Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching said medical graduates are being left in limbo as the Public Services Commission has yet to announce the results of their placement at public hospitals and clinics.

She said the announcement was supposed to be made yesterday but was abruptly postponed.

"Amongst these medical students are many who have been waiting for over a year for a placement in public hospitals.

"This long wait with no end in sight consigns these medical graduates to be stuck in a limbo, once again prolonging their wait to practise in clinics or hospitals," she said.

The medical graduates are waiting for the outcome of their interviews which will determine whether they get to become housemen.

Last year, of the 3,474 medical graduates interviewed, only 1,687 were given placements in public hospitals.

The Public Services Department on its website announced that the results will be announced but did not provide a new date.

"How can the commission expect people to plan their schedule around non-concrete and undependable dates of release?

"Many medical graduates require jobs and money and those who have chosen to work in the meantime are unable to sign long-term contracts; while the majority are afraid to commit to and plan further activities as they might be called for service at short notice.

"What about those who have to repay their study loans?" she said.

Teo claimed that the Public Service Commission was still asking for documents from interviewees on the day the results were to be announced.

"What the commission has done to our medical graduates has aggravated the dire situation they are already in.

"With nobody to replace the house officers who have been recently promoted to medical officers, the existing house officers are left with a higher workload, resulting in fatigue, and an increased risk of burnout and medical errors.

"Many inches of newspaper column have been dedicated to castigate under-performing house officers, but how many of them were victims of long waits caused by the inefficiency of the commission?" she said.