Singapore plans to expand its recognition of foreign medical degrees from nine additional foreign universities, raising the total of internationally recognised medical schools to 112. The Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) announced this decision on November 11 to help meet the growing demand for healthcare professionals as the population ages.
With this expansion, Singapore can further bolster its healthcare workforce by increasing the pool of qualified doctors from abroad. This move supports the government’s strategy to address the country’s rising healthcare needs, which includes increasing local medical school admissions from around 400 students in 2013 to over 500 in 2023. By adding more internationally recognised institutions, Singapore strengthens its healthcare system while continuing to nurture local talent.
On January 1, 2025, Singapore will officially recognise degrees from these nine institutions, allowing their graduates to qualify for medical registration. This update follows SMC’s regular review process, which ensures that foreign-trained doctors meet Singapore’s education and training standards. Most of the new institutions are from the UK and Ireland, with one addition from Australia. The University of Newcastle’s School of Medicine and Public Health becomes the ninth Australian institution on Singapore’s list of recognised universities. The UK gains five new recognitions, including the University of Leeds and Queen’s University Belfast, bringing the total number of recognised British institutions to 24.
The Second Schedule of the Medical Registration Act 1997 will reflect these updates as of January 1, 2025. Here is the full list of the nine newly recognised universities by region:
Australia
- University of Newcastle, School of Medicine and Public Health
Ireland
- University College Cork – National University of Ireland, School of Medicine
- University College Dublin – National University of Ireland, School of Medicine
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – National University of Ireland, School of Medicine
United Kingdom
- The Queen’s University of Belfast, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
- University of Aberdeen, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition
- University of Leeds, School of Medicine
- University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Faculty of Medical Sciences
- University of Warwick, Warwick Medical School
Through this expansion, MOH and SMC aim to support Singapore’s high healthcare standards and prepare for future demands. By increasing the number of recognised medical schools, Singapore not only strengthens its healthcare workforce for the short term but also enhances the long-term resilience of its healthcare system.
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