Medical degree: A dream or nightmare?

Pursuing a medical degree is no longer glamorous. It burns pockets and bankrupts families.

PETALING JAYA: Her name is Subha (not her real name). She had an ambition to be a medical doctor since the age of 10.

Now as a 27-year-old, she is a second year houseman in a government hospital. It will then take another three years for her to complete her compulsory government service as medical officer before she qualifies for the full registration with the medical council.

Yes, Subha achieved her childhood dream. But is she really happy with her achievement today?

Speaking to FMT, Subha claims that she is indeed delighted to be a doctor but is still paying a high price for her happiness.

According to her, she graduated from a local private college and her degree cost her RM400,000.

“My CGPA point was 3.96, but all the local universities rejected my applications. Thus I was forced to pursue my medical studies in a private college,” she said.

Subha said she managed to obtain a RM150,000 loan from PTPTN while the balance amount was covered with her father’s savings and borrowings from other sources.

“I pay about RM2,000 a month to settle my education loans, including the PTPTN loan,” she said, adding that she still has to settle the outstanding amount for the next 20 years.

She further stressed that most of the Malaysian doctors are having a hard time paying their loans and debts.

Pains of a medical degree

Taking into account Subha’s predicament, this brings us to the question: is it really worth pursuing a medical degree in Malaysia with such high fees; which is indeed endorsed by the government?

A check by FMT revealed that there are more than 40 public and private universities, and colleges offering medical courses in Malaysia.

Though a medical degree may cost around RM150,000 in public universities, the fees in private institutions are anywhere between RM300,000 to even a million.

It is compulsory for all medical graduates to practice in a government hospital for five years to complete their housemanship.

During this period they are classified under two different grades, namely UD41 and UD44. For UD41, the salary ranges between RM2,600 to RM4,000.

As housemen they work for a minimum of 12 to 15 hours a day. After two years, they are upgraded to UD44.

They are also promoted as medical officers and salaries range between RM4,500 to RM5,000. After the final year they have an option to continue their career in the government service or private concerns.

However after 12 years and spending half a million, is it worth just to earn RM5,000 to RM6,000 as a doctor?

Working more than 12 hours a day (for some longer, as they supplement their income doing locum in clinics) just to settle their debts has raised concern over their profession.

Is low income or exorbitant fees the core issue here? The answer is obvious – fees imposed by private institutions are mind boggling.