Commission XIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives heard complaints from young doctors regarding the withholding of professional certificates in a hearing with the National Commission on Human Rights and the Indonesian Young Doctors Movement.
"Since this is an education issue, how do we view this in the context of human rights in education so that there is relevance that we can use as a recommendation," said Deputy Chairman of Commission XIII Andreas Hugo Pareira at the House of Representatives Building.
At the meeting, Mika Wardani, a representative of the Indonesian Young Doctors Movement, said the fate of prospective doctors was in limbo because their professional certificates had not been issued.
This issue is believed to stem from unfair regulations on medical education. Mika highlighted a new regulation, namely Regulation of the Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education Number 18 of 2018 concerning National Standards for Medical Education.
Article 40 paragraph (1) of Ministerial Regulation 18/2018 stipulates that professional programs for doctors and dentists must be implemented for a minimum of two years and a maximum of five years. However, Ika said, the new regulation is being applied retroactively.
"We, who are from the 2018 school year and below, why are we being subjected to this regulation?" he said.
Mika stated that professional medical education was conducted during internships. He confirmed that the prospective doctors whose professional certificates were withheld had been on internship for no more than five years. He also stated that his cumulative grade point average (GPA) was satisfactory, at least 3.00.
"This confirms that the university has declared us to have completed the medical professional program. This letter is very convincing for us that we have completed it, but why is our professional certificate still being withheld?" he said.
He also questioned Article 36 paragraph (2) of Law Number 20 of 2013 concerning Medical Education which stipulates that to obtain a professional certificate, students must pass a competency test.
The competency test in question is the National Competency Test for Medical Education Programs which consists of a Computer Based Test and an Objective Structured Clinical Examination .
"Why do we have to pass a competency test before we can be awarded our professional certificate? Isn't this flawed thinking?" he asked.
Mika said the article was ambiguous, resulting in professional certificates being withheld from students who had exam repeater status.
"For example, when we test a halal product, it should result in a halal certificate. Why does a competency test result in a professional certificate? This is a crime, and our rights are being withheld," he said.
In fact, he added, most of the retakers had passed the OSCE exam. "We just haven't passed the CBT exam," he said.
The withholding of this professional certificate is said to have various impacts, ranging from not being able to take the professional oath, not receiving a professional title, to the threat of being expelled from campus because the study period has exceeded the limit.
"We can't find work, sir/madam. Now we're unemployed, burdening our parents. If we get this professional certificate, even though we haven't passed the competency test, we can work in other departments without touching patients," he said.
This impact is not only felt by domestic students, but also by foreign nationals (WNA) who are studying medicine in Indonesia.
"What is truly heartbreaking is that our foreign friends are currently unable to return to their countries to obtain medical degrees and take competency exams in their respective countries because their professional certificates have been withheld, even though they have completed all their professional education in Indonesia," Mika said.
