Goverment says no permanent jobs for doctors

The Public Services Department (PSD) has today verified reports that only performing scholars will be offered permanent contracts at public hospitals. This comes after reports surfaced yesterday, stating public hospitals will only offer permanent contracts to house officers based on their performance, and not to just any government scholarship students.

The agency clarified that the government was looking into alternate pathways to absorb scholars who were unsuccessful in securing employment, even though they were initially offered housemanship contracts. PSD said it hoped that scholars would be consistent with their performances, both in their studies and on the job during their housemanship, to enable them to secure a job on a permanent basis.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah confirmed that the government started the first intake of contract housemanship last December, which included PSD scholars among them, due to the fact that no permanent positions were offered at all. He went on to add that PSD scholars will not be prioritised for permanent positions even though they are bonded to the government, emphasising the importance of merits instead. Dr Noor Hisham also confirmed that permanent positions for graduating house officers were not guaranteed.

What is to be made out of the whole situation? Only time will tell. Last October  Health Minister Datuk Seri S. Subramaniam had reportedly said that offering contracts to housemen would help 2,600 graduates who would have to wait for a year otherwise.