How is life as a doctor in Singapore?

Can I ask, is the entry level pay for each grade in public (e.g reg and AC, c) the same for each doctor?
I am sure in every residency, there are always high fliers, some may be chief residents, some may have tons of research papers published even before they graduate from residency? Junior and senior residents may also be drawing different salaries when they graduate (as it is also dependent on their performance, pgy years etc)
In general, will a public institution be willing to pay more at AC level for a more outstanding resident who graduated? (Or can one negotiate based on achievement) Or it is pretty much fixed?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Can I ask, is the entry level pay for each grade in public (e.g reg and AC, c) the same for each doctor?
I am sure in every residency, there are always high fliers, some may be chief residents, some may have tons of research papers published even before they graduate from residency? Junior and senior residents may also be drawing different salaries when they graduate (as it is also dependent on their performance, pgy years etc)
In general, will a public institution be willing to pay more at AC level for a more outstanding resident who graduated? (Or can one negotiate based on achievement) Or it is pretty much fixed?

Usually district hospital pay more.
Ac usually want to work at big institutions.
To be competitive district hosp pay more.
But paying more might not be enough, coz they will still sue

//.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/doctor-who-accessed-records-of-colleague-s-patients-sues-singhealth-for-wrongful-dismissal

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Can I ask, is the entry level pay for each grade in public (e.g reg and AC, c) the same for each doctor?
I am sure in every residency, there are always high fliers, some may be chief residents, some may have tons of research papers published even before they graduate from residency? Junior and senior residents may also be drawing different salaries when they graduate (as it is also dependent on their performance, pgy years etc)
In general, will a public institution be willing to pay more at AC level for a more outstanding resident who graduated? (Or can one negotiate based on achievement) Or it is pretty much fixed?

In general, because con service in public hospital is just transient.
Everybody say they wont move to pte
But in the end after 5 to 10 years most run to pte.

So the hosp knows it and wont purposely allow u to nego pay at ac level.

Unless u r super renown international expert or lots of pte customers why increase ur pay?

Can I understand is it difficult to work in private ? How come the bulk of specialists still choose to work in govt hospitals?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Time really flies by. It's been 5 years since my original post, and my spouse and I still consider moving to Singapore.

How long would I have to remain on a Conditional Registration before I can obtain my Full Registration? Given that Dermatology positions are few and rarely advertised, should I cold email various hospital department heads to see if they have an AC/Con position available? What determines if I am offered AC, Con or in the unlikely event SC? Thanks in advance.

Based on your situation, it may be possible for you to enter the private sector directly if you have 5 years of specialist expeirence as an attending. Additionally, you will be able to get a C position. Just reach out to department heads and MOH ur question is too specific to ask here

how difficult is it to get into senior residency for IM? i see IM like accept so many trainees a year at junior residency level then why subspecialty only 1-2 / year for each subspec??

Originally Posted by Unregistered

what happens to the rest of the IM residents who dont get a senior residency training spot?

Depends on which senior residency and the competition ratios for each years, seems to vary a bit from year to year depending on how many spots are available and how many residents are interested in that specialty. I think the programmes did try to match people, remember hearing one person saying that they were told a particular SR was undersubscribed that year.

Quite a few people I know didn't get into the SR they wanted on first try. Of these people
- Some went for another specialty instead that year.
- Some MOPEXed for a year in the specialties they didn't get into on first try. Of which some got in on second try, some didn't.
- Some MOPEXed for a year in specialties that they hadn't originally considered (and didn't do postings in as JR). Of which some eventually stayed on as SR in those specialties.
- Some went to GP (either OPS or private).
- Some switched to other residencies altogether.

Also some people switched clusters between JR/SR, might have been to do with availability of spots at the different clusters each year.

Can someone share about the clinical allowance? What is it for? Read in the thread that MOs have clinical allowance as well? So 5450+500 for MOs? Is this new?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Ac usually is 10-11
Baby Con is 12-14

ac clinical allowance is 4-5k
Baby con clinical allowance is 6-8k

Bonus/quality component is usually 3mth-5mth basic + 20-40k

But hor but hor the taxes r very heavy.
We are really paying 3k to 5k taxes every mth

Anyway just ask ur boss what is the income tax
Income tax is very accurate at this level. Coz the impact of tax reliefs is quite small compare to income.

There r fm guy that live in own bubble and think fm is super huat kueh
But actually other specs r more huat, but the issue is u must fight to get in residency
Kenna bullied by senior, suffer that 6 years of residency

Even after exit, ur hod ask u to jump, u must jump too.
Swallow your pride. And get the pay

Thanks for the detailed response. Do you have any clue what surgical and procedural Ac and C make. Previously have heard of a very big range and variation

Can someone explain what a clinical allowance is? Why not bundle that into the base salary since most physicians are working in clinical settings.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Can someone explain what a clinical allowance is? Why not bundle that into the base salary since most physicians are working in clinical settings.

IMO because bonuses and 13th month pay are all based on base salary.

Keep the base salary low and all the rest is capped!