KUALA LUMPUR: Well-known content creator Dr Shazril Shaharuddin, known to his followers as "Dr Say," has shared essential advice on how to verify the certification of medical professionals.
This guidance comes after a 14-year-old was caught impersonating a staff member at Sultan Idris Shah Hospital (Serdang Hospital).
Dr Shazril recommends using the official verification tool at https://meritsmmc.moh.gov.my/search to confirm if your doctor is a certified practitioner.
"To check if your doctor is authorised to treat patients, enter their full name into the search bar. For the most accurate results, use the complete name. If the doctor's Annual Practising Certificate (APC) is current, they are authorised to treat patients," he said.
He added, "If the individual only has a medical degree but no APC, they are not allowed to practise. The database will show their degree and university but not an APC, so they cannot treat patients."
For those without a medical degree or APC, Dr Shazril said, "They will not appear in this database. This verification tool is specific to medical doctors and does not include veterinarians or those with doctoral titles in other fields."
Yesterday, a teenager was remanded for two days for allegedly posing as a Serdang Hospital staff member.
Sepang police chief Superintendent Wan Kamarul Azran Wan Yusof said based on the preliminary finding, the girl had posed as her mother and used her identity card to gain access into the hospital.
The case is being investigated under Section 470 of the Penal Code for trespassing and under Section 170 of the Penal Code for impersonating as a public servant.
News of the teen's alleged act, which seemed to have gone viral on social media, claimed that the "impersonator" was just 14 years old. She had even offered to assist in the operating theatre.