In the NST letter section,

Long road ahead for young specialists Apr 19: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I AM a senior specialist in government service demoralised by delays in promotions, ridiculous paper work and red tape, grossly under-funded services for patients and poor working conditions. Many of us could make eight to 10 times more in the private sector, but we stay on because we care for the patients. But this letter is not about me. It is about our younger specialists. We are again poised to lose a large number of our younger specialists as a result of the recently implemented Malaysian Remuneration Scheme (SSM) that replaced the New Remuneration Scheme (SSB). The Ministry of Health and the Malaysian Medical Association fought for the rights of doctors (and paramedics) and every specialist to be placed on the U2 scale (Now U48 under SSM). So, after five years of medical school, three years of preliminary service, and then a post-graduate degree, this doctor would earn about RM4,500 a month. This was considered a small success. With the introduction of SSM by the Public Service Department, the same doctor will now be on U44, earning about RM3,500 per month, despite holding a post-graduate degree and having worked for 10 years. To be promoted the doctor has to study for a test known as Penilaian Tahap Kecekapan (PTK) (read admini-strative documents and public health related medicine) at the same time as post-graduate studies. Passing the latter alone is therefore useless for promotion! One solution is to recognise the five years of medical school (longer than any other undergraduate course). Doctors should start on a higher pay scale. They should be moved to the U54 scale once they have passed their post-graduate examinations. If they pass the postgraduate examinations they should be exempted from the PTK. It should be left to doctors who choose not to specialise. DR S. Ipoh

Another area to look at for sure. Government specialists are indeed poorly paid as compared to their private counterparts. It does not take a genius to discover the reason for a shortage in specialists in government funded hospitals.

This letter says it all! The Government has to look seriously into the matter. They can no longer close an eye to this growing problem of brain drain. Doctors cannot be compared to other professions in public service. Doctors spend a lot of time studying for the medical degree and even more sacrifice to pass postgraduate examinations. They need to feel rewarded just like any human beings. All those years of sacrifice, should be translated into a better payscale.

At the end of the day, it is about monetary benefits. Doctors have to take care of their own backyard as well. If the Government is not prepared to look seriously into this matter, then I am afraid that more doctors will leave!

I am sure we will be seeing a wave of doctors "coming out" to voice their greviances, that have been kept pretty much under wraps before this. Someone in the current administration should take heed. Perhaps, Dr Chua himself.