MRCP derecognised?
posted in - General, - Palmdoc |ch hu has pointed out a rumour in the MMR Forums:
A fresh graduate mentioned she heard the rumour that MRCP - adult internal medicine, (not paediatrics) would soon be recognised as in UK. It means that it will be only a diploma enabling one to be selected for further training to become specialists, either through Masters routes or otherwise. That means that MRCP would not be a specialist diploma per se. One needs something like CCT, CCST, or Masters or FAMS etc to be registered as specialists with Academy of Medicine. Anyone have a better picture?
I also spotted a letter to The Sun (Feb 4-5 2006) by Dr SN entitled “Move to de-recognise programmes unwise”:
I’m a Government doctor currently doing my rural posting in Selangor. I come from a family of doctors who are state physicians and state surgeons and I too intend to further my studies and pursue a post graduate qualification. It is a known fact that getting a place in the local masters programme is not easy and many only got their chosen field for post graduation only after several attempts and after losing a number of years. There is a sizeable number of doctors who have opted to do the membership programme instead, offered by the Royal Colleges in the UK. What I would like to know from the DG of Health is why the Malaysian Medical Council is derecognising these programmes and making things more difficult for doctors here
Well my understanding of the matter is that the MRCP was never considered an “exit” examination which qualifies the post-graduate doctor as a “specialist”. It was always considered an “entrance” examination which qualifies the post-graduate doctor to begin his training as a specialist. In Malaysia, while there are no formal training programmes for the fresh post-MRCP holder, there was (is?) an 18 month “gazettement” period before the MRCP holder could be considered a specialist. Now I don’t know if the rules are about to be changed again - if anyone has any news please post a follow-up comment here.
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March 17th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Specialist is a resposibility. It is like SPM, during those years, having passed the exam was already a wonderful results, but today, more and more students are ace-ing the exams.
If we give doctors who passed their part 1 MRCP during the housemanship years and then passed the MRCP programme, subsequently producing young specialist with little to no experience in the field, is that fair?
It is like giving datukships to those who can pay.
I suggest all doctors wanting to specialize to undergo a masters degree. Like our undergraduate programme, the MOH should select universities abroad and provide the doctors with financial assistance for further studies.
And most importantly … please be fair in selecting the students eligible for master studies, because they will become the specialists and leaders to lead our future generation of medical healthcare.
I suggest that even the trainee lecturer from teaching hospitals do the same thing. Send out for proper training and experience before recruiting them as master students, just because they work for the hospital.
June 5th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
as far as i know, there are no MRCS, MRACS (aussie), MACS (USA) like MRCP and MRCP(ireland).
If one like to be a surgeon, he/she must have a status FELLOW - like FRCS (glasgow or edinburgh or england) or FRACS (aussie) or FACS (USA).
and to get these fellowship tittle after one name, a surgeon-to-be need to finished the study program oversea for at least 4 years under supervision of a surgeon committee. And of course it cannot be done in malaysia like MRCP.
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:33 am
I have both MRCP(UK) as well as MRCP(Ireland).The MRCP prospectus clearly says that attaining MRCP, does not confer specialist status. Infact, it would be detrimental to public, if one assumes and practices as a specialist after attaining MRCP(UK or Ireland).The MRCP is an entry level qualification ensuring that you have adequate basic knowledge to launch upon a specialist training program.
After attaining MRCP,You need to get into some structured training program like residency training(3yrs) in USA followed by a Fellowship(2 yrs) in speciality of your choice, to gain a solid knowledge,clinical skills and procedural skills to be a safe practitioner(specialist).
Having worked in Ireland as well as in UK for several years, I am sorry to say majority of SHO/Registrar posts in UK&Irel do not meet the requirement of standardized structured training. Majority of NHS posts exploit overseas doctors and extract scut work from them and do not in return, impart Knowledge/Clinical skills/Procedural skills.
March 14th, 2006 at 8:09 am
[...] Post-graduate examination is a part of many doctors’ career development. Before I go any further, I would like to stress that examination (entrance or exit alike) is only a test, it alone is far from adequate to qualify a doctor as a specialist. It is unfortunate that doctors carry MRCP or FRCS behind their names, rather than titles that indicate their training history. The title MRCP or FRCS is one excuse for the colleges to charge doctors membership or fellowship fees. Without paying their annual fees, doctors (not necessarily specialists) are not allowed to wear these titles. [...]
March 5th, 2006 at 1:15 pm
MRCP is always an entrance exam for entering for advance specialist training. Malaysia recognise it as clinical specialist which i think is fair because it is equivalent to registra before subspecialisation. I hope that MRCP will be recognised as equivalent to MMed as there are too many aspiring physician in this country and the waiting list for MMed is just TOO long!
February 10th, 2006 at 12:19 pm
Obviously no, ch hu, there ought to be some clear guidance about these three classes of individuals. Not trying to be a wet blanket, why fight so hard to return to have a hard time not practising scientific medicine and fighting against those experts in opinion based medicine when you have alread achieved these? Stay back in the West. For example, if you want how to make char kuay teow, I will give you my personal recipe, which has been tried by many and appreciated overseas! (or even nasi lemak or satay) The air is fresher and the views less stifling etc and, of course the grass always greener.
February 10th, 2006 at 11:54 am
Would our system differentiate those with MRCP alone, MRCP with CCT/CCST or FRCP? Is it fair for all three to do the same 18 month supervision and monitoring period?