Degree & Training Requirement

REGISTRATION AS A SPECIALIST IN OBSTETRICS AND
GYNAECOLOGY, NATIONAL SPECIALIST REGISTER

I.

1. Application must be on the Application Form for registration as a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the National Specialist Register of Malaysia.
2. Obstetrics and Gynaecology is listed as No. 6 of the list of Specialities
3. The list of recognised postgraduate qualifications recognised for registration are as listed below:

1. Master in Medicine Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University
   Kebangsaan


2. Master in Medicine Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University
   Malaya


3. Master in Medicine Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University
   Sains Malaysia


4. Membership Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
   London (MRCOG)

4. The applicant must be registered with the Malaysian Medical Council. Thus the applicant has a registrable basic medical degree

5.The applicant must have a minimum of 2 years practice after their postgraduate qualification
6. There are 3 groups of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

1. Obstetricians and Gynaecologists gazetted with the Ministry of Health Malaysia
   


2. Obstetricians and Gynaecologists working in various Universities:
   • Appointed by the University concerned as a specialist.
   • Possessing postgraduate qualification listed 3.1 to 3.4
   


3. Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in private practice having the above postgraduate qualification listed but not having been gazetted by KKM or any of the public universities.
   3.1 Those with less than 5 years of active practicing must submit :
   • Details of the postgraduate training received after obtaining Basic Medical Degree.
   • Previous/ current appointments.
   • Log Book of work experience.
   • Training, courses attended since postgraduate qualification.
   • Must have undergone a structured training programme with supervisor of 5 years working experience.
   

II.

Application for registration as a specialist in the NSR by applicants with post graduate degree not on the list of approved Obstetrics and Gynaecology post graduate qualifications.

- Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Canada.

1. Must have Basic Medical Degree qualification registrable with the Malaysian Medical Council.
2. Must submit the list / details of training with supervisors of 5 years working experience.
3. Details of the structured training programme, and in active clinical practice for at least 5 years.

4. Log book of work experience since postgraduate qualification.
5. Training courses attended since postgraduate qualification
6. Previous / current appointments.
7. Must submit the names of at least two referees who can submit reports on the applicant’s clinical skills, practice and competence.
8. Registration with NSR is for a duration of 5 years and renewable on a 5 yearly basis.
9. Must have take part in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes.
10. Approval by the Specialist Subcommittee Obstetrics and Gynaecology of NSR will be on a case to case basis based on the circumstances of each case.
11. Registration with NSR is for 5 years period and renewable every 5 years based on assessment by scoring system for CPD.

III

Application for Registration with Unrecognised Postgraduate Qualifications

1. Must posses a recognised basic Medical Degree qualification that is registrable with the Malaysian Medical Council.
2. Must submit details of structured training programmes attended under the supervision of specialist of 5 years working experience.
3. Must submit list of workshops, courses and short training programmes attended during training.
4. List all procedures trained and certified by the relevant consultants.
5. Must have taken part in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programme.
6. Must submit list of past and current appointments.
7. Must submit the names of at least two referees who can submit reports on the applicant’s clinical skills, practice and competence.
8. Must have been in active clinical practice for at least 5 years post specialist qualification.
9. Need to work under supervision in Malaysia for up to 6 months in an accredited training centres such as KKM, UKM, UM and USM. At the end of this supervised training, evidence of certification of competence should be submitted.
10. The approval by the Specialist Subcommittee Obstetrics and Gynaecology of NSR will be on a case to case basis based on individual circumstances.
11. The Specialty Subcommittee Obstetrics and Gynaecology of NSR shall call the applicant for an interview, if required.
12. Registration with NSR is for 5 years period and renewable every 5 years based on assessment by the scoring system for CPD

IV

Non Malaysians with Unrecognised Postgraduate Qualification.

The criteria listed under III No. 1 to 12 shall be applicable. The applicants from overseas must also submit their letter of offer from the Malaysian employer when applying to be registered in the NSR.

Training Structured Programme for the Master In Medicine Obstetrics and Gynaecology
1. Master Medicine Obstetrics and Gynaecology UKM
2. Master Medicine Obstetrics and Gynaecology UM
3. Master Medicine Obstetrics and Gynaecology USM

1.1. Master in O&G – Selection/Training the Conjoint Board UM/UKM/USM
a) The Masters in O&G Specialist Training programme is currently run by the conjoint Board of University of Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Sains Malaysia with the Ministry of Health.
b) The President of College of O&G – AMM is a member of the Conjoint of UM, UKM and USM.
c) The doctors need at least 2 years of compulsory training as housemen and Medical Officers prior to entry into programme. A recommendation has been made to shorten the 3 year requirement to 2 years.
d) The selection of candidates into Masters in O&G programme is by application and interview of the candidate by the respective Universities. Recently efforts have been made to standardise the admission criteria. A suggestion has been made to have an open system and by examination.
e) The candidate selected is posted to one of the accredited Hospitals,under the Ministry of Health or the University They undergo a period of orientation prior to their clinical postings. The masters programme has the following requirements.

1st year - Part 1 Examination
2nd year - Case write up
3rd year - Study and thesis write ups
4th year - Rotation to various subspecialities 3 month rotation

f) On passing the final Master Examination, the doctor is conferred the master O&G Degree by the respective University.
g) The Masters O&G doctors are required to do minimum of 6 months pre-gazettment posting.
h) At the end of 6 months, an evaluation is made by the Head of Department of O&G and if the report is satisfactory, the masters O&G doctor is gazetted as a specialist by the Ministry of Health or the University

TRAINING STRUCTURED SUBSPECIALTIES PROGRAMME IN O&G

The subspecialist training in O&G is currently conducted by the Ministry of Health through the JKPPOG (Jawatankuasa Pengurusan dan Perkembangan O&G).

The O&G specialist have to do a minimum period of 2 years of general Obstetrics and Gynaecology after passing the Masters in O&G, to gain experience in the field prior to be eligible for subspecialty training.

Four areas of subspecialisation has been identified in O&G :-
1. Maternal Fetal Medicine
2. Reproductive Medicine
3. Uro Gynaecology
4. Gynae Oncology

Each of the subspecialty training programme have their own curriculum, log book and structured training schedule. Candidates apply for subspecialty training through prescribed forms to the Ministry of Health. These applications are then submitted by the Ministry of Health to the respective Subspecialty Training Committees, which interviews the candidates and if suitable, he or she will be provided with the training schedule.

• 1st year training -Recognized centres in Ministry of Health or University
• 2nd year training -Recognized overseas centres or locally
• 3rd year training -The candidates will be posted to hospital to practice under indirect supervision.

During these periods of training the candidates need to keep log books and need a 6 monthly supervisors report.

After completion of 3 years of training, the candidates submits to the subspecialty training committee, his or her assessment reports, log book, research papers and other relevant documents. He/She is called for an interview by the subspecialty training committee which reviews all his/her training reports and issues a letter of satisfactory completion of training.

Since May 2006 an Exit Board had been created to review and evaluate the subcommittee’s report and issue a certificate of completion of training to the candidates. All these documents are then submitted to the Ministry of Health for gazettement of the candidates as a subspecialist.

Currently the subspecialty training in the Ministry of Health is conducted by the Jawatankuasa Pengurusan dan Perkembangan O&G (JKPPOG). The Head of the Ministry of Health O&G Services heads the JKPPOG committee and its members are all the state heads of O&G and other senior O&G specialists in the Ministry of Health. The JKPPOG committee appoints the head of the Subspecialty Training Committees and he in turn appoints the members of his subspecialty training committee.

Presently the following are the Head of the Subcommittee :-
1. Maternal Fetal Medicine - Dr. Ravichandran
2. Reproductive Medicine - Dr. Mukudan Krishnan
3. Uro Gynaecology - Dr. Wan Abu Bakar
4. Gynae Oncology - Dato’ Dr. Ghazali Ismail

Maternal Fetal Medicine
1. Dr. Ravichandran - Ministry of Health
2. Prof. Dr. Jamiyah Hassan - University of Malaya
3. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Abdul Jamil Mohd Yassin - Universiti Kebangsaan M’sia
4. Dr. Japaraj Robert Peter - Ministry of Health
5. Dato’ Dr. Alex Mathews - Academy of Medicine

Reproductive Medicine
1. Dr. Mukudan Krishnan - Ministry of Health
2. Dr. Hj. Mohamad Forouk Abdullah - Ministry of Health
3. Prof. Dr. Zainul Rashid Mohd Rashid - Universiti Kebangsaan M’sia
4. Dr. S.P Rachagan - Subang Medical Centre, KL
5. Dato’ Dr. Johan Thambu Malek - Academy of Medicine

Urogynaecology
1. Dr. Wan Abu Bakar - Ministry of Health
2. Dr. Soon Ruey - Ministry of Health
3. A.Prof. Dr. Seri Suniza Sufian - University Kebangsaan M’sia
4. Dr. Aruku Naidu - Ministry of Health
5. Dato’ Dr. N. Sivalingam - Academy of Medicine

Gynae Oncology
1. Dato’ Dr. Ghazali Ismail - Ministry of Health
2. Dr. S. Vijaendreh - Ministry of Health
3. Dr. Rushdan Md. Noor - Ministry of Health
4. Prof. Dr. Siti Zawiah Omar - University of Malaya
5. Assoc. Prof.(Clinical) Dr. Ahmad Zailani Hatta - University Kebangsaan M’sia
B.Mohd Dali
6. Assoc. Prof Dr. Nik Md. Zaki - University Science Malaysia
7. Dato’ Dr. N. Sivamohan - Academy of Medicine
8. Datuk Dr. Abdul Aziz Yahya - Gleneagles Intan Hospital

Nature of Work

Inpatient Consults –maternal fetal medicine specialist is available seven days a for consultation and evaluation of any patient designated by their generalist obstetrician as having a complicated or high-risk pregnancy.

Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialists available on-call at all times – The complex needs of our high-risk patient population is highly dynamic and requires ongoing evaluation and intervention. maternal-fetal medicine specialists are in house daily, and available either by phone or on-call as needed 24 hours a day.

Scope of Practise

The MFM specialist provides medical care for a broad range of problems encountered in pregnancy, such as twins, triplets, or more; diabetes; premature labor; and other special conditions occurring in pregnancy, including previous adverse outcomes.

• Consultations for patients with high-risk pregnancy issues prior to and during pregnancy


• Comprehensive care throughout pregnancy and delivery


• Education for medical students, residents, and fellows regarding normal and complicated pregnancies


• Clinical and basic scientific research, including randomized clinical trials and outcomes research, to benefit women and their newborns


• Leadership positions in national organizations and committees regarding research, education, and obstetric care policy

Development

Maternal-Fetal Medicine was first recognized as a subspecialty of obstetrics and gynecology in 1974, but the scientific advances leading to the emergence of this new medical field were made in the 1950s and 60s. The advent of medical ultrasound gave obstetricians a window through which to observe the behavior and development of the fetus. Amniocentesis, coupled with cytogenetics and later, molecular biology, made possible the diagnosis of many fetal conditions, even early in pregnancy. Fetal monitoring allowed evaluation for fetal well-being in late pregnancy and during labor, allowing physicians to intervene on behalf of the fetus. Techniques for safely entering the uterus with needles and various instruments allowed other forms of diagnosis and, in some instances, treatment of the fetus.

By the early 1970s there was no denying that the fetus had become a patient in his or her own right. At the same time it was becoming increasingly clear that the appropriate management of many maternal medical and surgical conditions could improve the health of the fetus. All of these advances led to a growing group of obstetrician/gynecologists who were limiting their work to the needs of mothers and fetuses in complicated pregnancies. In 1974 certification in the subspecialty of Maternal-Fetal Medicine was granted by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Definition

Obstetrics and gynecology (often abbreviated to OB/GYN, OBG, O&G or Obs & Gynae) are the two surgical specialties dealing with the female reproductive organs, and as such are often combined to form a single medical specialty and postgraduate training program. This combined training prepares the practicing OB/GYN to be adept at the surgical management of the entire scope of clinical pathology involving female reproductive organs, and to provide care for both pregnant and non-pregnant patients.

A Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialist is an obstetrician/gynecologist who deals with high-risk pregnancies or special problem pregnancies. MFM specialists have completed additional formal training and have advanced knowledge of the medical, genetic, surgical, and obstetrical complications that can occur during pregnancy.

Thus, a MFM specialist has obtained certification in Obstetrics/Gynecology and Maternal Fetal Medicine.

Introduction To Maternal Fetal Medicine

Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) is a subspecialty of Obstetrics and Gynecology dealing with all matters that can affect the health of a mother or fetus from before conception to the postpartum period.MFM involves the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of those conditions responsible for morbidity and mortality of the mother, fetus and early newborn.

The rapidly expanding body of knowledge regarding maternal health and disease, the continuing introduction of new technologic methods for maternal and fetal assessment and increasing societal demands and expectations for mother and child, continue to modify the nature of obstetrical care. A direct result of these evolving processes is a need for specialists in maternal-fetal medicine with educational and research interests, administrative ability and special training in the identification and management of high risk obstetrical problems.

Specialists in maternal-fetal medicine are viewed primarily as consultants to the practising obstetrician and other health care providers. For the most part they will limit their practice to referred high risk obstetrical patients in a tertiary health care institution and function as regional consultants in matters of organization, standards and education in the broad field of maternal-fetal medicine.