Dr Lim Seok Mei, NUHS Geriatric Medicine Senior Residency Programme, 2019 Cohort
"After completing my junior residency, I chose to specialise in Geriatric Medicine as I appreciate the embodiment of the biopsychosocial model in patient care. Singapore is an aging population, and geriatricians are at the forefront of helping our citizens age well as the disease burden increases along with life expectancy. Training with NUHS Geriatric Medicine Residency Programme has helped me appreciate the varied disease presentations in the elderly and the geriatrician role in managing not just the disease but also the mood, mentation, physical functioning, and social aspects of an individual in a holistic fashion.
During my senior residency years, I truly appreciated the other facets of healthcare in the outpatient and community settings, focusing on early interventions and preventive care to support our elderly in the community and prevent hospitalisations. As geriatricians are both generalists and specialists in the same setting, electives in specialties like Neurology, Rheumatology, Psychiatry and Urology give me the opportunity to learn from the specialists in managing common specialty-related geriatric presentations. The learning environment is conducive, and the patient load provides the right balance for honing clinical skills, knowledge and experience without being overwhelming.
The faculty members are approachable and supportive, always willing to share their experiences with the trainees. The didactic teachings with protected learning time allow interaction with trainees from other institutions and sharing of knowledge. The years of my senior residency have given me breadth and depth of clinical experience and confidence to practise as a budding specialist. If I were to choose again, I would still select the NUHS Geriatric Medicine Senior Residency Programme!"