Honorary Clinical Fellowship and Clinical Observership

2024/09/20

The main objectives of these attachment programmes are for candidates to gain exposure in the Singapore healthcare industry, develop and strengthen the regional referral network, and learn specific clinical skills.

The table below summarises the differences between Clinical Fellowship and Clinical Observership:

Requirements/ Scope of training	Honorary Clinical Fellowship	Clinical Observership
Scope of Training	Allowed to be involved in patient care, write case notes, communicate care plans & perform procedures under direct supervision	Only allowed to assist in procedures under direct supervision
Period of training allowed	Maximum 12 months	Maximum 6 months
Fulfil English proficiency test (if medium of instruction for basic degree is not in English)	Required	Not required
Requirements	Must be sponsored by either the government, regional health authority or an appropriate institution in your home country (your current employer)	Not required
Prior Experience	Require 3 years post-housemanship experience / post-internship experience as a medical officer or have a postgraduate diploma or degree	Require at least 12 months housemanship / internship with a certificate of satisfactory completion of housemanship or equivalent

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Programmes

The Fellowship / Clinical Observership Programmes at National University Hospital (NUH) offer foreign doctors attachments to the following specialties:

Anaesthesia	Clinical Fellowship Training Programme in Anaesthesiology Cardiac Anaesthesia Fellowship Training Programme Pain Management Fellowship Training Programme Clinical Fellowship in Advanced Anaesthesia Clinical Fellowship Intensive Care Medicine
Cardiology	Interventional Cardiology Training Programme Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing Training Programme Structural Heart Disease Fellowship Echocardiography Fellowship Programme Advanced Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Clinical Fellowship in Heart Failure
Cardiac, Thoracic & Vascular Surgery	Basic Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Fellowship Training Programme Advanced Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Fellowship Training Programme Basic Vascular Training Fellowship Intermediate Vascular Training Fellowship Programme Advanced Fellowship Programme in Vascular Surgery Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Programme Thoracic Surgery Advanced Fellowship Programme Basic Adult Cardiac Fellowship Programme Adult Cardiac Advanced Fellowship Programme Advanced Fellowship Programme in Cardiac Surgery (Superfellowship)
Diagnostic Imaging	Fellowship Training in Diagnostic Imaging (6 subspecialties): Body Imaging Musculoskeletal Imaging Neuroradiology Breast Imaging Interventional Radiology Nuclear Medicine Advanced Body Imaging Fellowship General Diagnostic Imaging Paediatric Radiology Fellowship Cardiac Imaging Fellowship Cardiothoracic Imaging Fellowship Thoracic Imaging Fellowship
Gastroenterology & Hepatology	Basic Endoscopy Fellowship Training Programme Fellowship Training Programme in Hepatology Fellowship Training Programme - Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Fellowship Training Programme in Gastroenterology Fellowship Training Programme in Endoscopic Ultrasound Fellowship Training Programme in Endoscopic Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
Haematology-Oncology	Haematology Fellowship Programme Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Programme Clinical Fellowship in Supportive and Palliative Care in Life-Limiting Illness (with focus on Oncology)
Hand & Reconstructive Microsurgery	Basic Clinical Fellowship in Hand & Reconstructive Microsurgery Advanced Clinical Fellowship in Hand & Reconstructive Microsurgery
Laboratory Medicine	Laboratory Haematology Fellowship Programme (Intermediate)
Radiation Oncology	Radiation Oncology Fellowship with Focus on Genitourinary and Gynaecological Cancer Radiation Oncology Fellowship
Medicine	Basic Pulmonary Critical Care Fellowship Advance Pulmonary Critical Care Fellowship Training Programme for Clinical Fellow in NUH Dermatology Multi-Modular Fellowship Training in Dermatology (Advanced) Clinical HIV Fellowship Rheumatology Postgraduate for Non Advance Specialty Trainees for Fellowship Training Programme in General Diabetes and Endocrinology Training Programme in Advanced Endocrinology Metabolism Training Programme for Adult Infectious Diseases Fellowship Programme in Clinical Neurophysiology-Neuromuscular Epilepsy/Electroencephalography Fellowship Stroke Fellowship Training Programme Neurosonology Training Programme Neurorehabilitation Fellowship Headache Medicine Fellowship Programme
Neonatology	Advanced Clinical Fellowship in Neonatology Basic Clinical Fellowship in Neonatology Neonatal Respiratory Care Fellowship
Obstetrics & Gynaecology	Clinical Fellowship Training Programme in Gynaecologic Oncology Clinical Fellowship Training Programme in Advanced Gynaecologic Oncology Training Programme for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Training Programme for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM)
Ophthalmology	Clinical Fellowship in Surgical Retina Training Programme Clinical Fellowship in Orbit & Oculofacial Surgery
Orthopaedic Surgery	Clinical Fellowship in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (8 subspecialties): Spinal Surgery Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement Surgery Foot and Ankle Surgery Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Orthopaedic Sports Medicine and Surgery Orthopaedic Trauma Musculoskeletal Oncology Paediatric Orthopaedics Surgery
Paediatrics	Fellowship in Allergy, Immunology & Rheumatology General Paediatrics Fellowship Training Programme Basic Paediatric Cardiology Advanced Paediatric Cardiology Paediatric Endocrinology Fellowship Training Programme Neurodevelopmental and Behavioural Paediatrics Clinical Fellowship Clinical Fellowship Training Programme Basic Fellowship Training in Paediatric Nephrology Advanced Fellowship Training in Paediatric Nephrology Clinical Fellowship Training Programme in Paediatric Infectious Disease Basic Paediatric Pulmonology Fellowship Advanced Paediatric Pulmonology Fellowship Fellowship in Basic Paediatric Neurology Fellowship (Basic) in Paediatric Critical Care Paediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship Fellowship in Paediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation (BMT) Fellowship in Paediatric Oncology Basic Clinical Fellowship Training Programme in Paediatric Emergency Medicine
Paediatric Surgery	Advanced Clinical Fellowship in Paediatric Surgery
Pathology	Fellowship in Renal Pathology Fellowship in NUH Pathology NUH Bone And Soft Tissue Tumour Pathology Fellowship
Surgery	Breast Surgery Non-Specialist Fellowship Training Programme Fellowship in Upper Gastrointestinal, Bariatric Surgery & Advanced Endoscopy Minimally Invasive Surgery Clinical Fellowship Training Programme (Misc Fellowship) Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowship Colorectal Surgery Fellowship Training Programme Fellowship in Endocrine Surgery Clinical Fellowship Programme in Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery Neuro-Oncology Fellowship Neurovascular and Skull Base Fellowship Clinical Fellowship Programme in Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery

Eligibility Criteria

The NUH Fellowship Desk will assist to obtain temporary medical registration from the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) and Training Employment Pass (TEP) from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), after SMC’s approval is obtained. We would appreciate that you note that SMC and MOM are very strict with their guidelines. Please visit their websites for more information & check your eligibility before submitting your application.

NUH Fellowship will charge a processing fee of S$500 only after acceptance by NUH. Additional miscellaneous fees may be applicable to certain departments. The processing period is approximately 6 to 9 months.

You will be required to submit the following:

A recognised medical degree
At least 3 years' experience as a Medical Officer after Housemanship or Internship
* Please note that you must be sponsored by either the government, regional health authority or an appropriate institution in your home country (your current employer) to undergo the fellowship training in Singapore.
* If the teaching medium in your Basic Medical Degree is not in English, an English Proficiency Test result is required, subject to a 2-year validity period based on the date of the test *:

Language Proficiency Test

Minimum Requirements

IELTS (UK)
(International English Language Testing Systems)

At least 7 in each of the four components (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking) for the academic module.

TOEFL (US)
(Test of English Language as a Foreign Language)

Only TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) will be accepted.

TOEFL iBT score of at least 25 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking). The overall score must be at least 100.

OET (Australia)
(Occupational English Test)

At least Grade B in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking).

Good academic record and at least 2 referees' reports

Proof of citizenship in your country or permanent residents of Singapore

Upon acceptance by SMC:

Permit issued by MOM in Singapore
Health insurance coverage for yourself during the attachment
Valid malpractice insurance cover
Valid BCLS Certification in Singapore (ie, to apply when on-board)
Documentary proof of vaccination date records / serology report for the followings (as per Ministry of Health directive - self declaration of past illness or vaccination NOT accepted as evidence of immunity):
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Varicella
Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)
Pertussis
Influenza
HIV Antibody
Chest X-ray

* Only applicable to Honorary Clinical Fellowship programmes

For enquiries and applications, please email to: [email protected].

Global Fellows Alliance

The National University Hospital Global Fellows Alliance provides clinical fellows and clinicians who had trained in the hospital with networking opportunities, knowledge sharing and extensive resources to professional development and mentoring programmes.

You can find more information here.