A former medical student has charged that students pursuing their medical degree in Egypt and Jordan are exempted from several conditions set by MMC.
KUALA LUMPUR: Students pursuing their medical degree in Egypt and Jordan are allowed to circumvent certain regulations set by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), prompting questions if double standard was practised in sending students overseas to complete their medical course.
A group of Malaysian medical students overseas are saying that this double standard practised by the MMC and the Higher Education Ministry is discriminatory against non-Malays.
A former medical student from Ukraine, who declined to be named for fear of reprisal, revealed that medical students in Egypt and Jordan were exempted from several conditions, usually imposed on students wanting to pursue their medical degree abroad.
He said the MMC, which sets regulations and guidelines for medical students wanting to study abroad, is to be blamed for the double standard.
“Why does MMC have two sets of rules for Malaysians aspiring to do medical studies abroad?” he asked.
He pointed out that while students wanting to pursue their medical degree overseas were required to undergo a foundation course, those going to Egypt and Jordan were exempted from such study.
“If a student plans to do a medical programme, then he has to score at least five Bs in SPM each in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Additional Mathematics and another optional subject.”
“The student would then be required to sit either the foundation course or other pre-university examinations like STPM, Matriculation and A Levels. This requirement is set by MMC,” he added.
However, he said, MMC seems to give “special privilege” to students going to universities in Egypt and Jordan as they are not required to undergo the foundation course.
“Those going to these two countries just need their credits in SPM and they are off to do a medical degree… this contradicts MMC’s requirements,” he said.
He added that the Higher Education Ministry acts as an recruitment agent in sending students to universities in Egypt and Jordan, where seats are allocated only to Malays.
There are now more than 3,000 Malaysian medical students in Egypt and Jordan.
“This is really unfair as non-Malays have to sit a foundation programme to gain entry into a medical programme, while Malays can start the course after completing their SPM. MMC is giving a free ride for Malays to do medical programmes overseas,” he added.
MMC giving free rides
He said while he had no qualms about Malay students doing their medical degree after SPM, the MMC should be consistent with its regulations.
“We want MMC’s answer on this matter… why the double standard?” he said.
He said although students sent to Egypt and Jordan were required to undergo a six-year medical course, they do not complete their foundation course at the universities there.
“When asked, MMC told us that students going to Egypt and Jordan do their foundation course in the first year and complete their medical degree in the next five years. But this is not true. We checked with universities there and found that they are absorbed into the degree course from day one.
“Furthermore, the first year in Egypt and Jordan does not have any foundation programme subjects as required by the MMC.
“Students going to the Baltic countries, like Russia, Poland and Republic Czech are forced to spend seven years to complete their medical course, including their foundation course. But students going to Egypt and Jordan can complete their medical degree in six years minus the foundation programme,” he added.
“It is crystal-clear that MMC has applied double standard in its system based on race,” he claimed.
The source also reveals that a group of overseas medical students met MMC president Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman recently on the matter, but there was no positive outcome from the meeting.
Despite, numerous attempts, FMT could not reach Hassan for comment.
KUALA LUMPUR: Students pursuing their medical degree in Egypt and Jordan are allowed to circumvent certain regulations set by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), prompting questions if double standard was practised in sending students overseas to complete their medical course.A group of Malaysian medical students overseas are saying that this double standard practised by the MMC and the Higher Education Ministry is discriminatory against non-Malays.
A former medical student from Ukraine, who declined to be named for fear of reprisal, revealed that medical students in Egypt and Jordan were exempted from several conditions, usually imposed on students wanting to pursue their medical degree abroad.
He said the MMC, which sets regulations and guidelines for medical students wanting to study abroad, is to be blamed for the double standard.
“Why does MMC have two sets of rules for Malaysians aspiring to do medical studies abroad?” he asked.
He pointed out that while students wanting to pursue their medical degree overseas were required to undergo a foundation course, those going to Egypt and Jordan were exempted from such study.
“If a student plans to do a medical programme, then he has to score at least five Bs in SPM each in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Additional Mathematics and another optional subject.”
“The student would then be required to sit either the foundation course or other pre-university examinations like STPM, Matriculation and A Levels. This requirement is set by MMC,” he added.
However, he said, MMC seems to give “special privilege” to students going to universities in Egypt and Jordan as they are not required to undergo the foundation course.
“Those going to these two countries just need their credits in SPM and they are off to do a medical degree… this contradicts MMC’s requirements,” he said.
He added that the Higher Education Ministry acts as an recruitment agent in sending students to universities in Egypt and Jordan, where seats are allocated only to Malays.
There are now more than 3,000 Malaysian medical students in Egypt and Jordan.
“This is really unfair as non-Malays have to sit a foundation programme to gain entry into a medical programme, while Malays can start the course after completing their SPM. MMC is giving a free ride for Malays to do medical programmes overseas,” he added.
MMC giving free rides
He said while he had no qualms about Malay students doing their medical degree after SPM, the MMC should be consistent with its regulations.
“We want MMC’s answer on this matter… why the double standard?” he said.
He said although students sent to Egypt and Jordan were required to undergo a six-year medical course, they do not complete their foundation course at the universities there.
“When asked, MMC told us that students going to Egypt and Jordan do their foundation course in the first year and complete their medical degree in the next five years. But this is not true. We checked with universities there and found that they are absorbed into the degree course from day one.
“Furthermore, the first year in Egypt and Jordan does not have any foundation programme subjects as required by the MMC.
“Students going to the Baltic countries, like Russia, Poland and Republic Czech are forced to spend seven years to complete their medical course, including their foundation course. But students going to Egypt and Jordan can complete their medical degree in six years minus the foundation programme,” he added.
“It is crystal-clear that MMC has applied double standard in its system based on race,” he claimed.
The source also reveals that a group of overseas medical students met MMC president Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman recently on the matter, but there was no positive outcome from the meeting.
Despite, numerous attempts, FMT could not reach Hassan for comment.
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