21 May 2025
Christoffel Daniel Yesaya Tambunan
Monday, May 19, 2025. Professors from the Faculty of Medicine of Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) expressed deep concern regarding Indonesia's medical education system and health services, which have recently drawn considerable attention. This was conveyed in an academic forum titled "USU Speaks: Straighten the Nation's Conscience" at the Faculty of Medicine USU Hall.
This forum served as a reflective platform and a moral statement from the academic community regarding serious challenges threatening the quality of medical education and health services in Indonesia. The professors criticized several matters, including issues related to collegiums and doctor transfers, which were deemed to be carried out unilaterally.
In his opening remarks, the Dean of Faculty of Medicine USU, Prof. Dr. dr. Aldy Safruddin Rambe, Sp.S(K)., stated that the professors' stance was not merely an institutional reaction but a manifestation of the moral responsibility of educators towards the quality of doctors who will serve the community.
"If the quality of doctors declines later, the community will undoubtedly bear the impact. We do not want to produce incompetent graduates. This is not just an academic matter but also a humanitarian mandate," said Prof. Aldy.
An official statement from Prof. dr. Guslihan Dasatjipta, Sp.A(K), appointed as spokesperson for the Faculty of Medicine USU Council of Professors. In his statement, Prof. Guslihan commented on several Ministry of Health policies, which he described as lacking a medical science background and are considered to significantly disrupt the stability and independence of medical education in Indonesia.
According to him, the Ministry of Health has taken the wrong steps and has not been transparent in its decision-making process. The Secretary of the USU Board of Trustees assessed that this takeover has had a negative impact on medical education and public health services.
"These decisions were taken over non-transparently; this situation has led to the dismissal of several of our colleagues from teaching hospitals. We are concerned about the actions of the Minister of Health, who is not a doctor nor a medical professional, taking actions outside the rules of health science. We do not know the real mastermind behind these decisions," said Prof. Guslihan.
"The impact on education is clear; it will certainly lower the level of public health and the competence of doctors and also endanger patient safety in the future," he continued.
Therefore, the Professors hope the Indonesian President, Prabowo Subianto, can take steps regarding this matter. According to him, Prabowo needs to take action to save education in Indonesia.
"We disagree with the Ministry of Health's decisions; the final decision rests with the President. As educators in the health sector, we hope the President will find a way for us to do something so that the educational process can return to how it was before," said Prof. Guslihan.
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