The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and Persatuan Obstetrik & Ginekologi Nasional MOH Malaysia (PROGEN) have announced the launch of the first year of the Centres of Excellence - Parallel Pathway Programme.
The programme welcomed its first cohort of 10 trainees across five hospitals in Malaysia on 1 July 2026 and will support the training of up to 250 obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) doctors between 2026 and 2031.
Developed in collaboration with PROGEN and supported by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia and the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia, the partnership aims to strengthen the training of doctors in women's health, increase the number of O&G specialists, and improve healthcare outcomes for women and girls in Malaysia.
The training provided will align with UK standards using the RCOG Curriculum, MRCOG examinations and RCOG Training ePortfolio and trainees will undergo the same annual review of competence progression (ARCP) process as UK trainees.
The first group of hospitals approved to deliver the programme as RCOG Centres of Excellence are Hospital Tunku Azizah, Hospital Ampang, Selangor, Hospital Shah Alam, Hospital Putrajaya, all situated in the Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area, and Hospital Umum Sarawak in Kuching, Borneo.
Dr Alison Wright, President of the RCOG, said:
"I am delighted we have launched the Centres of Excellence Parallel Pathway Programme in Malaysia.
"This initiative will bring together the expertise of all partners, hospitals, faculty, and trainees, to improve the education and training of doctors and, ultimately, the quality of care provided to women in Malaysia throughout their lives.
“Collaboration is a key pillar of my Presidency, and this programme is an excellent example of what we can achieve when we build partnerships and work together.
"I am incredibly grateful to our Malaysian colleagues for their commitment to excellence in training and to this very exciting collaboration.”
Kate Lancaster, Chief Executive of the RCOG, said:
“I am immensely proud that RCOG can continue to develop its longstanding relationship and presence in Malaysia through this five -year structured specialist training programme.
“As a global College with over 19,000 members, this programme demonstrates RCOG’s commitment to its mission to improve women’s healthcare across the world, and underpins its aim to encourage the study, and advance the science and practice of obstetrics and gynaecology.
“It is a privilege to work alongside our distinguished Malaysian partners, PROGEN, the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia and the Ministry of Health, and we look forward to seeing the programme develop and expand over the next five years.”
Quotes from our Malaysian Partners:
Dr Sabrizan Osman, Deputy Director, Medical Development Division, Ministry of Health, Malaysia said:
“The Ministry of Health Malaysia welcomes this collaboration with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and sincerely appreciates the commitment of all partners in advancing specialist training, strengthening the nation's healthcare workforce, and supporting our shared aspiration of delivering high-quality, sustainable healthcare for all Malaysians.”
Dr Wan Ahmad Hazim Wan Ghazali, Head of Training (O&G), Ministry of Health, Malaysia said:
“We are very excited to be where we are now! For the past 4 years, we comprehensively reviewed the curriculum, carefully mapping its requirements to the Malaysian healthcare and training landscape. We also undertook a rigorous evaluation of the capacity of our trainers, supervisors and training institutions to ensure that the programme is delivered in full accordance with RCOG standards.
"This achievement reflects not only the strength of our partnership but also the unwavering dedication of many individuals who have worked diligently behind the scenes to make this programme a reality.”
Prof Dato' Dr Hanafiah HarunarashidMaster, Academy of Medicine Malaysia said:
"The Academy of Medicine of Malaysia commends the collaboration between the Ministry of Health, PROGEN, and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists as an important milestone in strengthening postgraduate specialist training in Malaysia.
"By bringing together national leadership and international expertise, this partnership reinforces our collective commitment to developing a future-ready specialist workforce that meets the highest standards of clinical excellence, professionalism, and patient care. The Academy is proud to support initiatives that foster innovation, collaboration, and excellence in medical education for the benefit of the nation.”
ENDS