By Saiful Bahri Kamaruddin
Pix Shahiddan Saidi

KUALA LUMPUR, 4 May 2016 – Medical graduates from The National University of Malaysia (UKM) should be prepared to work abroad if they can’t get permanent postings in this country, says Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali.

He said they have to get used to being doctors in an environment that is totally different since there is a glut of medical graduates in this country.

“You might have to work in totally different surroundings, such as Zimbabwe or Yemen, with people of different societies,” he told 200 final year students of  medicine, nursing and emergency medicine at a town-hall-style meeting in the Medical Faculty, here recently.

He pointed out that even for doctors there is now a shortage of postings and fresh medical graduates might have to wait for eight months for a housemanship  without guarantee of a permanent post.

He said doctors, in particular, have to learn to face uncertainty and be prepared  to serve in different capacities in ministries other than the Health Ministry.

That is why, he stressed,  he often advises final year students to develop other talents and  stand out from their compatriots from the other universities.

He speculated they might even decide later to change their career paths and do something closer to their hearts.

Also present at the meeting were Deputy Vice-Chancellors Prof  Dato’ Ir Dr. Riza Atiq Abdullah O.K Rahmat (Academic and International) and Prof  Dato  Noor Aziah Mohd Awal ( Students and Alumni).