How is life as a doctor in Singapore?

This is the beginning of Singapore healthcare's (and perhaps Singapore generally) transition from first world to third, quite literally...

://.theindependent.sg/hospital-administrators-allegedly-warn-junior-doctors-that-they-are-replaceable-with-3rd-world-country-doctors-who-are-willing-to-work-for-3k-per-month/

Thanks a lot for this blog.
I'm a doctor from the Indian subcontinent.
I benefited a lot from this blog. I read a lot prior to coming to Singapore in 2014, and this blog was one of the most helpful. The description matched the ground reality well.

30 - 40 % of people here are rude, but they all ( 95 % or may be even more ) will expect the best behaviour from you, especially if you are from the Indian subcontinent.
A lot of Filipinos here too are quite rude - ( probably about 40 % - I think this is a catch on effect from the locals, as well due to everyone being generally pissed off most of the time ) - this doesn't apply only to Filipinos, but also applies to other nationalities such as Myanmarians, especially those who hold PR or citizen ships.

Western accents help a lot - most of the public tend to see the western white folk as their masters, but this does not apply if your job is lower down in the food chain

Police, hospital staff, other services definitely will not be as helpful to a brown guy with a non-singaporean or non-malaysian accent. They see you as fodder of sorts.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I am a consultant dermatologist and histopathologist (completed both training programmes in uk). I have completed also specialty fellowship training in dermatopathology at a world renowned centre.

The NHS is a mess. I'm keen to leave.

I should be quite useful to a department or two. I understand however 1) dermatology in singapore is almost a completely closed shop to outsiders and 2) dermatologists in Singapore report their own pathology.

Is it possible to work in Singapore as an img dermatologist. Or should I carry on to hong kong instead?

I think the situation in Singapore is quite crappy. Long long hours, rude patients, endless complaints, and a burned out workforce ( I am an MO, my oncall in a prestigious cardiology unit was from 5. 30 in the morning to 1 pm the following day, but in reality I always had to leave much later )- hence I think the workforce is more likely to be having a " don't give a **** " attitude - which translates to " bad news for you " if you are the consultant; you will be dealing with a lot more complaints than you actually should )

Hi Doctor from the Indian subcontinent, if SG is as bad as you say no one is forcing you to work in SG, what's stopping you from going to USA/UK/Australia (or even HK as another doctor here has proffered)? Can't make the cut elsewhere?

I'm a GP working for a small group practice in a HDB estate. My salary/month is around $16k for 40hr/week and I get 3 months bonus/year. Used to work for Singhealth polyclinics but find their working hours, patient workload and salary to be unfavorable. Now, I'm able to spend more time per consult with my patients and have a good work/life balance. Not as well paid as the senior consultants in the hospitals (esp surgical disciplines) but less busy as well. (PS. I'm a local NUS graduate).

Given how the government has allowed the influx of substandard FT healthcare professionals in recent times, instead of achieving the 'Swiss' standards of living expounded by the government in the early 90s, I say we are moving towards 'Sri Lanka' standards of living instead...

To the idiot saying that nobody is forcing that "doctor from the Indian subcontinent" to stay in Singapore, you can't be a Singaporean doctor, and your attitude is disgusting and counterproductive. You are a disgrace. Instead of thinking of some way to improve the system, you tell the messenger to get out.

Now because I also see flaws in the system, instead trying to improve things, should I be a quitter and go to Australia too? There's no point arguing with idiots like this who will always have some smart comeback but make no positive change to the world.

Like every country, there will be racism and stereotypes of the minority races. The attitudes held by some of my countrymen sicken me. I have "brown" colleagues that I have great respect for, and I know white doctors with dubious work ethic but the right accent who have no problems making excuses or finding female company on nights off.

The Singapore public system treats its doctors as disposable fodder; to be made used of as much as possible before finishing their bonds or training and leaving for private land. Possibly an outdated mindset from the SAF days - Serve And F-off. The media can help nudge things in the right direction, but conditions will improve only if there is change to the culture itself, and it will still be a very gradual change.

Its all about finding the balance. Some doctors are striking a work life balance and pursuing other interests...

Food Blog - ieatishootipost.sg

Mental health Blog - Singapore Psychiatrist

Medical Aesthetics Blog - drdanielchang.com

Its all about self-respect. So long as Singaporeans don't learn to value their worth, they will be treated like dirt by everybody, the government, foreigners, expatriates.

This is true not only in the healthcare sector but all other sectors.

We've been spoonfed a diet that we owe our existence to our government, they know best and we can't be trusted to make decisions for ourselves.

This affects all kinds of Singaporeans from all socioeconomic statuses. Heck, the smartest and most qualified ones are the most placid, too much to lose and its in their interest to maintain the status quo.

Many of my peers - doctors, professionals and civil servants - very bright and outspoken, but when it comes to politics and public policy, nary an opinion for themselves.

I do not think the previous poster was being racist in his statement, and your ad hominem character attack fails to oust the point made that being non-citizens without roots to Singapore one is free to choose whichever country one wants to work in, especially if one is starting to bemoan one's lot online and finds it rather "disgusting" working beside Singaporean colleagues and/or patients.

The irony in your impotent "racism" shot belies the fact that Singapore is one of the most welcoming countries in the world to FT, as evident by the foreign doctor working here (although it doesn't look like we were his/her first choice!), sometimes even at the expense of local Singaporeans, as is happening in the banking/finance industry right now where whole bank departments are replacing the former Singapore core with natives from their own villages.

The chickens will come home to roost one day for the gahmen's shortsighted FT policy when the foreign doc/banker/engineer leave Singapore for greener pastures after acquiring valuable skills at the public purse's expense and start competing with us from abroad.