PRESS STATEMENT
MINISTER OF HEALTH MALAYSIA
ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT ON POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL TRAINING
As part of my working visit to Scotland I had an audience with Scottish Cabinet Secretary of Health, Wellbeing and Sports, H. E SHONA ROBINSON in Edinburgh, Scotland on the 29th September 2015 to further discuss on the collaboration in postgraduate medical training with Scotland. The meeting had been very fruitful with the presence of Prof Derek Bell, President of Royal College Of Physician Edinburgh along with the H.E the Health Secretary. We discussed in length various options and opportunities for our local Malaysian and Scottish to gain and exchange training and knowledge in mutual ways through both the government iniatives. Amongst the issues discussed were :
i. To conduct ‘Training of Trainers Courses’ to strengthen the competency of local trainers in Malaysia.
ii. Assist in the accreditation of selected MOH hospitals as training centres.
iii. Mechanism for Malaysian specialists to access quality training posts abroad under the Medical Training Initiative (MTI) scheme. Currently this is in the initial phase of identifying candidates specifically those undergoing Subspecialty Training. 
Ministry of Health (MOH) is committed to continuously strengthen the capacity in providing safe and quality care to our patients. Specialist and subspecialist training in various clinical areas will continue to be a major concern in order for us to ensure that our nation has the needed numbers. Despite the notable achievement of the Masters Programme conducted by the local universities, the country is still facing a shortage of specialists to meet the requirements of both public and private sectors. 
Hence, to increase the number of specialists, MOH encourages Medical Officers (MOs) to pursue postgraduate training via various parallel pathways such as the membership programmes. Examples of parallel pathways/membership programmes that have been implemented in Malaysia are:
i. Member of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP), UK
ii. Member of the Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health (MRCPCH), UK
iii. Member of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (MRCOG), UK
iv. Member of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) and Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS), UK. However, MRCS is the prerequisite requirement to undertake FRCS for specialist recognition in Malaysia. 
Thus far, the Ministry has approved four (4) specialists to pursue part of their subspecialty training in various subspecialty areas in the UK through the MTI scheme. These areas are Nephrology, Cardiology, Geriatric and Respiratory.
Thank you
YB DATUK SERI DR S. SUBRAMANIAM
Minister of Health Malaysia
30th September 2015
