How is life as a doctor in Singapore?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Good morning everyone!

My name is Andrea and I’m doing my first year of Neumology in a Spanish hospital.
During our 3rd-4th year we are allowed to do an external rotation for 2 months in our place of choosing.
I love Singapore and I’ve been doing some research about neumology and looks very promising.
Has anyone done this kind of program before?
I would like to know how this program usually works, if it’s something they usually do and if someone would give me some advice about their experiences.
Any advice is appreciated.
Thank you so much in advance

Andrea xx

Dear Andrea xx

You might want to use the terms Respiratory Medicine or Pulmonology instead. Singapore does not call it Neumology for sure.

What is so promising about Respiratory Medicine in Singapore that you researched up on? What do you mean when you ask "how this program usually works"? Are you asking about getting a residency position?

Apply to nus yllsom for short term student elective
They will help to arrange a short term elective

But now covid.you will need to show proof of vaccination, pre departure swab, and on arrival swab plus 14 days quarantine on arrival

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Apply to nus yllsom for short term student elective
They will help to arrange a short term elective

But now covid.you will need to show proof of vaccination, pre departure swab, and on arrival swab plus 14 days quarantine on arrival

She said that she is in her 1st year. And that during their 3rd or 4th year they have the opportunity to do an elective posting.

So that would be sometime in 2023 or 2024? Hopefully covid will be over by then.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Dear Andrea xx

You might want to use the terms Respiratory Medicine or Pulmonology instead. Singapore does not call it Neumology for sure.

What is so promising about Respiratory Medicine in Singapore that you researched up on? What do you mean when you ask "how this program usually works"? Are you asking about getting a residency position?

Thank you for the correction.
For what I’ve researched they have a good program about critical care for pulmonary diseases(we don’t have it here) and a few about interventional Pulmonology.
I’ve seen some doctors come from other countries to do a fellow too, that’s why it would be a good opportunity.
Thank you

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Apply to nus yllsom for short term student elective
They will help to arrange a short term elective

But now covid.you will need to show proof of vaccination, pre departure swab, and on arrival swab plus 14 days quarantine on arrival

Thank you, I will take a look to this program.
It will be in 2-3 years if the situation gets better, I already got vaccinated at the hospital so hopefully will be ok by then

Originally Posted by Unregistered

She said that she is in her 1st year. And that during their 3rd or 4th year they have the opportunity to do an elective posting.

So that would be sometime in 2023 or 2024? Hopefully covid will be over by then.

Yes, 2023-24.
Our hospital allows us to do an external 2 months in the hospital we choose, we just need to organize everything so they can accept it.
That’s why I was looking someone that knew about it or could give me some advice if it would be a good idea to do my 2months in Singapore.
Thank you so much again.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Yes, 2023-24.
Our hospital allows us to do an external 2 months in the hospital we choose, we just need to organize everything so they can accept it.
That’s why I was looking someone that knew about it or could give me some advice if it would be a good idea to do my 2months in Singapore.
Thank you so much again.

Singapore healthcare is not very developed.
So it is good for you to come to singapore to have a perspective of third world healthcare
And the constraints faced in a resource poor setting

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Singapore healthcare is not very developed.
So it is good for you to come to singapore to have a perspective of third world healthcare
And the constraints faced in a resource poor setting

Also majority of patients in Singapore do NOT speak English or Spanish. They speak mandarin or Hokkien or Teochew or Cantonese or Malay or Tamil.

There might be great difficulty in understanding conversations between the doctor and patients. You will need to learn those 5 languages before you go to Singapore for the elective.

2 questions:

I am doing my HO and want to apply for residency. Can someone tell me the competitiveness between cardio, neuro, radiology and emergency medicine.

Also, thoughts on covid vaccine? should i pass?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi all, can I ask if a resident will be judged negatively if they fail their intermediate examinations? (E.g mrcp/mrcs etc). My programme director recently asked me how I did for my exam. (He knew I was taking exams, I told him I failed, he just said "ok, try again")
I will obviously try again, but not sure if I will be judged negatively by the faculty..

Just do your best. No patient is going to say "this is the doctor that failed his MRCP".

Remember that you are your worst enemy. Good luck!