collageDo you have any knowledge about singapore medical school requirements? Do you ever feel confused? Do you often feel overwhelmed with all the information available on singapore medical school requirements so you can’t figure out which one is correct? This article will let you know about singapore medical school requirements.
In alignment with our education mission, we review all applicants holistically. We admit individuals who not only have the potential to excel academically, but also possess personal attributes and competencies that align with our mission and values.
The Admissions Committee reviews all application material, reference letters, and interviewer comments carefully to better understand each applicant. We seek to identify those with the traits and skills that will help them succeed not only as clinicians but also clinicians-plus. These attributes include competent communication and interpersonal skills, integrity, teamwork, altruism, resilience, and critical thinking.
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)Change Course
MBBS in Singapore is a 5 year degree offered by only two universities. The country houses the Asia’s top university National University of Singapore, which is ranked 11th in the world by the QS News Ranking of 2020. For medicine, it is placed in the 21st position. Despite being an expensive city, funding is readily available and the unemployment rate is also negligible at 2.2%.
- The average cost of study is 28,004 SGD per year which is considered cheaper than the UK or the USA.
- Government scholarships for international students in Singapore like the Ministry of Education tuition grant scheme cover a portion of the living costs also.
- According to WHO, Singapore is ranked 6th in the world for its health care systems.
- There is a lot of scope after completing MBBS in Singapore universities with an average salary of doctors being 96,499 SGD – 109,668 SGD per annum.
MBBS in Singapore is a 5 year degree offered by only two universities. The country houses the Asia’s top university National University of Singapore, which is ranked 11th in the world by the QS News Ranking of 2020. For medicine, it is placed in the 21st position. Despite being an expensive city, funding is readily available and the unemployment rate is also negligible at 2.2%.
- The average cost of study is 28,004 SGD per year which is considered cheaper than the UK or the USA.
- Government scholarships for international students in Singapore like the Ministry of Education tuition grant scheme cover a portion of the living costs also.
- According to WHO, Singapore is ranked 6th in the world for its health care systems.
- There is a lot of scope after completing MBBS in Singapore universities with an average salary of doctors being 96,499 SGD – 109,668 SGD per annum.
Students must have the following documents to apply for student pass:
- A valid travel document
- Offer Letter from the college
- Notification from the applied institute
- 4 passport size photograph
- Permanent address and contact information in Singapore
- Personal Email ID
- A compilation of residential, academic, employment and financial records Information on parents (if needed).
After arrival, a student is required to submit three things namely Passport, Original copy of IPA and the D/E card.
Cost of Studying MBBS in Singapore
Studying abroad has basically three types of expenses associated with it: Pre-arrival Cost, Tuition Fees and Cost of Living.
Pre-arrival Cost
Following are the one-time expenses that you might have to pay before arrival to the country:
| Type of Expense | Cost (in SGD) |
|---|---|
| Application Fees | 10 – 30 |
| IELTS | 365 |
| TOEFL | 355 |
| Visa Fee | 65 |
Cost of Living in Singapore
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s worldwide cost of living report, Singapore has been placed above all other countries. It is considered to be the most expensive city in the world. However, a student can make choices accordingly to save more, like one can opt for a renter shared apartment or an on-campus residency over a furnished fully-owned flat or choose public transport over a personal car.
Following table provides an average cost of living in Singapore for students:
| Types of Expenses | Costs (in SGD) |
|---|---|
| Monthly rent (900sqft) in normal area | $2,636 |
| Basic meal (lunch and dinner) | $12 for lunch and $54 for dinner |
| Internet 8mbps for a month | $43 |
| 1 min of prepaid tariff (without any plans) | $0.25 |
| Monthly ticket for public transport | $91 |
| Utilities like electricity, gas etc (monthly cost) | $160 |
Accommodation Available for Students in Singapore
There are majorly two types of accommodation in Singapore available for students.
- On-campus: Halls of residence and student residences are offered by many colleges catering especially to their international students. However, there is a shortage in the number of halls in comparison to the active number of full-time students opting for it.
- Off-campus: This arrangement is more readily available to students. There are Housing Development Board flats that are available for 1590 SGD – 2022 SGD. The cost range varies with factors such as type of room, location and condition of the room. Apart from that, there are shared flats or self-owned flats accessible to the international students.
Scholarships for MBBS in Singapore
As per Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, out of 70,000 international students in Singapore 3000 are Indians. Also, 52% of international students in Singapore are eligible to borrow from their top banks.
Some of the grants and scholarships for international students in Singapore are provided below:
MOE Tuition Grant Scheme: As per the grant an international student is eligible to borrow a loan amount after the letter of invitation from his/her host college.
- There is no stipulated loan amount mentioned.
- The borrower must sign the 3-year bond, and stay back after course completion to pay off the grant money.
- The deadline for the application depends upon the host college.
- For NUS the special term 1 is between 25-29th May 2020, and special term 2 is between 6-10th July 2020.
ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship: The ASEAN scholarship is meant for undergraduate students studying in Singapore. The scholarship aims to pay off the remaining tuition fee after sanctioning of the MOE scheme.
- The living allowance offered is around 4206.42 SGD per/year. T
- Three major institutions that accept the grant are National University of Singapore(NUS), National Technical University(NTU) and Singapore Management University(SMU).
- The deadline for the scholarship is 14-15th October.
Dr Goh Keng Swee Scholarship: Dr GKS Scholarship is accessible to students from Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, PRC, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.
- The scholarship is for colleges like NUS, NTU, SMU or SUTD.
- The applicant must reflect leadership qualities and with a fairly good record of co-curricular activities.
- The scholarship covers tuition fees, airfare, an annual allowance of 6500 SGD, hostel allowance as per chosen college and an additional allowance of 200 SGD after arrival. The official deadline for the scholarship is 15th March.
There are other scholarships offered by host colleges like Undergraduate Scholarships at NUS, and the SMART Scholarship Program.
For the scholarships awarded by host colleges, the eligibility criteria is quite high as most of them are merit-based. The applicants must have a GPA of 3.8 or above with an ACT score of 31 or SAT score of 1430. The applicant must also hold a place within the top 5% of his/her class.
Scope for MBBS in Singapore
INSEAD placed Singapore on the 7th position in its Global Innovation Index for the year 2015. The World Economic Forum in its Global Competitiveness Report has placed Singapore in the 2nd position.
- As per payscale.com and salaryexplorer.com, General Practice Physicians in Singapore are paid approximately 97,299 SGD – 1,11,184 SGD per annum.
- Also, the Doctors Directory of Singapore puts a figure of 30,02,305 SGD as the annual salary of Senior Specialist Doctors working in hospitals.
As per the ranking of the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, the healthcare facilities in Singapore is placed at number 3 in the world. Medical Practitioners are rated highly in Singapore. Doctors can work in two types of healthcare facilities broadly divided into Private and Public Healthcare.
- Private Healthcare facilities offer better services and the waiting hours is also minimum but the price is slightly higher than public facilities.
- Public Healthcare facilities are usually divided into 6 clusters. They set high standards for hi-tech equipment, cost efficiency and more hospital beds.
| About this course | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 5 Years |
| Level | Bachelors Program |
Course Description
- The curriculum is focused on producing doctors capable of meeting tomorrow’s medical challenges
- The curriculum is designed such that it lets students revisit earlier learned ideas in increasing complexity at a comfortable pace
- Students will gain a longitudinal perspective on patient care from wellness to illness to death, learn how a patient lives with diseases from hospital to community and be trained to provide the right level of care needed
RankingUniversity Rankings#80Universities Rankings
– ARWU (Shanghai Ranking) 2020#11World University Ranking
– QS 2021#25University Ranking
– THE (Times Higher Education) 2021#32Global Universities
– US News & World Report 2021
Fees & ExpensesSGDINR1st year tuition fees
| Fees components | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | INR 88,09,920 |
Other expenses in 1st year
| Fees components | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hostel & Meals | INR 2,09,760 |
| Transportation | INR 44,160 |
| Special Term Fees | INR 1,05,708 |
| Books and Supplies | INR 22,080 |
| Personal expenses | INR 1,21,440 |
| Health Service Fee | INR 11,537 |
| Student Services Fee | INR 11,978 |
| Application Fees | INR 1,104 |
| Total | INR 5,27,767 |
Calculated at the exchange rate of 1 SGD = INR 55.2|
Tuition & expenses were last updated on 24ᵗʰ August 2020Entry Requirements
| Entry requirements for this course | |
|---|---|
| Class 12th | No specific cutoff mentionedApplicant must have completed Indian Standard 12 (CBSE/ISCE/State and other boards) with a good pass in 5 subjects including EnglishYear 12 or higher level pass in Chemistry and Biology or Physics |
| Exams | IELTS : AcceptedNot mandatorySAT : 1250Required only for Indian standard 12 (State Boards & Other boards) |
| Additional info | Submit a portfolio to the https://inetapps.nus.edu.sg/ram/app… consisting of the following:Personal Statement – A letter of introduction not exceeding 500 words on your experiences that have shaped your desire to study MedicineList of co-curricular activitiesOfficial testimonial from Junior College, Polytechnic or high school2 referee nominations – The referees will be notified to complete a referee report online All shortlisted candidates must be interviewedSAT scores: For Indian Standard 12(Central & ISCE Boards)-SAT is not required For Indian standard 12 (State Boards & Other boards)- SAT is required with certain conditions: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing-600, and 650 for MathematicsApplicants are required to submit 3 subject tests as follows:Mathematics Level 2 is a compulsory subject for all coursesThe second subject of your choice (excluding Mathematics Level 1)The third subject of your choice (excluding Mathematics Level 1) |
PRE-REQUISITES
- All applicants must have completed, or be in the final year of, a bachelor or honours degree. MBBS holders will not be considered for admissions.
- Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) or Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) results.
- 3 – 5 references, typically from professors, mentors and/or employers.
- Applicants are also required to meet the “Other Requirements” and “Technical Standards” below.
TECHNICAL STANDARDS
Introduction
All candidates for the M.D. degree must possess the physical and mental skills and abilities necessary to successfully complete the medical school curriculum. To achieve the optimal educational experience, students are required to participate in all phases of the training programme.
The study of medicine is not a pure intellectual exercise. Rather, a specific set of minimum physical, mental, emotional and social abilities are needed to be a successful student. Students must possess all of the abilities listed in the five categories below. The use of an intermediary that would, in effect, require a student to rely on someone else’s power of observation and/or communication will not be permitted.
The faculty of the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School recognizes its responsibility to present candidates for the M.D. degree who have the knowledge, attitudes and skills to function in a broad variety of clinical situations and to render a wide spectrum of patient care. Candidates for the M.D. degree at Duke-NUS Medical School will be prepared to enter postgraduate medical education as general physicians able to undertake specialty education.
a) Visually observe materials presented in the learning environment including audiovisual presentations, written documents, microbiology cultures, microscopic examination of microorganisms, tissues and gross organs in the normal and pathologic state, and diagnostic images.
b) Observe patients accurately and completely, both at a distance and directly. This requires functional vision, hearing, and sensation.
Adapted from Duke University School of Medicine’s Technical Standards.
I. Observation
a) Visually observe materials presented in the learning environment including audiovisual presentations, written documents, microbiology cultures, microscopic examination of microorganisms, tissues and gross organs in the normal and pathologic state, and diagnostic images.
b) Observe patients accurately and completely, both at a distance and directly. This requires functional vision, hearing, and sensation.
II. Communication
a) Effectively speak, write, hear, read and use a keyboard.
b) Perceive non-verbal communications, including facial expression, body language, and affect.
c) Communicate effectively and sensitively with patients and their families via speech as well as reading/writing.
d) Communicate in oral and written form with the healthcare team in an effective, accurate and efficient manner.
III. Motor
a) Elicit information from patients via palpation, auscultation, and percussion, as well as carry out diagnostic maneuvers.
b) Execute movements reasonably required to provide general medical care and emergency treatment to patients. These skills require coordination of gross and fine motor movements, equilibrium, and sensation.
c) Manipulate equipment and instruments to perform basic laboratory tests and procedures as required to attain curricular goals. (e.g. needles, stethoscope, ophthalmoscope, tongue blades, intravenous equipment, scalpel).
IV. Intellectual/conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities
a) Perform calculations necessary to solve quantitative problems as required by the curriculum.
b) Collect, organize, prioritize, analyze and assimilate large amounts of technically detailed and complex information in a timely fashion. This information will be presented in a variety of educational settings, including lectures, small group discussions, and individual clinical settings. The applicant should be able to analyze, integrate, and apply this information appropriately for the problem solving and decision-making.
c) Apply knowledge and reasoning to solve problems as outlined by the curriculum.
d) Comprehend the three dimensional spatial relationships of structures.
e) Remain awake and alert.
V. Behavioral, Emotional and Social Attributes
a) Possess the emotional health to fully apply his/her intellectual skill, exercise good judgment, and to complete all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients.
b) Develop a mature, sensitive and effective relationship with patients and colleagues.
c) Tolerate the physical, mental and emotional stress experienced during training and patient care.
d) Possess qualities of adaptability, flexibility, and the ability to function in the face of uncertainty.
e) Form a compassionate relationship with his/her patients while maintaining appropriate boundaries for a professional relationship.
f) Behave in an ethical and moral manner consistent with professional values and standards.
g) Exhibit sufficient interpersonal skills, knowledge and attitudes to interact positively and sensitively with people from all parts of society, ethnic backgrounds, and belief systems.h) Cooperate with others and work corroboratively as a team member.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
English Language Proficiency
Results of TOEFL or IELTS
Applicants who previously studied in a non-English speaking curriculum will be required to present documented evidence of their competence in written and spoken English by submitting their results of TOEFL or IELTS exams.
To meet the English requirement for our programme, the following are the minimum scores that should be achieved:
- 600 (for TOEFL paper-based test) or
- 85 (for TOEFL internet-based test) or
- an overall band score of 7.0 (for IELTS)
The TOEFL score or IELTS result is only valid for 2 years after the test and should be valid by the end of the application deadline for the programme.
Applicants should email a scanned copy of the official TOEFL/IELTS scoresheets to admissions@duke-nus.edu.sg during the online application period. IELTS scoresheets must display your Test Report Form Number.
For verification purposes, candidates are also requested to nominate our Institution to access your results online/electronically as follow:
- TOEFL iBT: Designated Institution (DI) code of C974 through ETS Data manager
- IELTS: Select IELTS Indicator ‘Duke-NUS Medical School’ through IELTS Test Report Form (TRF) Verification Service
There is no need to post the hardcopies of the results to us.
If you are still unsure on whether you are required to submit a TOEFL/IELTS test score, please contact the Admissions Office at admissions@duke-nus.edu.sg to seek clarification before the application period closes.
Mandatory Screening and Immunisation Requirement Prior Matriculation
Please be advised that in accordance with Singapore Ministry of Health regulations, MD and MD-PhD candidates matriculating into Duke-NUS Medical School must provide documentation for the following screening and immunization requirements:
• Screening for Hepatitis B and Immunity Status
• Screening for Hepatitis C Antibody and HIV Antibody
• MMR (Mumps, Measles and Rubella) Immunity Status
• Varicella (Chicken pox) Immunity Status
• Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) Immunity Status
Additional health requirements upon acceptance to Duke-NUS are currently under review, in keeping with local health mandates. Applicants who are offered admission will be apprised of health screening and immunization requirements.
Service Commitment
As the cost of medical education at Duke-NUS is subsidized by the Singapore Government, all graduates of its MD programme or the MD-PhD track are required to fulfill a service commitment. If this service commitment is broken or unfulfilled, liquidated damages – pro-rated according to the bond period not served – must be paid off to the government. The amount of liquidated damages is based on the government subsidy granted and compounded annual interest. For more information, please refer to the Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) website.
According to MOH guidelines, the service commitment period is as follows:
4 years for Singapore citizens
5 years for international graduates and Singapore Permanent Residents
The service commitment period excludes the first year of postgraduate (residency) training, commencing only after satisfactory completion of the first postgraduate training year. The service commitment is fulfilled in a public sector hospital/institution in Singapore as determined by the Ministry of Health (MOH). Assuming satisfactory completion of the first postgraduate training year, trainees can fulfill their service commitment during residency training in Singapore; or alternatively, in an MOH-approved public sector research setting in lieu of further residency training.
Completion of National/Military Service
Male Singapore Citizen and Singapore Permanent Resident applicants are expected to have fulfilled their National Service (NS) obligations before matriculation. For international applicants required to serve in their home country’s military, a few points should be kept in mind. While “Leave of Absence” (LOA) is in place for a number of academic, research, and personal reasons, this is contingent on approval by the Student Promotions Committee. Generally, LOA is not granted for fulfillment of National/Military Service obligations. Additionally, to be eligible for medical registration, the Singapore Medical Council requires a doctor to begin year-one of residency training within 1 year of graduating from medical school. This makes the immediate post-graduation period an unsuitable time for serving the typical 2-year military commitment
Application Process
| September to October | Register for The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) |
| October | Sit for BMAT |
| October to Mid-March | Online Admission Application |
| April | Selection Interview (Multiple Mini Interviews) |
| April to June | Offer and Acceptance |
| June to July | Health Screening |
| July | Matriculation |
All applications to LKCMedicine must be submitted online between October and mid-March via the NTU application portal here. Applications must include the following information:
- Academic results
- BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) scores
- Personal statement
- Essay on achievements beyond schools’ co-curricular activities and online appraisal form from one to two appraisers (If applicant would like to be considered under the Aptitude-based Admissions scheme)
- Two referee reports (One of the referees must be the applicant’s Civics tutor/form teacher (GCE A-level, IB, NUSHS and international qualifications) or personal tutor/mentor (Polytechnic).)
Academic Qualifications
Applicants should possess the requisite pre-university qualifications to be admitted to the LKCMedicine MBBS programme. Predicted grades are not accepted for admissions. Current final-year high school students, whose actual high school graduation / national examination results, would be available after April of the Academic Year will not be eligible to apply for Medicine programme in that same Academic Year.
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