I'd say that if you plan to be a doctor, get it from a university whose cert / degree / bachelor of medicine & surgery / specialisation / etc that is recognizable in other countries...

This will give you a leeway to jump out of Malaysia to become a highly-skilled, highly-paid workforce...

You will still need to sit for the stated country's medical license examination to enter beforehand (to determine that if you truly know the stuff that's needed and taught)...

This was the case with someone I know personally... who left the Malaysian medical field to join elsewhere and his salary jumped at least 5x what we are paid here...

Personally, I do not subscribe to the local working culture, especially with the medical field here with its inhuman long hours of work...

You should do what you feel like doing, because no one else will live your life except you. And remember, you will be paying your own bills soon enough so best you do what you love...

Cheers, OP...



Edit - 21th June, 2025: Rephrasing.

This post has been edited by Hastebreak: Jun 21 2025, 01:12 PM

This is the gist of the problem of those getting stucked in our country where their primary medical school qualifications are not recognisable by medical councils of more prosperous countries like Singapore/UK/Australia etc.

Don't study to be a doctor in Malaysia. It's a thankless profession which does not pay well. If you have set your heart on it, and have the brains for it, go to an internationally recognised medical degree from a well ranked university. A friend, whose child (non-Malay) graduated with a medical degree from the University of Malaya, was recruited by the Singapore government to train and work as a junior doctor in Singapore. I understand that almost all of his medical cohort from the University of Malaya and University of Science, Malaysia, had been similarly recruited to work in Singapore. They received properly structured training as well as a starting salary of around SGD6,000 plus allowances of up to SGD2,000 (for accommodation, travelling, food). Compare that to a MAXIMUM salary of MYR5,000 for junior doctors in Malaysia. It is no wonder that our best and brightest are being lured overseas, especially to Singapore. Global talent which Malaysia nurtured and financed, and which Malaysia desperately needs.

This post has been edited by xenotzu: Jun 29 2025, 11:16 AM

Unlike UM and UKM medicine degrees which are listed in the Singapore Medical Council Second Schedule as registrable, USM medical degree is not registrable as per their Second Schedule.

Mind elaborating further on USM medicine graduates gaining training posts in Singapore?

Through the pathway of acquiring membership in UK Royal Colleges?

Our private uni medical graduates may gain entry to Singapore health service as 'Service' doctors, which does not entitle them for a training post in Singapore, unless things have changed.

There is no problem for UM and UKM medical graduates to be considered for training posts there.

This post has been edited by zeng: Jun 29 2025, 03:09 PM

U mentioned u like treating people in St John, there is the curiosity and passion there. A good start
but do u like studying and life long learning. can u sit down to study while your other frens in other courses are partying. Do u hv the stamina for year of studying and training till becomes a specialist. If Yes ,, go ahead and chase your dream to be a doctor.
Life as a specialist is good ..

we can get doctor from india/ indonesia?
if not enough local doctor to serve the ppl.

If you see the workload in healthcare institutions etc, you will know that many patients are not getting the best care due to lack of doctors. We need more.

Flip the question. What is better than being a doctor?