Our Education

2024/10/11

Hand surgery in Singapore is unique as a separate specialty with its own training pathway. Our department was established in 1990 with the objectives of advancing the specialties of hand surgery and reconstructive microsurgery. Prior to this, our surgeons had already achieved several important milestones, including the replantation of an amputated thumb in Singapore in 1977, and the free vascularised fibular graft transfer to the forearm in 1978.

We are an academic hand surgery department with equal emphasis on clinical work, teaching and research. In addition to the treatment of traumatic and degenerative conditions of the upper limb, the department also provides care for congenital differences, musculoskeletal tumours, brachial plexus injuries, and sports-related conditions of the hand and wrist. We work closely with the Division of Orthopaedic Trauma and provide soft tissue coverage for open fractures of the lower limb. The department runs a Microsurgery Training Laboratory with regular basic and advanced microsurgical courses. A dedicated outpatient facility, the Hand & Reconstructive Microsurgery Centre (HRMC), opened in April 2011, establishing a one-stop centre for hand surgery in the region.  

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Fellowship Programme

The goal of our Fellowship Programme is to prepare our fellows for a career in hand surgery through comprehensive exposure to hand surgery as part of the National Hand Surgery Residency Training Programme. As a University Hospital and a Level I trauma centre, our facility offers a unique setting for this specialised training. Fellows receive individualised teaching and supervision in the both the operating room and outpatient clinics, progressively developing independent responsibility for patient care and supervision of residents.

Fellows participate in rotations through various teams, each managing a combination of routine and complex reconstructive patients. This approach aims to maximise exposure to a diverse range of patients, diagnoses and treatment philosophies. Fellows can expect to do between five and seven stay-in on-calls per month and consultants will be available at all times for supervision and mentoring. Our programme fosters a strong academic environment through weekly teaching conferences, journal club sessions, and anatomical dissections of the upper extremity. Fellows also have the opportunity to engage in clinical research and present their findings at national or international meetings.

Eligibility

Holds a recognised medical degree for Temporary Medical Registration with Singapore Medical Council (SMC)*
At least 3 years' experience following Housemanship / Internship
Fluent in English and meet SMC's requirements.

Benefits

Other benefits include:

Five-day Basic Microsurgery Training Course
Registration at the Annual Hand Surgery Review Course organised by the Singapore Society for Hand Surgery (usually held in the last week of February)
Fourteen days of paid leave in one year
Fellowship Completion Certificate
Reimburse cost of malpractice insurance cover and temporary medical registration

Application

Our fellowship programme is for one year, with three fellows selected yearly. Applications submitted this year are considered for the following year. To apply, please email us with the following documents:

1. Curriculum vitae (with photo attached)

2. A one-page document that answers the following questions:

Why did you decide to do hand surgery?
Why did you select Singapore?
What are your plans after the fellowship?

3. Letters of recommendation (at least two). 

 We value the opinion of our previous fellows and their letter(s) of recommendation.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted based on the submitted documents for a personal interview in Singapore. We encourage applicants to visit us as an Observer for 1-2 weeks to interact with staff, fellows, and residents, gaining a better understanding of our fellowship programme. Interviews are typically scheduled to coincide with the Annual Meeting of the Singapore Society for Surgery of the Hand (January-February), and the interview date will be communicated upon submission of the required documents.

Please send your application to:

Dept of Hand & Reconstructive Microsurgery

National University Hospital, NUHS Tower Block, 

Zone T, Level 11, 1E Kent Ridge Road

Singapore 119228

E-mail: [email protected]

Observership Programme

We welcome overseas doctors as observers for a period of up to four weeks; however, this period is not extendable. Observers have the opportunity to participate in the department's academic activities and accompany clinical staff during ward rounds, outpatient clinics and operating room sessions. It is important to note that observers are not permitted to be involved in direct patient care, make entries in patients' case notes, write prescriptions or scrub in for operative procedures. Their roles are strictly observational.

Observers are responsible for arranging their own boarding and lodging for the duration of their observership, and there will be no financial commitment or payment from the department or the hospital.

Candidates interested in an observership at our department are invited to write to our fellowship coordinator, providing the following information: 

Period of observership including estimated start and end dates
Recent CV with professional qualifications
Reports from two referees 
A recent passport-sized photograph 
Completed  application form and letter of undertaking

Observers are also expected to submit the following documents during the application process before coming to Singapore:

Valid health insurance cover for the duration of their observership
Valid varicella screening and immunisation for chicken pox
Copies of undergraduate and postgraduate medical certificate

Medical Student Elective Programme

We offer medical student electives with durations ranging from one to three months. The objectives of these electives are to provide students with a deeper knowledge of hand surgery and an insight into the life of a hand surgeon. Students participating in the three-month elective programme also have the option to engage in suitable research projects.

We welcome medical students not only from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine but also from other medical schools in Singapore and overseas. Interested candidates can obtain more information about this programme through the Dean's office, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS.

For further details on participating in electives with our department, please contact Dr Mark Puhaindran, the department clinical & programme director.

Microsurgery Training Programme

Click here to learn more about our training courses.