How Much Does a Doctor Earn in Malaysia?
Afterschool
June 11, 2021
Thinking of becoming a doctor in Malaysia? This guide takes you through the salaries, allowances, and progression from housemanship to specialisation. Learn what to expect as you climb the ranks in both government and private sectors.
Reality vs. Expectations: Fresh graduates often expect salaries of RM3,500 to RM6,500, but the reality is closer to RM2,500 for most fields—except for housemanship, where doctors earn RM3,500–RM4,400, thanks to allowances.
Steady Progression for Medical Officers: Medical Officers (MOs) see a steady salary increase with experience, starting at RM4,300–RM5,200 and rising to RM6,871–RM8,200+ after 10 years.
Specialisation Brings Big Rewards: Depending on their discipline and workload, specialists can earn RM10,000+ in government hospitals and up to RM30,000+ in private practice.
Government vs. Private Sector: Specialists' income varies significantly between sectors, with private practice offering higher earning potential but requiring longer hours and more entrepreneurial effort.
Critical Allowances Boost Early Careers: Generous allowances, like the RM750 critical allowance, make housemanship a financially stable entry point into the medical field.
While money is necessarily the most important element when it comes to choosing a career, it does heavily influence a youngster’s decision.
About 60% of fresh graduates expect a salary of RM3,500 upon graduating, with 30% expecting an incredulous RM6,500. The real money they will receive? A humbling RM2,500.
Which such contrasting expectations, Afterschool.my is here to set the record straight, so you’ll know how much you’ll actually earn in your field. Read on as we today, we explore how much a doctor can earn in Malaysia, from their housemanship to their career as a specialist.
Housemanship
Housemanship is basically the first two years in doctor’s lives upon graduating, or better know to some as hell. It’s good then, that doctors at this level are compensated well for their efforts. On average, a houseman will pick up the tidy sum of RM3,500, a full RM1,000 more than the national average. Those who choose a hospital in rural areas in Eastern Malaysia can expect an additional RM750.
- Basic Salary: RM2,947
Allowances
- Housing: RM250.00
- Public Service Allowance: RM300.00
- Critical Allowance: RM750.00
- COLA allowance: RM100.00-RM300.00 (depending on locality)
Average: RM3,500 – RM4,400
Medical Officer (MO)
Upon completing 2 years of housemanship, a houseman would then be promoted to the rank of Medical Officer (MO). Not only does this enable said medical practitioner to legally moonlight, it also comes with a nice bump in salary. New housemen will be placed in the UD43/UD44 bracket. After 3 years of serving as a Medical Officer, they’ll advance to the UD 48 bracket. MOs will then be promoted to UD47/UD48 following another 4 years of service, and UD52 after 3 more years. Additionally, one can move into private practice as an MO, which may pay more.
Average:
- RM4,300 – RM5,200 (New MO)
- RM5,900 – RM6,800 (3-6 years)
- RM 6,549 – RM7,449 (7-9 years)
- RM6,871 – RM8,200+ (10 years and up)
Specialist
Upon completing a year as a Medical Officer, you then have the option of going on to specialise in the discipline of your choosing. Some specialisation options include cardiology (heart), pulmonology (lungs), general surgery, neurology (brain), dermatology (skin) and many more. Training at this stage can range between 3-6 years, depending on your choice. Salary can also vary drastically depending on whether you remain in the government sector or opt to move to the private sector, how many surgeries you perform, if you run your own practice, your clinic hours, and many more.
- Additional specialist allowance: RM2,800
Average Salary
- RM10,000+ (Government)
- RM15,000 – RM30,000+ (Private)
Click here to learn how you can become a doctor, as well as what career opportunities a doctor will have.
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