Allows an international medical graduate to work only in an SMC-approved healthcare institution, under the supervision of a fully registered medical practitioner.
Eligibility requirements:
- holds a basic1 medical degree from a university / medical school listed in the Second Schedule [PDF, 297KB] of the Medical Registration Act; or
- has a postgraduate qualification recognised by SMC; or
- accredited by the Specialists Accreditation Board Singapore as a specialist; and
- has been selected for employment in an SMC-approved healthcare institution; and
- holds a certificate of experience or equivalent as proof of satisfactory completion of housemanship, or PGY1 or the internship year; and
- is currently in active clinical practice2; and
- has passed such national licensing examination as required in the country where the basic medical degree was conferred (if applicable); and
- has been certified to be in good standing by the overseas regulatory body or medical council equivalent; and
- fulfils English Language requirements of SMC if the medium of instruction for the basic medical qualification is not in the English Language
1 Medical degree obtained via a ‘twinning programme’ would be considered only if the clinical training years and final examinations are done and completed at the medical school or university listed in the Second Schedule and in the country where the medical school or university in the Second Schedule is situated.
2The doctor should be in active clinical practice for the 3 years preceding the application for medical registration (the minimum requirement is that the doctor must work an average of 168 hours per year during the 3 years prior to the application for registration).
All conditionally registered doctors must engage in clinical practice under the supervision of an appropriate supervisor approved by SMC. Their clinical work cannot include aesthetic practice. General health screening services should not exceed 20% of their clinical caseload.
Consideration for Full Registration
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A) Conditional Registration through a Medical School Listed in the Second Schedule of the Medical Registration Act (MRA)
B) Conditional Registration through Registrable Postgraduate Qualifications
Other Consideration for Full Registration
Practice in the private sector
New foreign-trained doctors who apply to join the private sector directly must fulfil the criteria in Table 2 below.
Existing doctors may join a private practice if they have progressed to Level 3 (L3) supervision under SMC’s Supervisory Framework.
Table 2 – Criteria for direct entry into private practice
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| (A) | Foreign-trained (except European-trained) specialists can practise under supervision of an appropriate specialist in a private specialist practice IF they have 5 years* or more of related specialist clinical experience after obtaining an exit specialty qualification recognised by the Specialists Accreditation Board (SAB). They must be accredited by the SAB and registered with SMC as Specialists before they can practise as specialists in Singapore. |
| (B) | Foreign-trained non-specialists can practise in non-institutional or private Family Medicine practice or other private group practice IF they have at least 5 years* of practice in Family Medicine after obtaining any of the following Family Physician qualifications:- Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners, MRCGP (UK) – Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, FRACGP (Australia only) – American Board Certification in Family Medicine, USA – Fellow of the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians (FHKCFP) – Fellowship of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (FRNZCGP) |
*the 5 years is counted based on full-time practice of at least 40 hours per week.
Cancellation of Conditional Registration:
The SMC may consider cancellation of the doctor’s conditional registration if the doctor:
| – | has breached the conditions of his medical registration; or |
| – | has ceased practice at the approved place of supervision; or |
| – | has not performed satisfactorily by SMC’s assessment or performed to the standard that SMC requires; or |
| – | has ceased practice without prior approval from SMC including taking No-Pay leave without SMC’s approval. |
The doctor’s practising certificate will be deemed cancelled in the event that his registration has been cancelled by the SMC.
Conditionally Registered Doctors who go on No Pay Leave must apply to SMC:
A conditionally registered doctor may be allowed to go on No Pay Leave (NPL) for a period of up to one year to be excluded from the computation of the period of supervised practice under conditional registration (C-reg) for full registration.
NPL includes any type of leave which is not paid and for any reason. For example, while there are paid maternity leave and hospitalization leave, if a conditionally registered doctor wishes to extend such leave beyond the official paid periods, the part of the leave which is unpaid is considered as NPL. NPL period(s) will be excluded from the computation of supervised practice period under C-reg when the conditionally registered doctor applies for full registration.
The employing institution must submit an online application via the Professional Registration System to seek the SMC’s approval for the conditionally registered doctor to remain on the SMC’s register while he is on NPL at least four (4) weeks before the conditionally registered doctor embarks on/ continues with his NPL. The employing institution and the conditionally registered doctor will receive an email notification from the SMC that the application has been approved.
The conditionally registered doctor is considered to have failed to comply with the conditions specified in the grant of his C-reg and his C-reg will be cancelled if he goes on NPL without the SMC’s prior knowledge and/or approval. He has to re-apply for approval of C-reg to practise in Singapore and pay the prescribed fees for such application and registration if he wishes to return to practise.