KUALA LUMPUR: MORE males are pursuing nursing courses today, says Ng Kok Toh, International Medical College (IMC) Subang Jaya head of nursing programmes.
Attracted by the opportunities in nursing, she says recruitment in IMC rose from four per cent last year to 12 per cent this year.
“The medical assistant (MA) qualification is recognised only in the country, so the nursing degree is more desirable for career progression. With a nursing degree, they can travel abroad and do anything.”
MAHSA University Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery dean Professor Zahrah Saad says there are more male nurses in the country today and estimates this at three percent.
“More males are pursuing nursing qualifications. It is like a passport. Once they sit the Nursing Board exams, the qualifications they obtain are internationally recognised and they can work in Australia, Singapore and the United Kingdom. Opportunities for medical assistants to go abroad is limited unless they have done a specialisation programme. However, the number of male nurses in the country will never reach five per cent.”
She says of the 19.3 million nurses in the world, only 10 per cent are male, with the highest number of male nurses in Malta.