A scoring system is proposed for contract physicians for use in evaluating candidates for permanent appointment in the public service.
Points will be awarded in five categories, according to a report by Dr Sivabala Selvaratnam and Dr Leonard Goh of the Interior Ministry, Doctors and Specialists (Schomos) of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA). They said that the criteria for the program is expected to show the level of professional work of the doctors, their commitment to continuous professional development, their willingness to serve in the community and their leadership qualities.
As part of this program, applicants for permanent status will be able to know their score, based on various criteria, and they will be able to accept rejection if they find that they have received an existing score. lower than the chosen ones. Schomos says that the Project One Program is needed to overcome “a lack of transparency” last year, when about 3,000 contract doctors made it permanent out of 8,000 who applied. A doctor who asked not to be named said that of those who have not been granted permanent status, many have taken exams to start a profession, or have served in rural areas as part of their “national service”. The proposal, which was posted on the Facebook page of Schomos, will see the points awarded to contracted doctors who are:
achieved more than 100 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points – 12 points, and benchmarks for others;
served in Sabah and Sarawak for 48+ months – 6 points, with a lower score for a shorter period;
passing the exam for special programs – 4 points;
no time elapsed during cleaning – 4 points; and
is a member of the board of a national / international professional group – 6 points, with a lower score for less important organizations.
There are over 23,000 contract doctors currently working for the government. They were appointed after the government stopped offering permanent status immediately. Another 2,000 to 3,000 graduates join the medical and health professions each year. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health announced vacancies for 4,914 permanent positions this year, including 4,263 doctors, 335 dentists and 316 pharmacists. Applications for these positions closed on January 21. Only contract doctors appointed between 2016 and 2019 are eligible. It was estimated that 8,000 contract doctors are applying for the 4,263 available positions.
