“Perhaps the best way to initiate change is by starting at home.”
MMI Insight 2020 #03
“It can be disheartening to hear the negative connotations that come with working in Malaysian hospitals.”
I remember sharing my decision to study medicine at a family reunion last year. Amidst the reactions of genuine pride and merriment were commented that stuck out like a sore thumb.
“Good that you study overseas; more and more doctors here later you no job how? and Girl, you listen to auntie, fly far away and don’t come back.”
“In Malaysia, you graduate after 2 years still waiting to become a houseman.”
“Study hard, stay there and earn rich currency!”
While my concerned relatives mean well, it can be disheartening to hear the negative connotations that come with working in Malaysian hospitals. It is true that our country is far from perfect or ideal. Yet we have one of the most highly-rated healthcare systems in the world – and more than anything else, this is where our roots belong. An international education is always of benefit, but perhaps the best way to initiate change is by starting at home.
The Malaysian Medical Summit 2020 brings an opportunity for the next generation of physicians to play a part in directing the years ahead. By this decade, we will all have graduated and become doctors. How will we tackle the oversaturation of junior housemen? What can be done about the lack of medical accessibility in rural areas? “Shaping Our Decade” to me means answering these questions (and more), by paving a path towards a better healthcare system for patients and doctors alike.
As one of the External Liaison executives, working with the committee during the past few months has shown me that these are people dedicated to their cause. The event has been meticulously organised for your benefit and you will undoubtedly gain valuable experience out of MMS. Join us for 2 days to connect with like-minded individuals, to explore what lies in the future of healthcare and to expand your horizons – not just as a medical student, but as a doctor-to-be.
Hong Jingqi is a first year medical student studying in University College Dublin, Ireland. She currently serves as an External Liaison Executive on the Malaysian Medical Summit 2020 Committee.
