Q1:
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Is the one-month rotation to each subspecialty a new addition or it is already been established in the older system? May I have more information regarding the decision on how the one-month rotation is thought to be the best for the NUHS Residency Program? |
| A: |
The short rotation was designed with the aim to expose our residents to a broad spectrum of core specialties in their first year of training. It has the advantage of helping the residents form a strong and broad foundation, on which they can build and expand their knowledge and skills during the senior years. The challenge of having short rotation is that the residents are expected to mount a steep learning curve. Our program will support our residents by providing clear syllabus, learning objectives and supervision before the commencement of each posting. Electronic resources and intensive coaching by core faculty members will also be provided to enhance the learning process of our residents.
The other advantage of dividing the rotation to each specialty into 2 short postings is that it allows our residents to enter the specialty at different levels of competency. As an example, a junior resident exposed to neurology for the first time is likely to have different learning experience and objectives compared with a senior resident doing neurology for the second time. The former will focus on acquiring the foundation knowledge and skills in the specialty while the latter will be more interested in expanding and breadth and depth of his/her knowledge and skills in the specialty. By splitting the rotation, the residents have the opportunity to experience the specialty at different levels of competency and fulfill different learning objectives. |
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| Q2: |
I feel that having only 2 months of Psychiatry postings in my medical school curriculum is inadequate for me to be confident in dealing with Psychiatric comorbidities in the patients.
Would there be any possibility to have adequate training in psychiatry during the residency program, such as the one-month elective period (which I feel is seriously insufficient)? Or would it be best to do a transitional year that would allow me to do a 2-month stint in Psychiatry out of the 14mths, and then apply for Internal Medicine Residency? |
| A: |
Internal Medicine is a categorical program that has an intensive and focused curriculum to help our residents achieve all the learning objectives in 3 years. It is hence not possible to include rotations that do not have direct relevance to Internal Medicine.
If you decide to do a transitional year for exposure in psychiatry, you can still apply for Internal Medicine program the year after. You will be admitted to R1 of the Internal Medicine program which means that you will complete your training in Internal Medicine 1 year later than your peers who have entered Internal Medicine program directly. |
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| Q3: |
How long will it take to exit the program? How many years it takes to become a subspecialist like endocrinologist, if I take up Internal Medicine? |
| A: |
It is 3 years of Residency Program + 3 years of Fellowship in Endocrinology + 1 year of House Officer. |
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| Q4: |
Do I still need to sit for external paper like MRCP if I take up Internal Medicine? |
| A: |
Yes. But there is a possibility that American board exam may replace MRCP sometime in the future (but that is only a possibility). Essentially, we hope that the residency program would provide a better training structure and prepare our residents adequately for any exit exams, be it MRCP or board exam. |
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| Q5: |
What will be my scope of work if I manage to get into R1 in Internal Medicine? Is there a chance that I might be able to get into R2 directly (though I am the out of phase House Officer- will only complete my House Officer in June)? |
| A: |
You will function as a junior Medical Officer. We operate on the principle of graded responsibilities, which means that the level of supervision becomes lower as you become more senior. You are expected to teach and guide the juniors as you gain more experience and move up the ladder of the program. It is hence very important that you gain a broad and solid foundation in your R1 so that you can transit smoothly to R2 and R3.
You will most probably be admitted to R1. But we will take into account your surgical postings and not make you repeat them. |
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| Q6: |
I understand that NUHS has already been running a "Residency" program for Basic Specialist Training for Medical Officers already. If I am not mistaken it is a physician development program. If so, would it be similar to the program that I am applying for, and would it be fair to say that NUHS then has quite a bit of experience running a residency program in internal medicine as compared to the other clusters? |
| A: |
You are probably right. The system is pretty much in place already. We need to "fine-tune" it to suit the Residency Program. |
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| Q7: |
If I fail my internal medicine application this year, would it work against me if I re-apply in the subsequent years? |
| A: |
Of course it will not. |
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