check out the job opportunities there.
He, at that time, was considering returning to Malaysia after training for 11 years. Instead of a warm welcome and interest in hiring him, he was bluntly told that he was “overqualified” and that they would have nothing suitable for him.
Another friend from Malacca, trained in cardiology and soon in interventional cardiology, at yet another world-famous hospital in the US, was met with a similar, cold, and arrogant response when he made a visit to Malaysia’s premier cardiac hospital to scout out opportunities.
He was curtly told that they “didn’t recognise his qualifications”. Which is ironic considering Malaysia and Singapore send their doctors to this US hospital for specialised training.Compare that to our experiences with our neighbour down south. When these two friends met with their counterparts in Singapore, the meeting was pleasant, very enthusiastic and genuine. The cardiologist was told, “If they (Malaysia) don’t want you, we certainly do!”
The hospitals there were keen on hiring them and showed it. This has been my experience as well; whenever I would meet my Singaporean counterparts at international meetings they have always been keen to recruit specialty-trained doctors, regardless of skin colour or race. The credentials speak for themselves.
These are not isolated stories. Many others have shared similar experiences. We who are here form a large community of doctors and surgeons in various fields, numbering in the hundreds; many still call Malaysia home, yet many have been turned off by the obstacles we have faced.
In this tri-state area alone, there are at least 12 Malaysian doctors, in endocrinology, oncology-hematology, nephrology, transplant, pathology and surgery. Think about how this can help solve our country’s lack of manpower and expertise if people were keen to return after their training.
Therefore, while I laud the MMC’s efforts in trying to recruit specialist doctors to return, the “Little Napoleons” who run the departments in the university hospitals will keep many Malaysian doctors from returning.
The message needs to get down to all levels, that if indeed expertise is so badly needed in the country, then things need to change to better attract the brains back.
What is needed for spurring progress and development is an influx of talent. We need to put the nation’s interest foremost in our minds. If instead people are afraid of competition or challenge and prefer to exist in an atmosphere of mediocrity then expect to languish, not to progress and perhaps even rot.
Related MMR post:
Malaysian Doctors abroad not coming back? Who’s to blame?
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January 20th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Looks like it will be a long while (or never) before local Malaysian hospitals show the same enthusiasm and encouragement like Singapore and Australia for many aspiring overseas doctors who do desire to return to Malaysia. Many do desire to return, but it is not easy, especially when faced with multiple tough obstacles. It is already hard enough to try to uproot and replant one own’s established medical practice, housing, kids’ schooling & their circle of friends in a foreign land. The additional obstacles only make it even harder.
January 21st, 2008 at 12:30 pm
When we are so short of Oncologists, I must ask, what the heck does it mean being “Overqualified”? Perhaps it really means more qualified than the local HOD? Perhaps like some politicians, some little Napoleons are indeed “pantang dicabar”
January 21st, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Lostsheep is a consultant oncologist while I am an oncological surgeon for head & neck and thyroid malignancies. We have the experience of providing regional cancer service via the well established MDT (multidisciplinary team) system. I am sure we have something to offer if we were to go home.
My wife is quite homesick and keen for me to return, but I told her I may not get a job that is appropriate. They may send me for a general ENT job or do placebo snoring surgery which is devoid of evidence of its longterm effect. The MOH has a habit of talking through the press but no one is really available for you to make direct enquiries. Our children are growing all the time and the longer it drags on, the harder it is for us to uproot our family to start a new life elsewhere.