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How is life as a doctor in Singapore?

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  #1 (permalink)  
Old 04-11-2009, 05:50 PM
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Default How is life as a doctor in Singapore?

Hi,

I'm currently a doctor, graduated and working in the UK. Recently I have been thinking about moving to Singapore to live and work. Main reason being the quality of life over there.

What I wanted to know is how is the work/life balance as a junior doctor? How often do you have to work a weekend and how often are you doing an on call shift?

Another reason for moving over there is to be able to travel around Southern Asia during my spare time, but if I won't have any spare time then it really defeats the point.

Any information would be gratefully appreciated.

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Old 04-11-2009, 07:37 PM
doctor
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Have you read the comments at: Doctors’ pay | Salary.sg - Your Salary in Singapore
and
Income of GP Doctors | Salary.sg - Your Salary in Singapore

Quote:
Originally Posted by uk_doctor View Post
Hi,

I'm currently a doctor, graduated and working in the UK. Recently I have been thinking about moving to Singapore to live and work. Main reason being the quality of life over there.

What I wanted to know is how is the work/life balance as a junior doctor? How often do you have to work a weekend and how often are you doing an on call shift?

Another reason for moving over there is to be able to travel around Southern Asia during my spare time, but if I won't have any spare time then it really defeats the point.

Any information would be gratefully appreciated.


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Old 04-11-2009, 09:28 PM
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I did read those comments, especially the descriptive account of doctors being treated like 'slaves'. Just wondering whether other doctors agreed with this or not. If that is the case then I have an amazing deal right here at home!

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Old 04-11-2009, 11:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by uk_doctor View Post
I did read those comments, especially the descriptive account of doctors being treated like 'slaves'. Just wondering whether other doctors agreed with this or not. If that is the case then I have an amazing deal right here at home!
Easy. Travel here, visit our hospitals and talk to our MOs ("junior doctors").

Never trust the web, like you don't trust recruiters and agents.
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Old 05-11-2009, 07:11 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by uk_doctor View Post
Hi,

I'm currently a doctor, graduated and working in the UK. Recently I have been thinking about moving to Singapore to live and work. Main reason being the quality of life over there.

What I wanted to know is how is the work/life balance as a junior doctor? How often do you have to work a weekend and how often are you doing an on call shift?

Another reason for moving over there is to be able to travel around Southern Asia during my spare time, but if I won't have any spare time then it really defeats the point.

Any information would be gratefully appreciated.

if i were you, i will be locuming & travelling during my spare time. there are many locum shifts available in the UK.
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Old 05-11-2009, 10:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anon2 View Post
if i were you, i will be locuming & travelling during my spare time. there are many locum shifts available in the UK.
I'm still relatively junior and if I stay in the UK I will go on a training programme.
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Old 04-02-2010, 06:38 AM
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Default Working in Singapore as a doctor - the real deal!

There is a lot of truth in all that slave of medicine and dempsey said about working conditions for the junior doctors in Singapore (in the post for salary 2007). Kudos to them for speaking up. And yes, sleep deprivation has been linked to impaired concentration, no one can credibly dispute that. Annual leave? Plenty but you can't take them because someone else is already on leave.

Singapore has been on a recruitment drive to recruit foreign doctors for an extremely long time, yet they are still very short of doctors, especially doctors they are hoping to target (who received their medical education from first world countries). When something is such a hard sell, you have to wonder why. Just like the old adage: “When something is sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true.” You don’t see Cambridge or Oxford going overseas on recruitment drives, do you?

Actually, I think the issue here is not the salary. The overall take home salary (ie, after taxes) are comparable to what a junior doctor (HO, MO, registrar) with similar experience would earn in Australia. But, a junior doctor in Australia works much less hours, and when you break down to hourly pay, the doctors in Singapore earn much less. Besides, essentials like houses and cars are far cheaper in Australia so your standard of living is much much better than in Singapore.

I think the issue is about working conditions (likened to slavery by slave of medicine) and respect. The vast majority of the junior doctors working in Singapore are Singapore graduates bonded to the system for 5 years(because of their NUS study bond). Like it or not, they have to stay because most of them cannot afford the very large sum they have to pay back to break the bond. When one is bonded, they lose bargaining power. Like it or not, they have to accept whatever conditions get imposed to them. They do not dare to speak up because they may get bullied for 5 years if they do. And also because of the fact that they are paid by the month not by the hour, they are forced to put in a lot of extra hours. I know hospitals which have daily meetings that start at 7am and MO’s have to attend. And for MO’s to have to come back alone every Sunday for routine ward rounds, that’s totally uncalled for, I think. I remember a posting I did where I did not get a single day off for 2 months. Yup, I worked 60days in a row. As someone said, even maids get a compuslory day off.

And since these are the set working conditions in Singapore, the foreign grads also have to work under the same conditions. Many many foreign grads have come back to work in Singapore, then left again when they realised what they really got themselves into. If someone borrowed money from loansharks and are now subjected to their harrassments, why should you come along and be subjected to the same harrassment? Totally unnecessary. But it is a pity that these foreign grads have wasted time & effort exploring what they think is greener pastures, only to realize that the grass in Singapore is actually wilted!

I think if the seniors make us feel appreciated and try to acknowledge the hardship that the juniors go through, it does go a long way. Rather than think “I’ve been through it so you must go through it too”. It may not actually change the conditions, but it makes us feel better about it. Many people are not driven by money, but by job satisfaction.

In terms of trainee positions, I can’t say there is a bias against foreign grads. However, if no one knows you, you’re less likely to be selected for a job than another doctor who have worked here and is known to the seniors. It’s human nature. Even if you are on the selection panel, you’re more likely to pick someone you know, than someone you don’t know isn’t it?
For foreign grads who come back to Singapore, there are also hurdles like the fact that you have to form new friendship, you don’t have anyone to advise you re which postings not to choose, what to look out for etc, you have no one to confide in about work worries, because you don’t have any close trusted friends. You really have to start over again in far more aspects of your life than you think.

If you are prepared to work extremely hard and forget totally about work-life balance, then yes, Singapore can be the place for you. But for many people like me, work-life balance is very important. Working about 60-80 hours a week does burn you out after awhile, and sooner than you think! And think about it, if you put in 60-80hrs a week of hard work where you are right now, your chance of becoming very successful is very good, maybe even better than Singapore!

There is another issue – the SMC. Even though they state on their website that Singaporeans who are foreign grads can apply for full registration after two years, in reality there are a lot of people who, for no apparent good reason, are not given their full registration after two years (MO’s whose performance have been consistently graded good, never made any clinical mistakes, never had complaints made against them!)… and the first indicator of a “poor” performance was when full registration is rejected after two years. The best thing is, they don’t give you a reason why full registration is rejected! Your SMC assessment reports are not shared with you. It is likely a ploy to keep foreign grads trapped in the public system, because the foreign grads have no study bond. So foreign grad Singaporeans, be very aware! You may want to rethink your decision to come back if you think you can get full registration after two years! The actual fact is that you’re likely to be trapped in stifling working conditions for longer than you think!

As for foreign consultants who want to work in Singapore, the reality is that your hands will be severely tied with the conditional registration – which stipulates where you can work, how many hours you must work etc. You can forget about flexibility or locum work. You have to start all over again, and if you really think about it, you’re probably better off spending those few years building your career in where you are right now, and starting over.
The bottom line is, if you graduated from a first world country like UK, Australia, USA, you’re really MUCH better off staying put, because the working conditions and living conditions, quality of life (for yourself and your family) are far better in these countries, and spend the time/effort establishing your practice where you are. I can’t say the same for doctors who currently come from the third world countries, because living conditions are probably better in Singapore compared to those third world countries and they do stand to gain by coming.

Just my opinion of course, from someone who's worked in Singapore, and overseas!
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Old 27-02-2010, 11:49 PM
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Default Doctor jobs in Singapore

Very interested to read the remarks above - I am a Consultant in the UK since last 2.5 years.I have recently been tempted by Singapore consultant jobs - mainly the weather (!) and the fact that it is in Asia ( I'm Indian).Also thought it would be nice to bring kids up in cosmopolitan environment.
Is this the truth? Does life not get better as doctors progress up the ladder? Are the earnings not comfortable enough as a Consultant to not need locum work and to live comfortably?
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Old 16-04-2010, 12:19 AM
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Default Consultant post in Singapore

I moved over to Singapore after spending 4 years as an NHS consultant. Having trained and worked through the UK system for over 20 years I got very frustrated by the increasing red tape and unreasonable demand placed on physicians by the managers. Moving to Singapore does mean a fresh start. Working hard is part of life as a physician but as a senior doctor, I did not find that I have to work that much harder compared to UK. Since travelling time is significantly shorter I actually get to see my kids a lot more. With the devaluation of the pounds and the low tax regime my take home salary is significantly better than in UK (my private work was approx 50% of my 12PA NHS salary). A word of caution, each specialty earns differently in Singapore, in general surgeon more than physician and doctors who carry out procedures (gastro, cardio) take home more than paeds.
House price here is expensive but so was London before the crash. In fact I am sure the London price was significantly higher than that of Singapore a couple of years back.
Kids have no choice but to go to International School but the standard is high with large campus and good facilities. Our children have no problem settling in at all.
Bad points, well the weather is very hot. There is no seasonal variation. Cars here are just ridiculously expensive.
If you are serious, you should fly over to look around and ask to be introduced to other consultants from UK and get a feel of the whole thing. If your other half happens to be medic most hospital will try hard to get him/her appointed at the same time.
Hope this helps.
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Old 05-05-2010, 12:03 AM
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Default thinking of taking a sabbatical in Singapore

I have been an NHS consultant psychiatrist for almost 3 years and am thinking of taking a sabbatical in Singapore working in the public health system for a year or so. I wonder what the experience is like for the transition from the NHS to Singapore's health service.

I think the pay is variable and negotiable. However, is this offered up front and has the process of moving and tansferring your skills been a problem.

I wonder if there are any language issues in Singapore. Do people access healthcare in Mandarin or in English? Taking a psychiatric history in mandarin would be a kin to a comedy sketch.

Many thanks for anyone who is able to offer any advice.
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