Doctors Degrees and “Diplomatosis”
Dr Maung Maung Nyo
Prologue
Many doctors who graduated after the Second World War know that they are
degree holders as they were conferred the degree M. B., B. S. before they are
given the medical registration number (SAMA) to practise or work. However,
some old Burmese doctors are not medical graduates as they are LMP
(Licentiate of Medical Practice) granted by the Government of Burma.
(The Foremost Burmese University, University of Rangoon Celebrating
the Diamond Jubilee and Its Convocation Hall)
Of course, in
to a baccalaureate (First) degree. But, old holders of the LRCP, MRCS are
not degree holders as their medical qualification is granted by the Conjoint Board
of the Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Surgeons.
(Dr Ba Than M.B.(Cal), FRCS (Edin), FACS, FICS
It is not a postgraduate degree either. Just after
LRCP, MRCS holding the consultant surgeon post at the
surgery similar to Professor of Surgeon Dr Ba Than M.B. (
FICS, FACS. But, he was not. He left
(Old Rangoon Medical College, now University of Medicine 1, Lanmadaw,
Rangoon, Burma)
Many Burmese doctors are fond of writing their medical qualification behind
their names. It’s natural and necessary as the patients have the right to know
his doctor’s degrees, but some qualifications are superfluous. For example one
surgeon writes that he has FRCS (Edinburgh), FRCS (
FRCS (Glasgow) because all three fellowships are equal or the same. It’s similar to
saying I have passed the matriculation examination thrice.
(University of Medicine 2, North Okkalappa, Rangoon)
Professor Kyee Paw ridiculed such persons when I was a final part 1I student
at the medical college in
from
surgeons have come back from the
Both of them are double FRCS!”
(Royal College of Surgeons, England at Lincoln's Inn Fields, London)
We applauded thinking that more fellowships meant more qualifications.
“No!” They have to learn from Sayagyi U Kyee how to operate! U Kyee Paw
was pulling their legs.
(University of Medicine Mandalay)
Professor Colonel Tin Ohn was angry with me for pointing out that the MRCP,
FRCS and FRCP are not degrees but diplomas. “Ko Nyo, you should not have
written that in your book”, he told me. “Why, Bohmugyi (Colonel)? I was telling
the truth as most Burmese doctors don’t know. I’m sorry if it hurts you”, I have
to explain to him.
(Senate House, University of London, England)
Professor Dr Aung Than Ba Tu also told us to agree in the 5th
Medical Education Seminar in
postgraduate degrees. All the Ph.D. holders, professors and scientists, had
to explain to him that Ph.D. is a higher degree conferred by a university and
the MRCP and FRCS are the diplomas granted by the respective royal colleges
and so they are not the same. He was then chairman of the 5th Medical Education
Seminar and the Director-General of the Medical Research Department acting
as the D-G of the Department of Medical Education also.
(This is not personal, it’s a fact.)
(Royal College of Physicians, London)
Therefore, I wish to write about the degrees, diplomas and “diplomatosis” that is
the disease of writing many of them attached to one’s name in the medical
personnel of our country. This is purely academic and educational matter and
there is no personal thing involved. I am not directing or projecting to any one.
What is a degree or diploma?
A degree is a qualification conferred by an established university to a matriculated
student who has finished a course of study for a certain years satisfactorily and who
has passed the required examination. In this definition it is important that
the university was established legally by a royal charter in case of
as in
have the government recognition like in
claim to be a university.
(Rangoon General Hospital, RGH, where Candidates for All Medical
Degrees and Diplomas are Trained)
A course of study for certain years is also important. The course must have
prescribed curriculum, syllabus that lasts for at least three years, usually four years,
for a first degree.
from 4 years, now reverted back to a minimum of 3 and half years for the first degree.
So, if a person gets a degree after a period of less than the prescribed duration
of study, his degree may not be what he claims or not recognized by other
universities and government or employers.
A matriculated student means a student who has passed the prescribed examination
set for admission by the university. In
as the matriculation examination as we had only one university (
and all the Burmese universities later accept the students who have passed the said
examination. In other countries it may be GCE A level (
(
be granted a degree.
A diploma is granted after finishing a course of study lasting less than 3 or 4 years
that is not eligible for a degree with or without examination (GTI and LMP).
The postgraduate diplomas are certificates granted by any higher institute of learning
like Royal Colleges in UK (MRCP, MRCS now, FRCS, MRCOG etc) or other
Government or Government Recognised Bodies (Barrister at Law, Diploma in
Teaching, DOMS, DTM & H etc.)
(Dr U E M.B./B.S.(Rangoon), LRCP (London), MRCS (England),
DTM H (London),MRCP(Edin), FRCP (London)
Intermediate Degrees are those granted before graduating for the professional
degree like B.Sc. (Honours or Special) in anatomy, physiology in the British
Universities and at Institute of Medicine 2,
known as the intercalated degrees.
(Maung Maung Nyo M.B., B.S.(Rangoon), Ph.D.(London)
Higher degrees are postgraduate degrees after the first degree like M.Sc., M.Phil.
or Ph.D. Oxford and
At present an M.Phil. is higher than an M.A. or M.Sc. An M.Phil. candidate
must do research and submit a thesis based upon the research. An M.Sc. may be
given by reasearch or course work and by both in case of
(Dr Nan Ommar To be admitted to the Master of Science in Anatomy
Degree at the Institute of Medicine 1, Rangoon)
Highest degrees are D.Sc., D.Litt. or Doctor of Law. They are given based on
the publications of a candidate or by a written book. Only Dr Than Tun Ph.D.
got D.Litt. from the University of London.
A professor is more than qualified for any profession or field and you need
not state your degrees if you like to be humble and you are well known. But for
strangers and in publications you may describe your position and degrees together.
Note: An M.D. in
M.B., Ch. B. degree. Only the holder of the first medical degree from the university
can pursue the M.D. course at the same university. Professsor Shwe Zan was
the only Burmese who got M.D. from the University of Edinburgh as he graduated
M.B., Cb.B. from there.
In
is the first medical degree. There is another medical degree in
or Doctor of Osteopathy. An M.D. is said to be an allopathic medical practitioner.
Both State and University may grant M.D.
Professional and Other degrees
A medical degree is a professional degree. The word ‘professional” means
one can earn by using the training for the degree by practicing it. Only a privileged
member of that profession can practice and earn from it. Such professions
are doctors, engineers and lawyers, architects, accountants etc in the strict
sense of the word as each profession requires a long duration of training and
registration.
Most educators believe that the following minimum durations apply
to different categories of livelihood:
A profession requires a minimum of 4 (calendar) or 5 (academic) years
ike M.B., B.S. or B.Sc. (Engg.) or B.E. These have their respective professional
bodies like medical associations or royal colleges and regulated by the
Medical Councils and law.
A semi-profession requires less than 4 or 5 years but more than 2 years like nurses,
physiotherapists, dental technicians etc. They may also have their respective councils,
association and licensing bodies.
A trades require less than 2 or 3 years and only a certificate or diploma is granted
like laboratory technicians, ECG technicians, nursing assistants etc.
A certificate of training may be obtained by attending any course, long or short.
I have collected more than ten certificates after attending several workshops and
training at the University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) in Kuching.
It will be a shame to boast them.
Describing Qualifications
Medical doctors, dentists and nurses are required to state their qualifications and
as such doctors or physicians state their degrees and qualifications behind their
name like John Smith M.D. or Maung Maung Nyo M.B., B.S., Ph.D. But it’s
the norm to describe the highest qualification if the field of training is the same like
Daw Khin Nu M.B., B.S., FRCOG.
(Doctors With Degrees and Diplomas)
Last Row 2nd from L: Dr Sein Myint M.B.,B.S.(Rgn), FRCSE, FRCS (Eng.)
She does not need to describe her MRCOG or D.Obst., RCOG.
In other academic fields only the highest degree is stated like
Dr Hla Pe Ph.D.. He was professor of Burmese at the SOAS (
and African Studies) at the
M.A. and Dip. Edu.
(Dr Hla Pe Ph.D. in Burmese from the University of London)
The medical personnel may state all his fellowships if they are different in the colleges
or in areas of specialty like U Kyee Paw M.B., B.S., FRCS, FACS, FICS, FCCP or
U Shwe Tin M.B., B.S., FRCS, FRCOG. Stating many fellowships of the same
specialty and equivalent rank are frowned upon by some like Johnny Smith
M.B., B. S, FRCS (Edin), FRCS (
(Professor Shwe Tin M.B., B.S.(Rangoon), FRCS (Edin), FRCOG (London)
with Medical Graduates of Institute of Medicine 2,Rangoon)
Many graduates are fond of stating their universities or royal colleges for their
degree and diplomas like me stating Maung Maung Nyo M.B., B.S. (
Ph.D.(
E.M. Bowden, did not state the universities as it was assumed and known that she
was a graduate of the
Ruth E.M. Bowden M.B., B.S., D. Sc., F.R.C.S.
Dr Maung Maung Nyo with His Supervisor Professor Ruth Bowden OBE
M.B.,B.S.(London),LRCP (London), FRCS(England),D.Sc.(London)
The
as the postgraduate trainings are only board certified. But, in the author lists for
textbooks and monographs it’s usual to state their qualifications in full like
John Smith B.A., M.D., FACS, FCCP etc. There are also M.D., Ph.D. or
M.D., D.J. and M.D. Ed.D.
“Diplomatosis”
The so-called “Diplomatosis” is such a disease or condition when a person collects
so many diplomas without being able to practice all of them at the same time and or
if he is fond of collecting and stating his diplomas and degrees of the same specialty.
Many Burmese suffer from this condition as we are fond of boasting our education in
the ABCD of English alphabets. I found a senior colleague of mine collecting
postgraduate diplomas in medicine such as DPH, DTM and H, DIH, DTCD and DOH
while he was in the
(London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene where Many Diplomates
such as for DTM, DPH, DIH, DCMT etc are Trained)
It is amusing when a person states that he has two or three Ph.D. The present
SPDC Government conferred many professors with Ph.D. from foreign universities
like
A Ph.D. is a higher degree in many universities and countries. Once you have got
Ph.D. it’s complete. You can do any research, you can publish any thing and you
can teach any subject. Therefore, it is not necessary to confer another Ph.D. to
a professor or lecturer who already has it.
Dr Hla Pe Ph.D.(London)
It’s also not good to state a degree or diploma that one does not have.
In the pre-war days in
He did not know that only three Burmese had been successful to get it from
the
So the Registrar of the
where he got the degree from. The person wrote back that he liked the degree and
he just put it behind his name!
Sitting L to R: Saya Zaw Gyi aka U Thein Han M.A. (Rangoon) in
Burmese and History, Dip. Lib. (Dublin); U Wun M.A. in
Burmese (Rangoon) and B.Litt (Oxon); All other persons are M.A.(Rangoon)
For the medical people attaching an un-conferred medical degree may be jailed
as a bogus doctor. Dr Maung Maung Taik,Head of Forensic Medicine, used to
tell us about such charlatans.There are real charlatans in the medical profession.
Once, the Burma Medical Council took action to a person who stated his name
as Dr U Pho Toke M.B., B.S.without reallygetting it. He explained that he was just
writing in short form for Myanmar Beindaw Bamar Saysaya!
And there was a case of a chronic Final Part II M.B., B.S. student writing his name
as Maung Thin Mun M.B.,B.S. (Fin) as he was practicing in his town in
Tenesarim Division. Dean of Medical College and
Chairman of the
writing such spurious degree. He said “Fin” meant to be final and not
He graduated only after studying for 11 years at the medical college!
False Degrees
Lately there are many Burmese people, both medical and non-medical, who are
fond of attaching Ph.D. to their names. Some got the Ph.D. by paying to an
un-recognized University and some got it by correspondence. It’s not good
for the medical graduates to covet them as they have no value what so ever in
the academic field. The Ph.D. obtained by correspondence is also of no value.
I once met a person who visited my home for one reason and he was surprised
that a medical doctor has a Ph.D. from the
in economics by correspondence from a little known European university while
he was staying in
In UK and Europe there are many medical people who were conferred Ph.D.
or D.Sc. or D.Litt., even D.LL (Law) by the respective universities either earned
or honorary on merits. We should strive to be like that.
Notable Burmese Doctors with Postgraduate Degrees
Professor Daw Yin May was the only Burmese who was awarded three fellowships
from three Royal Colleges of the
And there was a disease named after her, Yin Mays’ Disease that is amoebic
vaginitis or vaginal ulcer. It was described in the Report of the Royal Free Hospital
School of Medicine,
for my Ph.D. from 1966 to 1969.
There were some other Burmese doctors with postgraduate qualifications
earned from two royal colleges like Professor U Shwe Tin FRCSE, FRCOG,
Professor Khin Maung Win FRCP, FRCPath.,
Colonel Ko Ko Gyi M.B., B.S.(Rangoon), American Board Certified
Internal Medicine and Psychiatry, Roughly Equivalent to FRCP and FRCPsych.
Colonel Ko K Gyi Board Certified Internist and Psychiatrist (USA) or two different
higher qualifications like Professor Daw Aye Yee (Rina Wong) M.B.,B.S.,
M.D. (Pathology), FRCPath. Professor U Shwe Zan was the only Burmese who
earned an M.D. from a
the
Dr U Kyi, urologist, earned a Ph.D. in surgery from the
He was the only Burmese clinician with a Ph.D.
L: Dr Kyee Paw M.B.,B.S.(Rangoon), FRCS (Edin),FACS, FICS and
R: Dr Mang Maung Taik M.B.,B.S.(Lucknow), B.L.(Rangoon)
Dr Maung Maung Taik is the only Burmese doctor who was conferred a
Bachelor of Law degree in Burma as all medical doctors are not allowed to take
the law degree, not because it would amount to double professional degrees, but
because the Burmese doctors have not studied English up to the final year of the
undergraduate degree that is M.B., B.S. The old
stipulate that a candidate for B.L. must have learned English language at least
for four yearsu to the final year of his study in the university to pursue a law degree.
Dr Eric Phoo Nyo has B.L degree as he already was B.Sc. and so he is
B.Sc., B.L. M.B.,B.S. Other forensic doctors could get only the
Diploma of Higher Grade Pleader after passing M.B., B.S.
Conclusion
A medical doctor must have a medical degree earned by strict training.
He can state his degree with his name as befitting the profession such as
M.D., M.B. or M.B.,B.S. and M.B., Ch. B. ( Bachelor of Medicine and
Bachelor of Chirurgery). Other postgraduate degree and diplomas or
memberships and fellowships may be added as earned appropriately usually
mentioning the highest degree only.
(The Great Shwedagon Pagoda at Night Symbolizing Tranquility)
Stating the different grades in the same specialty is amusing like Dr Ma Ma X
D.Obst. R.C.O.G., M.R.C.O.G., F.R.C.O.G.
or Maung Maung B.Sc.,M.B.,B.S., M.Sc. Ph.D. (Biochemistry).
The Royalty or government conferred honours may be mentioned in front of
their names or before their degree as follows:
Sir John Bland-Sutton FRCS
Sithu Colonel Hla Han M.B., B. S., D.P.H., DTM & H
Sithu U Maung Gale M.B. (
With malice towards none but charity for all!
Dr Maung Maung Nyo M.B., B.S.(
08.05..2009
References
Calendar of the University of
Calendar of the
Handbook of the
Hla Pe, Dr. Pyinya Parami.(In Burmese).Rangoon, Daung Sarpay, 113,
Rules and Regulations for the Higher Degrees of the
Report of the Royal Free
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