You’ll need to hold a Master of Emergency Medicine (MEM) or an equivalent recognised postgraduate qualification in Emergency Medicine. Beyond the paper qualifications, we’re looking for Emergency Physicians who genuinely care about kids, have a demonstrated interest in paediatric emergency care, and are ready to commit to 3 years of intensive training. Strong clinical references and a willingness to relocate for rotations are also important. If you’re the sort of doctor who stays behind to check on the sick child one more time — you’re probably our kind of person.

It’s a 3-year structured fellowship. Year 1 (Foundation) covers General Paediatrics, NICU, junior PEM exposure, retrieval medicine, trauma, and paediatric surgery. Year 2 (Consolidation) ramps up with Anaesthesia, Orthopaedics, PICU, and senior PEM rotations where you’re leading the team. Year 3 is a full 12-month overseas fellowship at a recognised international PEM centre — this isn’t optional, it’s a core part of what makes our graduates globally competitive. Training takes place across 6+ accredited centres including Hospital Tunku Azizah (KL), Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar (Seremban), HRPB (Ipoh), HTAR (Klang), Hospital Sungai Buloh, and more.

There are 10 distinct rotations and they’re deliberately sequenced so each one builds on the last. Here’s the full list: General Paediatrics (4 months), NICU (3 months), Junior PEM (1 month), Elective/PICU/Subspecialty (1 month), Retrieval Medicine (1 month), Paediatric Trauma (1 month), Paediatric Surgery (1 month), Paediatric Anaesthesia (2 months), PICU (4 months), and Senior PEM (5 months). Then the entire third year is an overseas attachment. You’ll cover everything from neonatal resuscitation to adolescent toxicology, with hands-on procedural experience at every stage.

Yes — and we mean that in the best possible way. Trainees are expected to lead clinical audits, participate in quality improvement projects, and contribute to publishable research. You won’t be left to figure this out alone: there’s structured mentorship covering study design, ethics submission, data analysis, and how to present at conferences without boring everyone. Our fellows have already put the PEM department at Hospital Tunku Azizah on the map internationally with multiple conference presentations. Research here isn’t a box-ticking exercise — it’s how you help shape the future of paediatric emergency care in Malaysia.

Assessment is continuous and competency-based — no single high-stakes exam that makes or breaks you. Throughout your training, you’ll have workplace-based assessments (real-time feedback on actual patient care), structured clinical examinations, procedural logbook sign-offs, and regular progress reviews with your supervising consultants. Each rotation has clear competency milestones. By Year 2, you’re expected to be functioning with increasing independence in leading resuscitation and making high-level clinical decisions. The aim is for you to be genuinely consultant-ready by graduation, not just exam-ready.

We take in 2 new trainees per year. This is deliberate — we prioritise quality over quantity to maintain high supervisor-to-trainee ratios and ensure every fellow gets proper hands-on mentorship. The intake is annual, and expressions of interest can be made at any time by contacting the programme office. If you’re seriously considering this, we’d encourage you to reach out early and have a conversation — we’re happy to chat informally before you formally apply.

Currently, the programme is structured as a full-time 3-year commitment, including the mandatory overseas year. The nature of emergency medicine training — shift work, on-call rotations, high-fidelity simulation, and the sheer volume of clinical exposure needed — makes part-time arrangements very challenging. That said, we understand life happens, and individual circumstances can be discussed with the programme coordinator. If you have specific concerns about flexibility, reach out to us directly and we’ll give you an honest answer.

PEM subspecialists pursue careers in clinical leadership, academic medicine, health policy, simulation education, research, and international practice. The subspecialty opens doors across the healthcare system.

The two primary training hubs are Hospital Tunku Azizah (HTA) in Kuala Lumpur — the national tertiary referral centre handling 65,000–70,000 paediatric attendances annually — and Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar (HTJS) in Seremban, home of the original “Purple Zone” with over 17,000 paediatric visits per year. Additional rotations take you to Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (HRPB) in Ipoh, Hospital Sungai Buloh, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (HTAR) in Klang, and PICU rotations in Sarawak and Penang. The overseas year takes place at an approved international PEM centre. You won’t be stuck in one hospital — the variety is part of the design.

Drop us a line — we genuinely enjoy hearing from interested doctors. Email: drkiran@moh.gov.my | Phone: +60 12-508 5481 | Or visit us at the Paediatric Emergency Department, Hospital Tunku Azizah, Lot 25, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur. Whether you have a quick question or want to have a proper chat about whether PEM is right for you, don’t be shy. We were once in your shoes too.