::.. College of Radiology - Career in Clinical Oncology

Would you like to join the team that provides cancer treatment in Malaysia?

Urgent need for more clinical oncologists!
According to the First Report of the National Cancer Registry that was published in July 2003, 26,089 cases were registered in Peninsular Malaysia. Taking into account the estimated 10,656 unregistered cases and the 3,750 cases registered in Sabah and Sarawak, the total number of new cancer patients in Malaysia in 2002 was approximately 40,500. The cumulative life-time risk of getting cancer was 1 in 4 in Malaysia.

Be part of the action and efforts in improving the lives of cancer patients in the country by taking up the challenge of being a clinical oncologist. There is much to be done as a clinical oncologist. Not only will your achievements as a clinical oncologist be most satisfying for yourself but also your contributions towards the community and country will be most invaluable.

Get trained
Training programmes are being arranged both abroad as well as locally. Medical officers who are interested to explore oncology as a career can contact the Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, the Clinical Oncology Unit in University Malaya Medical Centre, or the respective Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology in Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia or even the private centres.

Available Training Programmes
The Government of Malaysia is providing BOTH local and foreign post-graduate courses for clinical oncology in order to overcome the shortage of clinical oncologists in this country as quickly as possible.

Local Masters Programme
The first intake of candidates for the Masters in Clinical Oncology in the University of Malaya was in 2002. Candidates for the Masters in Clinical Oncology will undergo most of their teaching and training in University of Malaya, but will also undergo rotation to other oncology centres.

As of June 2004, the first professional examination has been carried out twice with external examiners from Australia and another local university.

Overseas Programme
For candidates opting for the overseas programme, the traditional place for training has been in the United Kingdom. As there is now increasing difficulty for candidates from Malaysia in obtaining training positions in the United Kingdom, the Malaysian Government has been offered training positions by the Hong Kong College of Radiologists which conducts the same examination as in the United Kingdom, ie Fellowship of Royal College of Radiology (FRCR). The teaching facilities and training system in Hong Kong are well structured and have been recognized in producing candidates of high caliber in clinical oncology. From 2002, the JPA has begun to offer a four year scholarship for candidates taking up training for the FRCR in Hong Kong. As of 2004, candidates who opt for overseas training must first pass the FRCR Part I on their own.

Minimum Requirements for Career in Clinical Oncology
The following are the minimum requirements for a Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health who is considering a career in Clinical Oncology:

(1) Three years as a Medical Officer after completing Housemanship.

(2) At least one year in a major non-oncology posting, ie General Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics or Surgery. (Any posting within Surgery will be acceptable, eg Otorhinolaryngology, Orthopaedics, Neurosurgery, etc).

(3) Preferably, at least one year in the Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, so that appropriate preparations for foundation knowledge and skills in clinical oncology can be imparted and the candidate’s suitability for the course in clinical oncology can be adequately assessed.

(4) Preferably, he or she should also have usually served one year in the periphery or in one of the “unpopular” postings.

Who to contact?

If a doctor is keen to consider clinical oncology as a career, he or she is invited to contact:

Dr Gerard Lim Chin Chye
Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology
Hospital Kuala Lumpur

Tel : 03-26155810
Fax: 03-26925713

E-mail: glcc03@hotmail.com

Dr Norshidah Abdullah
Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology
Hospital Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-26155555 extension: 7064

e-mail: norshidaha@yahoo.com

Dr D Jayendran
Unit of Radiotherapy and Oncology,
Hospital Pulau Pinang

Tel: 04-2293333 extension 551

e-mail: navinsurfer@hotmail.com

Dr Anita Bustam
Clinical Oncology Unit,
Universiti Malaya Medical Centre

Tel: 03-79502185

e-mail: anitabustam@yahoo.com

Dr Fuad Ismail
Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology,
Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Tel: 03-91702130

e-mail: fuad@mail.hukm.ukm.my

Dr Biswa Mohan
Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology,
Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

Tel: 09-7651711
Fax: 09-7653370

e-mail: biswa@kb.usm.my

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Last Updated:
Tuesday, January 04, 2005