Medical Grads Can Use Doctor Title Says Mmc

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This follows questions over newly-appointed minister Dr Taufiq Johari's title after checks found he was not registered with the medical council.
PKR’s Sungai Petani MP Dr Taufiq Johari was appointed as youth and sports minister in the Cabinet reshuffle last week. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: Medical graduates are permitted to use the “doctor” title to reflect their academic qualifications even though they are not registered as medical practitioners with the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC)
The MMC said this in response to questions over newly-appointed youth and sports minister Dr Taufiq Johari’s title, after checks found he was not registered under the council’s database.
“Graduates of a medical degree programme can use the title ‘doctor’ to reflect their academic qualifications.
“However, the title does not give holders the right to act as medical practitioners in Malaysia. Permission to practise medicine is subject to compliance with the Medical Act 1971 and the regulations enacted under the Act,” it said in a statement.
The MMC added that the registration of medical graduates was subject to them passing the medical exams and undergoing housemanship in hospitals recognised in Malaysia.
“As a general principle, all individuals who want to practise medicine in Malaysia must be registered with the MMC and hold a valid annual practising certificate.”
Questions were raised about Taufiq’s doctor title shortly after his appointment as youth and sports minister in the Cabinet reshuffle last week.
According to his biodata for the 2022 general election on PKR’s website, Taufiq graduated with a medical degree from the Bandung Islamic University’s faculty of medicine.
He is listed as having worked as a general doctor in the emergency department of Hospital Dr Slamet Garut in Indonesia in 2020, as an intern in Hospital Al-Ihsan, and as a general practitioner in a Klinik Dr Hadi in 2022.
The Sungai Petani MP is the son of Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul. - FMT

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