PUTRAJAYA - Housemen under the Health Ministry can now choose in which hospital they want to do their internship, starting this year.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Hilmi Yahaya said that this measure would enhance the work performances of the future doctors.

"However, their application will depend on vacancies at the hospital," he told reporters at the Civil Service Guidance Programme (AKRAB) accreditation ceremony, here today.

He said if there were no vacancies, they would be given a waiting period and they could also choose other hospitals for housemanship.

"But I believe they will not be too choosy about their placements because they surely would like to get immediate approval as medical officers," he said.

Hilmi said currently, there were 10,000 housemen under the ministry and they often would take two years to complete their internships.

He said if the measure succeeded, the ministry planned to use the same method for medical officers.

Source: Bernama