Medical education in Singapore

Abstract

Allopathic medical education in Singapore extends for more than a century from its simple beginnings. In recent times, changes have been rapid, both in undergraduate and postgraduate specialty medical training. Over the last decade, undergraduate medical education has increased from a single to three medical schools and the postgraduate training has expanded further by incorporating the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education International framework. With these changes, the curricula, assessment systems, as well as teaching and learning approaches, with the use of technology-enhanced learning and program evaluation processes have expanded, largely based on best evidence medical education. To support these initiatives and the recent rapid expansion, most training institutions have incorporated faculty development programs, such as the Centre for Medical Education at the National University of Singapore.

STarDom study - Applying systems theory framework for Internal Medicine senior residency career development in a Singapore ACGMEI Residency Programme

“…Singapore is one of the first countries outside of the United States to partner with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-International (ACGMEI) to introduce this training to our graduates (Huggan, Samarasekara, & Ooi, 2012;Samarasekara, Ooi, & Hooi, 2015). The first batch of residents graduated from junior residency in 2013 and there were anecdotal accounts of "surprises" in choice of senior residency programme, namely those who made decisions that were contrary to prior indicated choices at the start of residency training.…”

Winds of change in medical education in Singapore: what does the future hold?

“…Medical education in Singapore has developed in a different dimension in relation to the rest of the world. (1,2) In the past decade, most undergraduate medical schools placed more emphasis on integrating basic sciences into clinical medicine, and vice versa. (1) Simulation and case-based learning are now well established in the preclinical years.…”

“…(1,2) In the past decade, most undergraduate medical schools placed more emphasis on integrating basic sciences into clinical medicine, and vice versa. (1) Simulation and case-based learning are now well established in the preclinical years. Other important facets of professional development such as medical ethics, cultivating 'soft' skills such as communications, and understanding healthcare policies and finances have also been introduced in the undergraduate curriculum (1) in Singapore and globally.…”

“…(1) Simulation and case-based learning are now well established in the preclinical years. Other important facets of professional development such as medical ethics, cultivating 'soft' skills such as communications, and understanding healthcare policies and finances have also been introduced in the undergraduate curriculum (1) in Singapore and globally. In the last decade, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) was joined by two other medical schools, Duke-NUS Medical School and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, creating an element of friendly competition in Singapore medical education.…”

“…In the quest for better-quality specialty training as well as to meet the rising need for specialists in the late 2000s, Singapore shifted from the basic and advanced specialty training system to the United States (US) residency system under the purview of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-International. (1,2,6) Most Singaporean specialists had been trained in a looser competency-based system where trainees rotated through different departments until they were able to demonstrate their clinical competency in rigorous clinical examinations. This gave way to an American system that had a more structured programme with clearly defined core competencies, greater documentation of supervision from the designated faculty, more rigorous formative assessments and feedback sessions, stipulated protected time for learning, and fixed time periods for basic and advanced training.…”