MASEAN Workshop on Medical Education (Jakarta)

This medical education workshop, held on 20 August 2005 at the Hotel Ibis Tamarin in central Jakarta, arose as a result of a resolution passed at the 11th Medical Association of South East Asian Nations (MASEAN) Conference held last year in Bali. There were 15 delegates, comprising mainly senior medical academics from Indonesia, as well as delegates from Thailand and Singapore. The workshop was chaired by Professor FA Moeloek, MASEAN Chairman and former Health Minister of Indonesia. Formal presentations were made on family medicine, specialist medical education and continuing professional development, with lively informal comments by moderators as well as delegates. The discussions allowed a better understanding of the current state MASEAN Workshop on Medical Education, Jakarta and progress of postgraduate medical education in various ASEAN countries, and problems and constraints faced. Among the many suggestions for further development were: development of a regional standard of competence, continuing professional development guidelines, emphasis on medical ethics, and creation of an ASEAN standing committee on medical education. Personally, I was very pleasantly surprised by the fruitful and enthusiastic discussions from all present, and the speed in which the organisers produced the recommendation document for the MASEAN Council. Overall, it was a weekend well spent.