New doctors free to choose jobs

JAKARTA: New doctors and dentists are no longer obligated to undergo residency programs that require them to work in community health centers for three years. Now, they can open their own clinics, work in private or state-owned hospitals or apply to become civil servants as soon as they graduate.

Health Minister Achmad Sujudi, as quoted by Antara on Wednesday, said in accordance with the health minister's Decree No. 1540/2002 on the procedure of the assignment of doctors, newly graduated doctors could choose whether they wanted to undergo residency programs or not.

He expected his decree would be supported by a government decree to make it more powerful.

Achmad said he would urge city and regency administrations to immediately employ the thousands of new doctors at their community health centers. --Antara