How is life as a doctor in Singapore?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

If full reg takes 2-3y, assuming one is good at taking exam, is it more worthwhile to just do fm residency in US, finish it off in 3y then as specialist come back on conditional and full reg in 1y? Or do it slower in UK spending 1-2 more y but at least can return to UK to practice or flee abroad one ady if got sick of sg?

Genuinely curious.
What can a FM US trained doctor come back to sg and work as ?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

in all fairness, that was not what he said. he meant there are also good doctors from his medical school.
whether he failed or not, is not important. we all fail every now and then. nothing to be laughed at.

My point is dont assume you will not fail even if you attend a top med school in uk. I know some Singaporeans who failed out of barts/icl.

They are the odd one out, but it does happen if you are unlucky.

Most of the time is due to depression or lack of interest for medicine.

It does happen it’s rare but I have seen many dropped out from third year or even fourth year

I was at the point of dropping out of flinders as well, if the school didn’t accept my appeal and pass me by compensation ( I was 2% away from the pass mark)

Glad it’s long over but I just wanna tell everyone here that just because you never heard of failed cases doesn’t means all singaporeans who go abroad will pass successfully and get a med degree

Originally Posted by Unregistered

If full reg takes 2-3y, assuming one is good at taking exam, is it more worthwhile to just do fm residency in US, finish it off in 3y then as specialist come back on conditional and full reg in 1y? Or do it slower in UK spending 1-2 more y but at least can return to UK to practice or flee abroad one ady if got sick of sg?

If u are rich just take 2 gap years after graduation for full prep to USA. Most Indians do this.

Why limit yourself to FM? You can apply to psych or neuro residency. Only an extra year and you are an actual specialist.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

If u are rich just take 2 gap years after graduation for full prep to USA. Most Indians do this.

Why limit yourself to FM? You can apply to psych or neuro residency. Only an extra year and you are an actual specialist.

actually if can afford to do research years in the US, sky is the limit for specialties

guys... you really want to go half a globe away to specialise? think twice. i meant thrice. trading time with your ageing parents with specialisation is not wise. i empathise elderly people who went for doctors appt alone.

DCA into your stock account and you should retire comfortably by 45.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

guys... you really want to go half a globe away to specialise? think twice. i meant thrice. trading time with your ageing parents with specialisation is not wise. i empathise elderly people who went for doctors appt alone.

DCA into your stock account and you should retire comfortably by 45.

bro my parents only going to be 61 when I graduate + they are retired and independent. They have option to live with me also wherever I am. Idk why living overseas = abandon parents. Cannot bring them with u meh?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

bro my parents only going to be 61 when I graduate + they are retired and independent. They have option to live with me also wherever I am. Idk why living overseas = abandon parents. Cannot bring them with u meh?

So you think 61 is young? You really think none of us will get ill?
You are expecting your elderly parents to accommodate new weather and environment for you? Most likely they will say they prefer to stay back in sg for the comfortable weather, food and family.

Well, go far far away then.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

bro my parents only going to be 61 when I graduate + they are retired and independent. They have option to live with me also wherever I am. Idk why living overseas = abandon parents. Cannot bring them with u meh?

it is unlikely they will be able to live with u off a resident's salary in the usa (they also will not have health insurance there which is a bad idea), unless of course you are rich.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

actually if can afford to do research years in the US, sky is the limit for specialties

If one's goal is coming back to SG, it seems no point to specialize in US vs SG though even as UK med grad, except it may be slightly faster.

Rads are 2+5 in UK, if you do a research year + 5y residency it is 6, 1 year shorter with a lot more work.

IM is 3+3 vs 2+3+3/4 depending on specialty, again if you add 1 more year of research then you are only 1-2 years faster with loads of uncertainty not being able to enter the specialty you want. Plus having a branded CV with training at "St Thomas' Hospital in London" will be more appealing to lay people than some US board certified cardiologist trained at Jackson Health System. To add on to that the US specialist is called diplomate vs FRCP which add further insults as you sound like someone who just took a part-time dipderm in cardiology equivalent.

So I guess the difference is more significant in things like FM which you just take 3 years to finish it off, no need research, save 2 years and easy to get in + nobody cares where you got your FP/FM/GP from anyway.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

it is unlikely they will be able to live with u off a resident's salary in the usa (they also will not have health insurance there which is a bad idea), unless of course you are rich.

parents are financially independent and don’t have much family in singapore either. They really only just want to be with me that’s all