Who can apply for the LCP exam?
Certainly, only Malaysian Medical Doctors with an APC. There are no guidelines for Dental surgeons for Aesthetic Medicine just yet since they are governed by the Malaysian Dental Council and not the Malaysian Medical Council. Some beauticians and non-Doctors have approached us asking for the LCP qualification, and we tell them that it is not possible.
Second, the Doctor must have completed his / her compulsory service with MOH. There are some House officers who plan to skip the compulsory service by sitting for the LCP exam. Well, it doesn’t work that way.
Next, you must be in the private sector for a minimum of 2 – 3 years. Does that mean a Doctor in the Govt sector for 10 years is not allowed to practice Aesthetic Medicine? Though this sounds unreasonable there is an explanation. A Doctor in Govt sector, if is able to include a private practice address in his/her Annual Practicing Certificate (APC) then the committee is required to consider. In order for a Govt Doctor to have a private practice address in his / her APC, the head of the Department must first permit it. So, if you are a Doctor in the Govt Sector and have completed your compulsory service, and keen to venture into Aesthetic Medicine, then you need to have a private place of practice as a locum and get your HOD to endorse it. Have that address registered in your APC, and it is better if the private practice is an existing Aesthetic practice with a proper LCP certified Doctor.
It's best for you to undergo structured Aesthetic Medicine training before going for the exam. You may be familiar with Aesthetic Medicine, or not, or you may think you are. A well-designed training program will be able to teach you Aesthetic Medicine in a proper way and also award you with good internationally recognized credentials that will help you if you choose to practice elsewhere one day. Importantly the Aesthetic Medicine training program must cover both theory and clinical training. The trainer must guide you step by step from assessing to injecting.
In simple terms join a local program that understands the LCP exam format. Not a Singapore-based health magazine company that runs under the pretext of an American Academy, when there are no American credentials to it at all. A good training program for Aesthetic Medicine for Malaysian Doctors must cover 3 aspects:
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About Aesthetic Medicine - Scope of Aesthetic Medicine, principles, and foundations of each field of Aesthetic Medicine, such as Botulinum toxin, Fillers, Lasers, Chemical Peels, Skin tightening devices, anatomy, and so on. It must also cover Aesthetic Medicine procedures, Aesthetic treatment outcomes, and complications, and managing Aesthetic Medicine complications.
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About the LCP - LCP examination requirements, the exam format/questions, and how to prepare for the LCP exam.
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About starting your practice in Malaysia - How to start your practice, how to renovate an Aesthetic clinic, budget for an Aesthetic clinic, and importantly what is the endgame for an Aesthetic practice.
Get your paper qualifications sorted out, meaning any training programs in Aesthetic Medicine that you attended that provided you with proper certificates in Aesthetic Medicine. This includes Professional Diploma in Aesthetic Medicine, Post Graduate Diploma in Aesthetic Medicine, a Certificate in Aesthetic Medicine, etc. But please don’t go high tech with Board Diplomats, because the examiners may not be pleased with it.
Apply for the LCP exam and get 2 LCP holders as your referee to endorse your paperwork.
Submit the application form with a list of the required documents to MOH and wait for them to call you for the exam.
(Also Read: LCP exam courses)