Sponsored by Duke-NUS Medical School
Although it may be small, Singapore has a big reputation for world-class medical education and research. From learning with innovative teaching methodologies, to being trained under an experienced clinical and research faculty, medicine is one of Singapore’s top academic disciplines.
Singapore’s rapid development over the span of just a generation has turned it into a thriving hub for education excellence that offers a quality of life that’s hard to rival.
Read on to find out why else you should study medicine in Singapore.
Best of East meets West in medical education
Singapore has exceptional standards of education and is a leader in higher education in Asia and around the world, as demonstrated by its position in the QS Higher Education System Strength Rankings 2018.
So much so, that other top global institutions have looked to Singapore as the ideal location for setting up their own international campuses. Take Duke-NUS Medical School, for example. Situated in downtown Singapore, Duke-NUS Medical School is an international collaboration with the National University of Singapore and Duke University in Durham, North Carolina which are both ranked in the world’s top 25 universities according to the latest QS World University Rankings.
You’ll train under an experienced clinical and research faculty and be mentored at world-leading hospitals
Image credit: SingHealth
Duke-NUS Medical School has an established partnership with the largest public healthcare group in the country – Singapore Health Services (SingHealth), which is a huge benefit to medical students at Duke-NUS.
Students are mentored by distinguished and experienced research and clinical faculty, who develop their broader capabilities such as critical thinking, problem-solving and an entrepreneurial mindset.
“To be a successful medical educational institution of the future, we must also be able to help shape policies that affect Singaporeans and their healthcare needs. Our graduates will face ever expanding clinical and leadership challenges and they will need to be able to adapt to these emerging challenges,” sums up Professor Ian Curran, Duke-NUS’ Vice-Dean of Education.
You’ll be exposed to innovative teaching methodologies
Duke-NUS Medical School’s Doctor of Medicine program attracts a wide range of students from all over the world, and offers a rigorous medical curriculum to complement its fresh and innovative teaching methodology, TeamLEAD, which allows students to learn and think beyond rote memorization.
Tomasz Merta, who is currently studying in the Doctor of Medicine program, considers TeamLEAD to be a positive learning experience, saying: “The first thing we go through is a short quiz which we do individually first and then as a team, which is the most fun part as we get to really discuss and attack the questions as team.
“You feel the support from everyone, and it complements our knowledge within our teams. You learn better and consolidate your knowledge better,” Tomasz adds.
“The curriculum is rigorous and there’s a lot of self-learning involved, but you also discuss the content with your classmates – that’s the beauty of the program. Working as a group is an enjoyable experience,” says Samantha Toh, a second year Doctor of Medicine student at Duke-NUS Medical School.
You’ll have an education experience that that goes beyond the classroom
Although studying medicine can be incredibly challenging, it’s also very rewarding. The skills and experience you gain during your studies are highly transferable, allowing you to volunteer and work in new sectors and industries.
For example, Samantha is part of the logistics team at Camp Simba, which is a children’s camp for those with a family member or close loved one who has been diagnosed with cancer. The initiative has been run by students at Duke-NUS Medical School and Yong Loo Lin Medical School since 2009.
“It may not be clinically relevant, but I feel like during the journey you pick up skills along the way, and I believe the skills I’ve learnt and the experience I have volunteering for Camp Simba will really benefit me in my career,” says Samantha.
Duke-NUS Medical School students are also offered additional learning platforms, including working on community health screening projects where they can put theory into practice, as they interact with the local population and learn about their real-life healthcare challenges.
You’ll work and learn alongside peers from diverse backgrounds
Duke-NUS students come from diverse, academic and mid-career backgrounds. Han Tianzhuo, a second year, Doctor of Medicine student at Duke-NUS Medical School, is a good reflection of such diversity at Duke-NUS. Having completed his undergraduate degree in finance, Tianzhuo started a career in the banking sector, and after several years, being inspired by his father, decided to pursue medicine.
“Both my parents are doctors, so deep down inside, I have always wanted to be one too. And after studying and working in Singapore for many years, I have grown accustomed to the developed systems and efficient way of life here and feel that Duke-NUS is the best place to continue my studies,” says Tianzhuo.
Like Tianzhuo, many other students with varied and successful former careers in accountancy, psychology, journalism, nursing, engineering and law come to Duke-NUS to pursue a new academic path.
Singapore is a world leader in research
Ranked first in IMD’s 2019 World Competitiveness Rankings, second in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report for 2018 and fifth in the Global Innovation Index 2018, global reports continue to recognize Singapore as a world leader in research and innovation.
Whether you decide to specialize in cancer and stem cell biology, or neuroscience and behavioral disorders, or make radiological sciences your area of expertise, Singapore’s strong corporate reputation makes for even stronger industry links, leaving you with potentially prosperous career opportunities worldwide after graduating.
Singapore boasts a high quality of life
Singapore offers a quality of life that’s hard to rival, making it very worthy of its place as the 20th best student city in the world according to the QS Best Student Cities 2019 rankings. Renowned for its inclusive nature and cosmopolitan experience – characterized by its cultural heritage of the east, and lifestyle of the west – Singapore is a melting pot of culture, religion and history.
Lead image credit: Duke-NUS Medical School
