This blog post is for the medical students participating in JIPMER’s SPANDAN 2007.

After seeing our banners, you might wonder what Contact Singapore is, and what medical career opportunities you can have in Singapore as a medical student in India.

First, the quick answer:

1. Singapore has a strong (and growing) demand for doctors, and there are many opportunities for employment, training and even research for you in this environment.
2. Contact Singapore is an organisation that promotes working and living in Singapore. Thus, our work includes informing you about these opportunities.
3. SingHealth (doctors.singhealth.com.sg) and the National Healthcare Group (www.lokun.nhg.com.sg) are the largest healthcare establishments in Singapore, running many hospitals and speciality centres. They are actively looking for medical talent around the world, including India. Even if you’re not graduating just yet, do check out their web portals.
4. Medical talent should possess qualifications recognised in Singapore. For basic medical degrees, at this point in time, the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) recognises MBBS degrees from 5 medical colleges in India: JIPMER, AIIMS, Maulana Azad, CMC Vellore and AFMC.

Interested? Read on for the details:

These questions and answers have been summarised from the International Manpower Graduates portal.

1. Are there really opportunities in Singapore?
   Yes, there are opportunities for international medical graduates in Singapore, because our medical tourism/travel pie is growing, and there is also growing domestic demand for healthcare. We’re serious enough about this rising demand to run roadshows for hundreds at Puducherry and Delhi to promote opportunities in Singapore. If that doesn’t convince you, the Singapore Ministry of Health maintains a page listing 10 reasons to work in Singapore as a doctor.
2. OK, I am interested. But how do I get registered to work as a Medical Officer in Singapore when I finally graduate?
   First, you will need to possess a recognised basic medical degree - as mentioned above. Secondly, secure a job with a Singapore healthcare establishment. Your employer will help you with your registration and accreditation procedures, with your certificates and supporting documents. A very helpful flowchart on the whole process can be downloaded here. If you prefer a more expansive technical guide to getting registered in Singapore, go here.
3. What are the career paths available to me in Singapore?
   There are a few main paths open to doctors in Singapore: to go into medical practice (become a specialist or family physician, or progress along the resident physician track), medical research (become a clinical scientist/investigator), or medical education (become an academic).

Key Singapore healthcare industry players:

Interested but forgot to register for our mailing list?

Get in touch with the SPANDAN organisers, who are helping us to collate names and particulars. Or sign up here directly for our mailing list. We will regularly send you news and updates about opportunities in Singapore.

Have questions you feel were not answered? Drop us a comment or email at . However, before that, do take a look at this FAQ page to see if it addresses your queries.