More than 130 newly qualified doctors have joined Malta's public health service.
The 132 doctors, of which 109 graduated from the University of Malta, have now joined the Malta Foundation Programme - an accredited two-year course that bridges medical school training and specialty training.
A number of the new recruits were congratulated by Health Minister Chris Fearne at a meeting held with them, the Health Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
Fearne, who is a doctor himself, wished the new doctors well and told them that seeing patients recover following their care would make the challenging - and long - journey of becoming qualified medical professionals worth it.
He reminded them that medical staff are the backbone of the public healthcare system and urged them to work hard to ensure patients received the highest possible level of care.