An MBBS in Singapore can offer international students a plethora of opportunities. The healthcare system of Singapore is globally recognised for its efficiency and effectiveness. This makes it an attractive destination for international medical graduates who study medicine in this Asian country. To successfully make it as a healthcare professional in Singapore after graduation from the MBBS program, one must understand the kind of requirements, regulations, and pathways that are defined by the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) and MOH Holdings (MOHH). We will look at a brief guide on how international students can build a successful career in Singapore after completing their MBBS programs.
Medical Registration and Employment for International Students: Gateway to Build a Medical Career in Singapore
After completing an MBBS in Singapore, the first and most important task for any graduate student is to register for their medical status with the Singapore Medical Council (SMG) and employment with an SMG-approved and recognised healthcare institution in Singapore. Here is a deeper look into what these requirements are, and how to get done with them:
RRR (Regulatory Registration Requirements)
Before starting your clinical practice in Singapore, you must register with the Singapore Medical Council. To successfully register as a doctor with the SMC, all international MBBS graduates must complete the conditional registration, which is generally provided to doctors who hold a basic medical degree from the Singaporean universities listed in the Second Schedule of the Medical Registration Act (MRA).
However, students pursuing an MBBS in Singapore must meet the following regulatory requirements as an international medical student, even for the conditional registration:
- Employment letter from an SMC-approved healthcare institution
- Completed compulsory housemanship (PGY1) or equivalent clinical training in their home country
- Completed the clinical practice for three years in your MBBS program (minimum clinical practice of at least 168 hours per year)
To comply with the aforementioned requirements, the international applicants must submit the required credentials to the SMC through verification from primary sources, such as the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) or the International Credentials Services (EPIC).
Completing the PGY1/Medical Office Registration
Students who complete their MBBS in Singapore, but have not yet completed the clinical training (housemanship) in Singapore, can complete this regulatory requirement to register for the medical officer status through MOH Holdings (MOHH), which is the holding company for all the public healthcare institutions in Singapore. Securing your medical employment with the MOHH is compulsory to get residency for international MBBS graduates. Here is how to complete the process as an international student:
- For Postgraduate Year One (PGY1) Trainees
All the MBBS graduates from MRA Second Schedule universities may be employed as PGY1 trainees to complete the mandatory 12 months of clinical training, aside from their MBBS in Singapore, which will consist of clinical rotations in General Medicine and General/Orthopaedic Surgery.)
- For Medical Officers (MOs)
Doctors who completed their housemanship/clinical training are eligible to be employed as Medical Officers. These officers take the 6-month duration of clinical rotations through the Medical Officer Posting Exercise (MOPEX), allowing them to also gain critical work experience for their further career development.
Residency Pathway to be a Specialist in Singapore As An International Student
If international MBBS graduates want to be specialists, they have to follow the structured residency program, which will require certain eligibility criteria to be met for the application.
Eligibility and Application
All applicants from an are required to clear the residency programs to become specialists. These are centrally coordinated by the MOHH and offered by three Sponsoring Institutions in Singapore, namely SingHealth, National University Health System (NUHS), and NHG Health.
While local Singapore MBBS graduates can apply for the residency programs directly, international students have to register as a doctor with the MOHH, followed by applying for a specific speciality, which includes Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Paediatrics, and Diagnostic Radiology. This entry will simply require completing PGY1 and registration (either conditionally or fully) with the SMC.
The specialist training is very thorough, structured, and accredited by international bodies, ensuring its high standards, such as ACGME-I. An MBBS in Singapore will give international graduates a chance to complete Residency and specialist examinations, following which they will apply for Specialist Accreditation with the Specialists Accreditation Board (SAB) and Specialist Registration with the SMC.
Conclusion
The career journey for international MBBS graduates (IMBs) in Singapore is surely filled with challenges, but it can be rewarding as well. Fundamentally created on official accreditation, the IMBs must get their degree registered under the MRA Second Schedule, get an initial employment offer from MOHH, and meet all the requirements for conditional registration regulated by the SMC. Following these processes and structures will allow all the international students (including Indian medical aspirants) wanting to pursue an MBBS in Singapore to find fulfilling job opportunities and make a successful career in the city-state.
Want to learn more about pursuing a career in Singapore as a doctor? Talk to Education Vibes now to get started today with your application process for an MBBS admission.
