MALAYSIA MAY ACCEPT US SYSTEM TO RECRUIT DOCTORS SOON - LIOW

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 (Bernama) -- The government of Malaysia may adopt the
United States (US) system in recruiting doctors, together with the current
system which is originated from the British.

Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the government was now in the
midst of looking into the system before implementing it to give medical students
in the country more choice as medical doctors.

He said, the US system required medical students to complete two degree
courses, with the first degree of science before continuing with a medical
degree, totalling eight years.

"Now, we may also accept the US system here, not forgeting that all the time
now, we have been following the British system...now with John Hopkins
University here, more US-based universities want to set up campus here.

"Under the US system, the first degree is the science degree, then medical
degree. Only students with science degree will be able to attend medical
courses, that means four years first degree, another four years medical courses,
it is eight years," said Liow.

He was speaking to reporters after opening the Association Of Private
Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) International Healthcare Conference and Exhibition
2011 here Thursday.

The minister said, after the new system was introduced, medical students in
the country would be able to choose between the US and British systems.

He said, the Malaysian Medical Council was studying the new system and
wished to get more support from universities in the US, to set up their campus
in the country.

On the two-day conference, Liow said it concluded 91 business negotiations
and generated RM121.46 million in sales.

The conference was held to showcase the role of healthcare within the
Malaysia Economic Transformation Programme under which, health is among the 12
National Key Economic Areas, with a big potential to grow.

About 590 delegates from 20 countries attended the conference.