Hundreds of medical students demonstrated outside the legislature yesterday morning as lawmakers discussed proposed amendments to the Physician’s Act (醫師法) that would require a higher threshold for Taiwanese doctors who study abroad to obtain their license.
Controversy over whether doctors with diplomas from medical schools abroad should have to meet extra requirements to obtain medical licenses in Taiwan have arisen as more students chose to attend medical schools in Eastern Europe — mainly Poland — because it is cheaper to study there.
The demonstrators questioned the quality of medical education in Poland, saying that Polish medical schools do not require practicums as Taiwanese schools do.
Some said that Taiwanese medical students in Poland can get a medical degree just by paying money.
The demonstrators urged lawmakers to adopt the amendments as soon as possible.
“Medical students with degrees earned from abroad should take a qualification exam, attend a one-year practicum program and then pass the national exam in order to become a doctor in Taiwan,” said Chang Heng-hao (張恆豪), chairman of the Alliance of Taiwanese Medical Students. “The health of people in the country would be better protected if the amendments were adopted.”
Over on the other side of the legislature about a dozen parents of students studying abroad protested against the proposed amendments.
“Why do students have to take an extra qualification exam if the government already recognizes diplomas from the country they studied in? This is not fair and doesn’t make any sense,” said Hsu Hung-hsiang (徐鴻祥), the father of a student now studying in Poland.
“Does that mean that everyone who receives a degree from another country should have to pass an extra exam before the degree is recognized? It just doesn’t make sense,” he said.
Lawmakers found themselves just as divided over the issue as the rival groups of protesters.
Worried about the impact of the proposals and unable to reach a consensus, the lawmakers decided to continue their discussion of the proposed amendments at further meetings.
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