We’re Losing Our Doctors!

 

There’s a quiet crisis happening in Malaysia’s hospitals. And it’s not about equipment shortages or bed capacity. It’s about people—our young doctors who are quietly choosing to leave. Only 529 out of 5,000 housemanship spots offered this January were accepted. That’s just 10.5%. Think about that. Nearly 4,500 young Malaysian doctors said “no” to starting their medical careers at home. Not because they don’t love their country. But because they don’t see a future here. 

And Singapore? They’re ready. With open arms and contracts that offer S$110,000 (about RM385,000) to start—plus permanent jobs, pensions, and actual career paths. Recruiters are already talking to students before they even graduate. Our top medical schools—UM, UKM, USM—are becoming feeder schools for a foreign system.

 

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org

Our own system sends the wrong message. Contract after contract. Uncertainty after uncertainty. Young doctors are overworked, underpaid, and undervalued. They burn out before they’ve even begun. There’s little mentorship, unclear promotions, and barely any light at the end of the tunnel. Ending the contract system is a good first step. But it’s just that: a first step. We need permanent posts. Clear pathways. Real support. Housemanship shouldn’t be survival training—it should be a place to learn and grow. And, we can’t out pay Singapore. We shouldn’t even try. But we can compete on something deeper: respect. Purpose. The feeling that your work matters, and that you matter too. 

Young doctors want balance. They want to be recognised when they do well. They want to specialise, to research, to grow without breaking. They want public service to feel like an honour—not a trap. Forcing them to stay with bonds won’t work. Making them “want” to stay? That’s the only real solution. 

We also need to reach out to the thousands of Malaysian doctors already working abroad. Create real return pathways. Recognise their overseas experience. Let them come home without losing ground. Short-term exchanges, faster accreditation—these aren’t handouts. They’re investments. 

Here’s the hard truth: our doctors aren’t leaving because they’re disloyal. They’re leaving because the system keeps failing them. If we don’t build a healthcare system that respects, nurtures, and rewards talent, the bleeding won’t stop. 

This isn’t just about policy. It’s about people.  And it’s not about race. Even the M group is leaving. Why? No future! Madani doesn’t see it or choose to be blind. If you want good Malaysian consultants from overseas, you must create pathways. One local university offered a consultant RM60,000 p.a., when he is earning £100,000 or more in the U.K. What a joke! 

Reference:

We’re losing our doctors, but can we blame them? KT Maran, Focus Malaysia, 

31 March 2026