How is life as a doctor in Singapore?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi seniors,

I'm a final year student at one of the local medical schools and just wanted to get some advice. I've fixed my heart on a specialty and cannot see myself doing anything else in the future. It's not one of those super competitive specs, intake rate approx 40%. But with the push towards fam med I'm worried I can't make it in even if I do a few years of MO in the spec.

May I ask what seniors generally look for when considering whether a junior is considered a good fit for a spec? How important are HOship posting evals if the spec I want to go into isn't part of my HO postings? How do I show my interest without coming across as bootlicking?

If I really don't manage to get into this spec locally I would seriously consider going overseas to do residency instead. Wonder if anyone knows if MOH would allow a grant for the bond to be suspended in this case.

Thanks!

I dont believe you. So many residency interviewees promise everything during the interview
In the end, so many quit half way.
Cannot take the hardwork.


Those that make to ac leave after a few years, or find their spec boring

Residency and specialty training is like finding a spouse.
You think you will love her/him.
Promise till death do us apart.

Rubbish. After a few years you will get sick of the spec, or find the daily grunt unbearable

Why do you think residency attrition overall is 30% and divorce rate in singapore is 30%

Many residents are on life support, so do marriages

The daily grunt will wear you down, no matter how much you love it at the start.

You may find it unbelievable but you will find yourself in same shoe a few years after you got into the so called residency love of your life

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi seniors,

I'm a final year student at one of the local medical schools and just wanted to get some advice. I've fixed my heart on a specialty and cannot see myself doing anything else in the future. It's not one of those super competitive specs, intake rate approx 40%. But with the push towards fam med I'm worried I can't make it in even if I do a few years of MO in the spec.

May I ask what seniors generally look for when considering whether a junior is considered a good fit for a spec? How important are HOship posting evals if the spec I want to go into isn't part of my HO postings? How do I show my interest without coming across as bootlicking?

If I really don't manage to get into this spec locally I would seriously consider going overseas to do residency instead. Wonder if anyone knows if MOH would allow a grant for the bond to be suspended in this case.

Thanks!

finish bond/break bond and try UK, new law since 2019 allows IMGs to train easily. what specialty is it? laboratory med, histopath, radio? if not then try match US but covid is a shitshow there

i dont think necessarily all residencies will become jaded/sian and drop out, those docs in the less patient facing ones tend to be happier in long run

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I dont believe you. So many residency interviewees promise everything during the interview
In the end, so many quit half way.
Cannot take the hardwork.


Those that make to ac leave after a few years, or find their spec boring

Residency and specialty training is like finding a spouse.
You think you will love her/him.
Promise till death do us apart.

Rubbish. After a few years you will get sick of the spec, or find the daily grunt unbearable

Why do you think residency attrition overall is 30% and divorce rate in singapore is 30%

Many residents are on life support, so do marriages

The daily grunt will wear you down, no matter how much you love it at the start.

You may find it unbelievable but you will find yourself in same shoe a few years after you got into the so called residency love of your life

I just got into residency after mopexing for around 3 years. I can safely say that residency is stressful not just because of clinical work, but also because of a whole load of extra clinical commitment (e.g paper work- all your minicex, cbd, etc, research, teaching commitment..) I feel that this is something that people need to understand before embarking on residency

You may enjoy a specialty while doing mopex posting, but this may not be the case once you become a resident...

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I just got into residency after mopexing for around 3 years. I can safely say that residency is stressful not just because of clinical work, but also because of a whole load of extra clinical commitment (e.g paper work- all your minicex, cbd, etc, research, teaching commitment..) I feel that this is something that people need to understand before embarking on residency

You may enjoy a specialty while doing mopex posting, but this may not be the case once you become a resident...

Sounds like they have replaced the "Trainee" status with "Resident". But now with the Residency Program it is a fixed timeline for your spec training? Eg 5 years? (assuming you pass every year/module/assessment along the way)

Mopex means not training for specialty?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I just got into residency after mopexing for around 3 years. I can safely say that residency is stressful not just because of clinical work, but also because of a whole load of extra clinical commitment (e.g paper work- all your minicex, cbd, etc, research, teaching commitment..) I feel that this is something that people need to understand before embarking on residency

You may enjoy a specialty while doing mopex posting, but this may not be the case once you become a resident...

Did you mopex in the same specialty all the while?
Do PDs generally give feedback if you apply and don't get in? Don't want to waste too long mopexing at the same place if there is no chance of getting in...
How much extra work would you say residency is compared to regular MO?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Sounds like they have replaced the "Trainee" status with "Resident". But now with the Residency Program it is a fixed timeline for your spec training? Eg 5 years? (assuming you pass every year/module/assessment along the way)

Mopex means not training for specialty?

Mopex is a 6 months post of service provision, you try to do well, impress seniors PD etc so that when you apply residency you can get in and become a resident, or just finish the 6 months post and move on to next post until bond end/get into residency.

Resident is a trainee in a specialty training post, pass all the years and exams and become AC

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I just got into residency after mopexing for around 3 years. I can safely say that residency is stressful not just because of clinical work, but also because of a whole load of extra clinical commitment (e.g paper work- all your minicex, cbd, etc, research, teaching commitment..) I feel that this is something that people need to understand before embarking on residency

You may enjoy a specialty while doing mopex posting, but this may not be the case once you become a resident...

Did your pay increase after you get into residency?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Did your pay increase after you get into residency?

increase by about 30%

Originally Posted by Unregistered

increase by about 30%

So good 30%?

How is this possible?
Mopex and resident same pay leh

Originally Posted by Unregistered

So good 30%?

How is this possible?
Mopex and resident same pay leh

Mopex and junior residency same pay. Senior sr (i.e reg) pay much higher.

Problem now is residency much harder to get in now as compared to maybe 5 years ago.
So a lot of us will feel very sian as we are stuck as a junior for very long as compared to our seniors who could become specialist within 5-6 years (when they allowed medical students to apply for residency)
This is especially true for guys, whose progression is further delayed due to NS. (Although most of us do earn a lot from locum during our army days..)