KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Malaya is expected to offer a cardiothoracic surgery postgraduate programme by October, the Dewan Rakyat heard today.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the move was a comprehensive resolution to address the lack of such specialists in the country.
"The ministry is trying its best to find the best approach to resolve the issue. A discussion has also been held with UM and the UM Medical Centre for the programme to be offered at the university.
"We expect UM to offer this programme by October so that those who want to pursue it can do so there. (And) subsequently, other universities will follow suit," he said during the minister's question time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Zambry said this in response to Ramkarpal Singh (PH-Bukit Gelugor), who enquired about the cardiothoracic surgery postgraduate programme offered by Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).
In May, Zambry announced that UM was obtaining the accreditation certification to offer a cardiothoracic surgery postgraduate programme.
This followed several calls from several groups, including the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), for UiTM to open its parallel pathway programme for cardiothoracic surgery to non-Bumiputera trainees due to the shortage of specialists in the field.
The proposal, however, was opposed by the UiTM student council and other groups, who stressed that the university was established to protect the interests of Malay and Bumiputera students.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad previously announced that the cabinet had agreed in principle to amend the Medical Act 1971 to address the gap between the parallel pathway programme and the country's master's medicine programme.
Dr Dzulkefly said the amendment to the bill would be presented in the Dewan Rakyat session scheduled for June once cabinet gave its approval.
This was to ensure that medical specialists who have completed their training under the parallel pathway programme would be registered and recognised.