Preparing for Medical Houseman Interview (gred UD41)

I am finally done with my interview :) I decided to write this entry on my interview to help those who stumble across this post to prepare for theirs. 

They called me up a week before to tell me that my interview was the coming Friday. The first week that I was back i spent settling the paperworks needed for the interview and also reading up for it. I was told to read up on tropical diseases, "trending" non-communicable dieases and also general question on the Minitry of Health (KKM), trending issues (general and health related) in the country and also the Ministry of Health hierarchy. The weeks following the first I spent more on helping around the house and also baking. When I got the call I started getting the jitters and I went all out remembering names and their titles, the motto, vision and mission of the Ministry of Heath and many more. As the day approached the nerves was just too much that I could not do anything anymore and felt like there was something I am missing out or haven't read on. So what I did then was decide on the fine details like making sure I had all the documents needed (original and photocopied) and what I was going to wear-I decided to wear a purplish blue baju kurung (a traditional Malay costume), with my black cot shoes, plain earring, nude peach lipstick and some mascara (had a lot off time that I even decided on my make up too). Speaking of checking on my documents(original and photocopied and verified), what you would need for you houseman interview (which can also be found on the SPA website) are:

• Birth Certificate
• Identification Card
• SPM certificate
• MMC certificate (the orange coloured certificate you get from MMC with your temporary application number)
• Medical certificate
• Final transcript
• Letter from the dean stating you have completed you studies (usually for those who are done but have not gotten their certificate and transcript)
• Resume printed out (which was initially filled in before on the SPA website)
• SPA slip printed (also from the SPA website after completing the resume)
• 2 passport sized fotos

Take note that the original and photocopied & verified (the resume and slip does not have to be verified) copies of the documents are needed When Friday came along me and my friends were they around 7-ish. We went up to the 6th floor and had to fill in a form and stick our picture on it (only the foreign graduates need to fill up this form. Then we waited to be briefed. There were so many people there but not all of them were there for the UD41 interview. The interview for local and foreign graduates were done in separate rooms. For the foreign graduates we entered in a group of 4. Me and a friend of mine (M) were in the 2nd round and another friend (J) was in the 3rd. The first round went in around 8.15am and took 45 mins. The wait for us was hell. But only later did we find out that there was nothing to fret. 

When we went in we were asked to introduce ourselves and our IC number. There were 2 interviewers who were very nice: one from SPA and a doctor as the KKM representative. We were told we can speak either in English or Malay. We were asked: about wanting to be a doctor, problems faced when working in a group, typhoid (patho, symptoms, treatment prevention), etc. A lot o general questions were asked which according to me was easy as it was each's own opinion. Other than that it was just advice by them on how to cope with being a houseman later on, etc. When we came out we were just laughing at how we were nearly panicking before. Then we waited for J to be done and the gave us acceptance letters (we all passed the interview. We were told that nobody fails these interviews unless if the person has an attitude) and were told to wait for the placement letter. Then we took pictures, grabbed lunch and headed back. Hope that helps those of you who are preparing for the interview. Goodluck! 

Till next time. Toodle-oo :)

Applying for Housemanship

Now that I am done with my studies, all that is left to do is wait for graduation and get my job application process done. When we all got back the first thing we did was to start applying. As a medical student here in Malaysia to waiting list for the houseman-ship here is quite long. Although graduation is not over yet, due to the long wait we decided to get the ball rolling. As Indonesian graduates our process for application varies compared to those who finished their medical degree locally so I could not follow what my friends here had done. That left us finding out about the steps with other means available to us: Google. We found so many blogs by then newly graduates on how they applied. When read from the official site the process seemed tedious but these post actually made it seem simple.

What me and my friends did were:

1. SPA (online)

• Head to this link: http://putra6.spa.gov.my/spa8new/login.jsp.
• One is required to create an account which is quite simple.
• Log in after creating the new account and fill in the details needed. There are a number of different category tabs on the left. Informations like PMR, SPM and medical school results were asked. So keep them close by.
• Few of them said to not click the refresh button in order to not loose the data which has already been keyed in. In my opinion if you click "simpan" button it should be fine.
• After you are done filling up everything don't forget to click the "hantar" button.
• Then a slip (akuan pendaftaran permohonan jawatan SPA) and resume will appear on the screen. Save it and print a copy of those two. (it is said to be needed for the intertrview-which I am not too sure about as I am still waiting to be called for the interview)

MMC

• Head to: http://mmc.gov.my/v1/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=54&Itemid=89 (there will be many documents that can be downloaded as guides for the application but take note that not all are for the housemanship)
• Download Borang 4 a.k.a "perakuan pendaftaran sementara"/provisional registration. 
• Here's the link to the document in Malay. This document comes with a guideline at the beginning of it:  http://mmc.gov.my/v1/docs/form/1.Sementara%20-%20kemaskini_15122014.pdf
• You will need about 4 forms which are all in the form you downloaded from the MMC site so don't start panicking when you don't see any link anywhere for it. Those forms are
• Borang 4
• Borang pengakuan & borang pengakuan pengenalan saksi(both in the same page)
• Borang maklumat tambahan
• Barang fitness to practice declaration
• The documents (photocopied and certified) that you would need to hand in together with this form are:
• Identification Card (IC)
• Birth Certificate (BC)
• SPM CERTIFICATE (Please remember not the slip but cert. If you have not collected you you can always go back to your high school to get it. 
• Medical certificate (Indonesian graduates: need SKed cert and final cert)
• Final transcript (Indonesian graduates: need both SKed and ko-as cert)
• IF still HAVE NOT not gotten final cert or transcript yet: dean's letter (original copy must be given for this so make sure you photocopy few copies and certify it as most will not certify any documents without seeing the original copy)
• Additional:
• At least 2 pasport size photo
• Wang Pos/Deraf bank (bank cheque)/kiriman wang worth RM20.00 under the name of: Pendaftar Pengamal Perubatan
• All of the above documents must be certified by officers of gred 41 and above. From the MMC page given above the guidelines for certification can be download under the title of: "garis panduan pengesahan document"/ guidelines for document verificate.
• School principles can verify (only secondary school principles)
• I'm not too sure whether only government officials can certify or not. (double check this)
• Take NOTE that every page of the document that you want to hand in must be certified.
• Documents that are not in English or Bahasa Malaysia has to be translated (by specified  people) and the translated copy needs to be certified.
• The documents and the forms can either be mailed or handed in personally at

Majlis Perubatan Malaysia (MPM), Blok B, Aras Bawah, Jalan Cendarasari, 50590 Kuala Lumpur

• For any queries you can contact them at: 603-22628480/26912171
• After handing it in, you have to wait for 5 working days in order to get your temporary registration number and cert. Also when you hand it in you will be given a slip which you have to present when you go to collect the letters from MMC. If you sent your forms by snail mail give them 3 days to get back to you and if anything is incomplete. 
• To collect the cert/letters from MMC you can either go personally or send a representative or get it by snail mail (in one of the forms you will be asked to state method of collection)
• After getting this letters and cert, only a copy of the cert (the orange coloured paper) will be needed to hand in together with the others documents for KKM.
• The cert can be certified at a school nearby or by an officer at block A. You can ask the officers at MMC for help or directions. 

KKM

• First you need to go to the KKM website: http://www.moh.gov.my/index.php/pages/view/55
• Download the Borang Maklumat Diri (BMD) form: http://www.moh.gov.my/index.php/pages/view/981 
• Fill up the forms. This is where you get to pick the 3 hospitals that you want and hopefully you will be given the hospital that you requested. 
• Documents (photocopied and certified) needed are the same as with MMC only the addition of the cert from MMC:
• IC
• BC
• SPM cert
• Medical cert and transcript
• Dean's letter
• MMC cert
• This too you can hand in personally or send it through snail mail.
• If you are handing it in PERSONALLY, then walk in to the reception inform them where you want to go. You will be asked to fill in the visitors log and also to hand in your IC or driver's license and you will be given a visitors tag which will be needed for you to access the elevators and the officer doors. When you get off the elevator turn right scan the card go in and turn right again and walk all the way till u reach a space/room with chairs and table and you will see a shelf at the corner of the room. Just drop it in the right slot. There will be stationaries at the table incase you need it. Best to staple all your documents together instead or a paper clip. 
• If you get lost just ask around . They are very helpful. 

Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia
Bahagian Sumber Manusia
Unit Pengurusan & Profesional
Aras 9, Blok E7, Kompleks E
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan
62590 Putrajaya
Tel: 03-88833888 (Puan Aminah/ Puan Nurul)

SPA- again. 

• After  you have gotten you cert from MMC with your temporary registration number you can immediatly call SPA in order to arrange your interview or you can head to their office at Putrajaya which is near KKM. If you are not going to immediately go to KKM then I suggest you to call them. As the waiting list can be long I suggest you contact SPA ASAP. 

Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam Malaysia
Aras 6, Blok C7, Kompleks C
Bahagian Pengambilan
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan
62520 Putrajaya
Tel: 03-88856000 (Puan Zamzarina/ Encik Asrul Nazwan)

• The contacts for the interview can be found here: http://www.spa.gov.my/Portal/Temu_Duga_Terbuka

After you have call and arranged your interview, you wait for the call to come. As what I am doing now :) Make sure to give them a number which can be reached as I am sure you do not want to miss out on the interview just because they can't get you. 

Hopefully my long post helps those who are applying for housemanship. For further questions you can always call MMC, KKM or SPA they are very friendly and helpful.

And also please do double check the steps in the guidelines which you can find online in case I missed you something or am wrong about something.

Till next time. Toodle-oo :)