Better work culture, environment luring healthcare professionals overseas

Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad says 4.5% of the medical officers who left the public sector in 2022 are working abroad. (Reuters pic)

PETALING JAYA: The appeal of advanced training programmes and a nurturing work culture continues to draw Malaysian medical professionals overseas.

Amalina Che Din, 29, who has spent five years in the UK as a surgical trainee, said she chose to work abroad because of the specialised training offered for those looking to become consultants.

“Compared to Malaysia, the UK provides clear and well-defined training pathways, along with a broader array of training opportunities,” she told FMT.

“The use of cutting-edge technologies also enhances the quality of training in the UK.”

Amalina said the working culture and environment in the UK are “exceptionally supportive” and marked by mutual respect.

She also said the better salary earned in the UK translates into higher purchasing power, thereby enhancing the overall appeal of pursuing a career there.

On Feb 28, FMT reported that more than 54% of the 1,696 medical officers who left the public sector in 2022 subsequently moved to the private sector.

Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said a survey by the ministry also found that of the total number of doctors who left, 4.5% are currently working abroad.

Vidhya GR, 36, a medical practitioner working at an emergency department in Australia for nearly a year, said she feels appreciated by both her colleagues and patients despite the busy environment.

“My consultant insists that I take my breaks and asks if I have eaten,” she said.

Asked what prompted her to leave the Malaysian public health sector, Vidhya said she experienced bullying in the workplace, and that this often manifested itself in overt acts of public humiliation,

She recounted how during her first day working at a public hospital in the Klang Valley, she was expected to present information about a patient who had been in the hospital for an extended period.

“I wasn’t fully up to speed on the patient’s condition yet. While I was attempting to read the medical history from the file, the medical officer supervising me abruptly closed the file,” she said.

“She then instructed me to explain the patient’s case without looking at the notes. I was caught off guard and couldn’t say much. The medical officer then told me to leave the room.

“This experience on my very first day was quite shocking and left me feeling upset.”

She also claimed that while the “lazy individuals” in the hospital got away with shirking their duties, those who work diligently found themselves caught up in a “never-ending cycle of work”.