Dentistry graduates are required under the Amendment of Dental Act 1971 to undergo a one-year mandatory service in the Ministry of Health (MOH) or in an institution approved by the ministry. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Seth Akmal, February 18, 2016.Like hundreds of graduate doctors, many pharmacy and dentistry degree holders are facing long delays getting training placements in public hospitals, a prerequisite for registration in their professions.
Some graduates have been waiting for up to six months and have expressed fears of being jobless despite holding a degree in their field.
They said the delay in their placements was due to insufficient openings to accommodate the number of graduates produced by institutions of higher learning each year – a situation the Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society (MPS) had warned of four years ago, when it called for a limit to the number of institutions offering accredited courses.
Graduate pharmacist Chong Chih Pin, 25, from Puchong, said he noticed a spike in the number of graduates competing for the same jobs compared to four years ago when he first applied to study pharmacy.
After registering as a provisionally registered pharmacist in September last year and waiting for months without news of a successful placement, he decided it was better to do his doctorate in pharmacy than enter the job market.
"I am hoping a higher qualification will give me a more competitive edge.
"When I started my course, it seemed like I would be guaranteed a job but now the situation has changed.
"There are definitely more pharmacy graduates and I am not sure there are sufficient job prospects for all of us," he said.
Chong, a former vice-president of the Malaysian Pharmacy Student Association (MyPSA), said based on feedback from the Public Service Department (PSD) and Pharmacy Board, the earliest intake for pharmacy graduate placements is in March.
"This has helped some of us plan whether we want to wait it out or not, but we are still in the dark as to the official reason for the long delay and how many placements are available for graduates," he said.
MPS president Datuk Nancy Ho warned that limited job prospects for pharmacy graduates could worsen in the next five to 10 years if there was no cap on the number of institutions offering accredited pharmaceutical courses.
There are 20 institutions churning out some 1,200 pharmacy graduates a year, a number which had gone up by almost half in recent years, making the field too crowded that graduates wait long to get training placements. – Reuters file pic, February 18, 2016.She said there were 20 institutions churning out some 1,200 pharmacy graduates a year, a number which had gone up by almost half in recent years.
"The Ministries of Health and Higher Education need to get together to stem this problem by not approving any more institutions that offer pharmaceutical courses," Ho said.
She said the pharmaceutical society had proposed a cap on the number of institutions four years ago when there were only 16.
"Now at 20 institutions, we have reached a limit based on our manpower projections," she added.
Pharmacy graduate Liyana Amira Hasnol, 24, said despite the long wait and uncertainty, she still preferred a government placement as she could contribute to the civil service.
She added, however, that her decision to wait was taking a financial toll on her family as she was expected to support her family financially when her parents retire this year.
"The longer I stay unemployed, the harder it will be for me to take over the family finances.
"I wish we are told whether there are sufficient placements to accommodate us or not.
"At least then, we can decide whether it’s worth waiting for government placement or if we should look for other opportunities," she said.
Dentistry graduates face a similar plight, with many complaining of having to wait for months for a place in a government hospital.
N. Mohana, who graduated with a dentistry degree in October last year, applied for placement in a public hospital after registering with the Malaysian Dental Council in November.
"I know 15 other graduate friends who are in the same position.
"I thought applying in less popular districts such as in Sabah, Malacca and Perak would improve my chances but I have been waiting more than four months now," she said.
The 24-year-old from Kepong said she had since taken up administrative work in a dental practice to support herself.
"It does not pay as well and is not quite related to my skills but at least I am able to stay close to the field before getting a proper dentist job," she said.
Although dentistry graduates are recognised as permanent officers and do not need to undergo training, they are required under the Amendment of Dental Act 1971 to undergo a one-year mandatory service in the Ministry of Health (MOH) or in an institution approved by the ministry, before going on to practise in either the public or private sector in Malaysia.
Prior to June last year, the mandatory service period for dentists was two years. The reduced period applies to graduates who registered with the Malaysian Dental Council from July 1, 2015, while those who registered prior to that date are still subjected to the two-year training period.
The Malaysian Dental Association (MDA) is also concerned with the rising number of unemployed dental graduates.
"The government has already placed a moratorium on increasing new intake of dental students," said MDA honorary general secretary, Dr Ng Woan Tyng.
"As an NGO, MDA is ready to cooperate with the government to help solve this issue."
Ho, meanwhile, advised pharmacy graduates not to be picky about being unable to serve their placement in government hospitals, saying there were opportunities worth exploring in other pharmaceutical sectors such as manufacturing, research and development in private hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and community pharmacies.
Graduate pharmacists are known as provisionally registered pharmacists, and since 2013, are allowed to undergo their one-year compulsory training at private organisations recognised by the Pharmacy Board Malaysia.
The compulsory training introduced in 2004 for pharmacists was shortened from three years to one in September 2011.
A list of the recognised private training organisations is available on MOH's official website for pharmaceutical services. – February 18, 2016.
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