Government Increases Specialist Doctor Scholarship Quota Until 2024

The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) and the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) have significantly increased the quota for specialist doctor scholarships.

In 2022, the quota was only available for 600 participants. This was increased to 1,600 participants in 2023 and further increased to 2,500 participants in 2024.

These scholarships are intended for specialist medical education programs, sub-specialist programs, specialist dentistry programs, and fellowships for graduates from overseas. Scholarship applications can be submitted online at bandikdok.kemkes.go.id.

"The shortage of specialist doctors is real. The public still finds it difficult to access doctors. Therefore, the government wants to accelerate the production of specialist doctors so that the shortage can be addressed quickly, one of which is through these scholarships," said Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin in a press release on Monday (February 13, 2023).

According to data from the Indonesian Medical Council (KKI), as of December 6, 2022, there were only around 54,100 specialist doctors in the country.

This figure includes all doctors from 47 specialty groups, ranging from pediatricians (Sp.A), surgeons (Sp.B), to dental specialists such as orthodontists (Sp.Ort) and forensic odontologists (Sp.OF).

Currently, the 10 provinces with the most specialist doctors are DKI Jakarta, East Java, West Java, Central Java, North Sumatra, Banten, South Sulawesi, Yogyakarta Special Region, Bali, and South Sumatra.

The 10 provinces with the fewest specialist doctors are West Sulawesi, North Maluku, West Papua, North Kalimantan, Gorontalo, Maluku, Bengkulu, Bangka Belitung Islands, Southeast Sulawesi, and Central Sulawesi.