EASYUNI Ultimate University Guide 2013 July Issue | Page 40

Interview Industry

Medicine

Datuk Dr. Kuljit Singh
Consultant Specialist Ear, Nose & Throat
Prince Court Medical Centre
Editor of BERITA MMA

What are the career options and salary trends for medical
doctors in Malaysia?
Basically, there are two routes for medical doctors to take. One is
to join the public sector while the other is to go private. However,
in Malaysia, it is compulsory for doctors to undergo housemanship
for two years after completing a medical degree under the Medical
Act 1970. The doctor can continue to work for the government
as a medical of?cer or a specialist, if quali?ed. In the government
sector, one can seek employment in the Ministry of Health, or work
for the Ministry of Higher Education, posted in one of the many
public universities. Lastly, one can even join the army. The other
route is to join the private sector. In private practice, one can be a
solo practitioner or join a private hospital.
Salary wise, government salary is ?xed and may not be so high. A
top-end government medical specialist can earn from RM18,000
to RM25,000 a month depending on his or her rank, seniority and
quali?cations. A houseman can expect to earn from RM3,000 to
RM4,000. As for private practice, there is no ?xed salary range.

What are the opportunities and challenges that
candidates should look out for in the medical line?
It all depends on what you want. Looking at the complex world
of medicine, you can opt to go into some specialisation or niche
sections. You need to be trained for that. However, only certain
countries provide training for speci?c areas of specialisation and
waiting period to join the training could be long and you need
to compete for a place with candidates from other countries.
However, if you just want to be a general practitioner, then you’re
going to be in a big pool of doctors.

Apart from skills and knowledge, what other aspects
someone new to medicine should have?
If you’re hardworking and intelligent, you can f&RvV?????VF?6??P?'WB?b??RF??( ?B?fR76???F?&7F?6R?VF?6??R?F??2?2??B??W ???V?B2?B?2fW'?6???V?v??r???R?fRF?WB????W"W'6??????FW&W7G2?B&?&?V?26?FR?B?V7Bv???R??^( ?&Rv?&???r??b??P?v?BF?&V6??R?W?6V??V?B?VF?6?F?7F?"?v?B?2F?RV?????V?B?WF????f?"F?R?VF?6???GW7G'???????6?f?"F?R?W?B?V'3??f?"???6??F?R7W'&V?BF?7F?"F?F?V?B&F??7F?G2B????'WBF??2?2??B??6?'&V7B??F?Rw&?V?B?f?"??7F?6R???6&???B6&v??F?R&F???2??v?W"v???RB?F?W"W&&?&V2F?P?3???T5?T??wV?FR#0??&F???2?C???f7B?B6??R7G&VWG2??R6?6VR??fR?"6??u?6???72??F?R6?R&?rv?F???7B?bF?V?V?G??F??2?2??B?v??B66V?&???F?RF?7F?'2FV?BF?7F?6?F?W&&?&V2&F?W"F???&R??'W&?&V2?7W'&V?F??v^( ?&R??Vf7GW&??rF?7F?'2'WBF?P?F?7G&?'WF????2??B&?v?B?V?F????rF?W&R?2??6??G&??F?v?W&R?F?7F?"6??V???2&7F?6R???R6??W7B&?WB?V???v?W&P???Rv?B??F?W&R?2?6?&?&?V???&V?b7V6??6F???F???v?W&RF?7F?'0?FV?BF?w&?W??F?6W'F???B?V?"??V?B( 2?gFV???F??6RF?@?&R??&R&???F&?R?F??27&VFW2gW'F?W"V?WfV??W72??F?R?VF?6??6W'f?6R7?7FV??F?W6R&R6??R?bF?Rf7F?'2f?"&?fFRV??fW'6?F?W0?F??VW&?GV6??r??&R?VF?6?w&GVFW26??6RF?RFV??B?0??v?2F?W&R?vR?gFV?&VBF?B????VF?6?w&GVFW2G&VB&V??p???W6V?V?2F?W?&R7V&?V7FVBF?v?&??&V?FVB7G&W72??6??RWfV?7VffW&??rg&??FW&W76?????2??W6V??6???&V??F?B&C???B??FWV?G2??F?R??W6V???vRvW&R????W6V?V???6R??W6V??6???2???Gv??V'2?b??W"v?&???rW?W&?V?6R??F??2?2F?RF??RF?'V??B??W"f?V?FF?????B?6?6?&7FW"??F??2?2F?RF??RF?F?RF?R???F?F?fRF??V&???G2????W???P?2???F?V?G22?76?&?R??BWB??F?&7F?6Rv?B??^( ?fP??V&?B???VF?6?66???????R6?&Rv?&???r????7?F?v?F????fW'7W??b??W6V?V?v?F?fW'??GF?RF?F??F?V?v?????P??6??fRF?&??RF?R'&VVB?b??V?rF?7F?'2v????????r??v??( ?&R6??WF??W27???B?B?fR( ?6&R?W7>( ?GF?GVFR?F?W?( ????WfV?6?????v?V?F?W&R&R???Gv?F?V?G2F?F?R6&R?b??7FF?7F?72?B??6?2v???FV????RF?B?bF?7F?"6???B6?R???F?RGv??V'2?b??W6V??6???F?V?&?&&??R?"6?R?6?( ?B??BF??&V6??Rv??BF?7F?"??v??v?B&RF?&VR??7B???'F?B?V6W2?bGf?6R??P?v?V?B??RF?FV??6??V??RV?FW&??rF?R?VF?6???GW7G'???2?( ?fR?V?F???VBV&?W"?76??????R?W7B&R76???FR??'7B??FV??vV?6R?B???v?VFvR&R'B?b?B?&V??r?&Gv?&???p??2??F?W"G&?B??R6??V?B?fR??VF?6??R?2??v??67W&FR???V???6V?G&?2??V?B??b??RF??( ?B??R??FW&7F??rv?F?V??R?F?V??F??2?2??BF?R??V?Bf?"??R?