2017-2018 Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Application
- Thread starter ZZZ the foxbat
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@Enerrior oh, great! Lots of luck with your application!
If I am not wrong, there isn't a difference between locals and foreign students. I guess this makes it fairer for international graduates(local/overseas) to apply to medical school here. Due to this, I know of people in local university complaining about this policy, because of our harder curriculum and it's harder to score better in terms of GPA. I guess that's when the MCAT scores comes into effect to compare students.
I think it's a mixture of grades/GAMSAT/MCAT/ECAs/Personal essay to get into the interview. From then on, they look at the interview results. It's quite similar to the NUS medical school admissions, interviews are the make/break as they believe that admission criteria is to be seen as a hurdle and the interviews act as a differentiating factor.
Australia medical schools tend to be balanced out, giving some weightage to GAMSAT and GPA pre and post interviews. And one of the medical school, UQ doesn't even look at interview results. I think a 504 MCAT is guaranteed offer for them. It is also a good idea to apply overseas if you lack a strong ECA >> Little or no volunteering/research experience,etc.
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Wow, thats some seriously detailed info. Do you work for Duke NUS?
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Hi I am also an applicant this cycle and you are right!. UQ accepts MCAT 504 which is an equivalent to a 28/45 of the old mcat to them. However, u are only guaranteed a place with an mcat score of 504 if you applied early as they also have rolling offers. Also there is a certain GPA cut off which they want (below it they will not entertain you even if your mcat score is stellar). It is around 5.65/7 in the Australian scale which is around at least a good 2nd lower honours in Singapore. (Around 3.7++ and above/ 5)(Rough estimate) I applied to Australian schools too and got offered by Monash and Queensland but I do really hope to get into DUKE NUS! I rejected Monash for a chance at Duke NUS. Really hope I can get an interview as I submitted my application in november.
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Hi! Bitsofpaper,
Why did you reject Monash? Do you think DUKE NUS is better than Monash ? Or simply because you live in Sg?
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Hi proteinworker! I actually liked Monash a lot as it was rated as one of the best schools in terms of giving quality clinical training. Monash really takes pride and seriousness in maintaining a high level of clinical competency among their students. A lot of Singaporeans doing their undergraduate there testified to it as well. However I discussed with my parents and we decided to give duke nus a try because as an Singaporean International Medical Graduate, the fees are very expensive. Moreover Monash wanted me to give them a response by august and secure a deposit which amounted to 39k AUD. (If I withdrew from it, I had to forfeit half of it which is a lot to me.)
I chose to apply at Duke NUS is primarily because I'm an Singaporean and really would want to serve the Asian populace here. I have family and friends here and hence would seem more relevant to me. School fees are also subsidized heavily by the government. Also, I do like research. It is hard but I have come to understand the importance of it and Duke NUS has a great emphasis on it. I also do like the curriculum of Duke NUS with the research in year 3.
I think both schools have their strengths and weakness and personally do not think monash as being inferior.
My mum did say she felt guilty as she knew I really liked monash a lot. Frankly my mcat score isnt very stellar and monash have scraped the mcat/gamsat requirements as new research showed that the mcat is not a good predictor of success in medical school at all. It is pretty much a filler requirement actually. (The only slight predictor is the biological section albeit a weak one). GPA in university was shown to be a better predictor as it is a continuous representation of knowledge and work as compared to a single standardized test.
However I cannot say much as I am not an expert and respect different schools having different admission requirements. I did the Mcat and also submitted to Duke-Nus though!
I accepted Queensland as of now although I really do hope to get into Duke-NUS. If you have any more queries, I am happy to share them with you! :')
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Hi everyone!
Has anyone signed up for today's webinar?
Has anyone signed up for today's webinar?
Nah, I used to frequent going to Duke-NUS to talk to the students there and also did substantial online research on the requirements for the admission into Duke NUS MD. I was interested in getting into Duke NUS previously but changed my mind over it.
I will take up Monash compared to UQ, if I apply to Australia medical schools. I prefer schools that have a smaller and focused cohort size in Monash, as compared to UQ. However, I still feel that UQ is a good medical school regardless of the comparison, it just boils down to personal preference of the minor details.(which doesn't matter so much in time to come) GPA is not necessarily a strong predictor if students come from different academic backgrounds such as a stellar university vs a less prestigious one, it is without a doubt that it is harder to score a better GPA in a stellar university. Of course, there is no fair judgement because GPA does provide a precise assessment of the knowledge covered in the undergraduate programme as you mentioned aboce. In general, I feel that GPA and MCAT/GAMSAT should be equally weighed if possible, especially for students who are in a stellar university that might be at the losing end of the GPA if the medical school doesn't scale up their GPA.
My goal of applying overseas is antithetical to yours. For me, I will like to get out of my comfort zone and experience working abroad. I also feel that I intend to do humanitarian medical work/rural healthcare, so applying to Duke-NUS just doesn't seem to cut it for me, since it's more towards the research-oriented field. I am a Singaporean too, but I feel that making a difference by serving my country is just not my cup of tea. For this, I will stand by the Doctors Without Borders Mission: Medical aid where it is needed most. Independent. Neutral. Impartial. There are many places in the world that require immediate medical attention and I will like to reach out to the people who are unable to gain access to public healthcare.
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Hi jedrek! Which medical schools did you apply to? I actually preferred Monash over UQ but Monash wanted a larger deposit with a larger penalty should I choose to forfeit it. As such I had to painfully let go of it. Anyway when I said gpa I actually meant the science gpa only. While this is still subject to debate, I actually think that the gpa is a better predictor regardless because university education indirectly test a person's self discipline, mental stamina and non academic traits which are very relevant in post grad and the working world. I did watch a video where one of the Stanford professors did say that some admissions know that some universities are easier than others and that a Harvard B is actually an A in their eyes. However of course not all admissions do that and frankly I do agree with you that some students are at the losing end especially in a very stellar and competitive university.
The consensus that I got was that it is harder to get an A in NUS/NTU as compared to overseas universities. In fact my friend who was doing an exchange during her undergraduate in Denmark was surprised when some of her modules were tagged at a masters level and she was not eligible to do their undergraduate modules. Singapore do really make it harder for their own students.
I guess medical school cost is a huge decisive factor for many including me and therefore we would rather go to a school that does not further burden our family's finances. Duke-NUS is definitely a good school though and I really do hope to get in.
The consensus that I got was that it is harder to get an A in NUS/NTU as compared to overseas universities. In fact my friend who was doing an exchange during her undergraduate in Denmark was surprised when some of her modules were tagged at a masters level and she was not eligible to do their undergraduate modules. Singapore do really make it harder for their own students.
I guess medical school cost is a huge decisive factor for many including me and therefore we would rather go to a school that does not further burden our family's finances. Duke-NUS is definitely a good school though and I really do hope to get in.
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I haven't applied yet, but am considering in the order: Usyd>UWA>ANU>Monash>UQ. Usyd has early clinical exposure from yr 1, UWA has an amazing scholar activity that allows one to work with NGOs after yr 1.5, ANU has guaranteed internship for internationals as of now, Monash has a tightly knit community and I have a friend in Melbourne as well.
Similar to how Singaporeans have it easy abroad, I think it can be seen that international exchange students struggle with the academic rigour in NUS/NTU. Staying on campus, I have managed to interact with a few first-class honours students from UK/Australia and they are scoring B/B- over here, as compared to As in their home country.
I brought up the above example as I do not have fantastic ECAs, since I dedicate time to academics. Even so, I find myself in the average range in academics, largely due to the competition. Of course, I strongly encourage my friends to go to Duke NUS if they can achieve it and their goal is to be a clinician-scientist. My family is welcoming of me to go overseas for my postgraduate studies after completing my undergraduate studies in Singapore, as they know that it isn't easy to get into medical school in Sg and it is more realistic for me to apply overseas. Furthermore, I do not have intentions to work in Sg and my family is alright with that, as long as I can support myself financially after graduation. My plan B is to go for a Mpharm or a pharmD, as I really look up to the work that a pharmacist does on a regular basis.
Similar to how Singaporeans have it easy abroad, I think it can be seen that international exchange students struggle with the academic rigour in NUS/NTU. Staying on campus, I have managed to interact with a few first-class honours students from UK/Australia and they are scoring B/B- over here, as compared to As in their home country.
I brought up the above example as I do not have fantastic ECAs, since I dedicate time to academics. Even so, I find myself in the average range in academics, largely due to the competition. Of course, I strongly encourage my friends to go to Duke NUS if they can achieve it and their goal is to be a clinician-scientist. My family is welcoming of me to go overseas for my postgraduate studies after completing my undergraduate studies in Singapore, as they know that it isn't easy to get into medical school in Sg and it is more realistic for me to apply overseas. Furthermore, I do not have intentions to work in Sg and my family is alright with that, as long as I can support myself financially after graduation. My plan B is to go for a Mpharm or a pharmD, as I really look up to the work that a pharmacist does on a regular basis.
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Finally Accepted! email minutes ago!
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Just received my offer as well! I attended the first applicant day on 18 September!
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first class at NUS, MCAT 518. Some CCAs and shadowing, some research experience but no publications.
Congrats aelfthryth! Btw may I know how did you get your shadowing opportunities? I am looking for shadowing programs recently but only found one.
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I emailed the HR department of various hospitals to apply to their job shadowing programme (if any) and waited quite some time for them to get back to me. One hospital even took 1.5 years to reply me but gave me only a 1 week notice before the start date of my shadowing there.
However, if you receive a reply that such programmes aren't offered to non-medical students or pre-medical students, don't fret. You can try asking HR if they can recommend any doctors who may be receptive to taking in interns/students for shadowing, and then you can contact them directly to see if any arrangements can be made.
Just start searching for these opportunities as early as possible and you will eventually find more
All the best!
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Are you considering DUKE NUS MD PHD program? You can save a lot of money by joining the program.
I emailed the HR department of various hospitals to apply to their job shadowing programme (if any) and waited quite some time for them to get back to me. One hospital even took 1.5 years to reply me but gave me only a 1 week notice before the start date of my shadowing there.
However, if you receive a reply that such programmes aren't offered to non-medical students or pre-medical students, don't fret. You can try asking HR if they can recommend any doctors who may be receptive to taking in interns/students for shadowing, and then you can contact them directly to see if any arrangements can be made.
Just start searching for these opportunities as early as possible and you will eventually find more
So for those hospital that do not list such program on their websites, just email HR department with cv?
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Students on MD track can eventually opt to do the MD-PhD or do an extended research year after their third year in Duke-NUS so that gives us plenty of time to make the decision regarding PhD. I am still not too sure about the PhD part and didn't want to make the decision so quickly from the start.
Just email the department without your CV first? If they want the CV they will ask for it. Some will probably send you an application form, and do not require CV.
Thanks a lot!
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The mcat scores are insanely high! Congratz to the people who got in! I kinda feel demoralized though knowing that my mcat score is nowhere near their's. ._.
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When's the earliest that we would hear back from the sch after our applicant day - 2 months?
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The next is on the 11th December. If shortlisted, they will send an email 1 to 2 weeks beforehand. This means that they will probably send one end of November or 1st week of December. Hopefully we can get shortlisted !:')
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At least one MD-PhD applicant from 16th Oct applicant day has successfully accepted his MD offer.
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Got my offer this tuesday! (Sep applicant day)
I'm an international applicant and my stats aren't as superb as the first two, so keep your hopes up !!
I'm an international applicant and my stats aren't as superb as the first two, so keep your hopes up
!!Congrats! May I know how is your clinical exposure/research experience like?Got my offer this tuesday! (Sep applicant day)
I'm an international applicant and my stats aren't as superb as the first two, so keep your hopes up
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Thanks.! Was involved in research about a year in college and also after college; one acknowledged, one published. Volunteered and shadowed during summer break. I've been working in the pharmaceutical industry about 3 years and took on a part-time master's program (though not completely related to medical science). Currently preparing for my Master's thesis (but in a dry lab so very different from the research experience I had before).
As you can tell from above, I'm not a fresh grad, and had spent quite a few years in a different career, but I tried to appeal as much as possible in my application and on the applicant day that my true interest lies in medicine
wow that's quite impressive. Did you do all these in sg or in your home country?Thanks.! Was involved in research about a year in college and also after college; one acknowledged, one published. Volunteered and shadowed during summer break. I've been working in the pharmaceutical industry about 3 years and took on a part-time master's program (though not completely related to medical science). Currently preparing for my Master's thesis (but in a dry lab so very different from the research experience I had before).
As you can tell from above, I'm not a fresh grad, and had spent quite a few years in a different career, but I tried to appeal as much as possible in my application and on the applicant day that my true interest lies in medicine
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Did some in college (US) and some in home country. I dont know about the situation in Singapore, but for my case, it was so much easier to find research + volunteering + shadowing opportunities in the States than in my home country. Using college resources is a wise way to take advantage of the.....high tuition we pay !!!
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got my offer on 28th! went for oct applicant day
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to the applicants who didn't do so well academically, it's encouraging to know that 2nd Upper (CAP 4.0x) and mcat score like 50x can still get in.
In my opinion, there seems to be significant weightage on the file review, so it turns out that the effect of a good personal statement and excellent referee's letter can somewhat "offset" (well, not exactly, but u get what i mean) less than ideal academic scores kudos to Duke-NUS's holistic process. Damn cool if u have the privilege to speak to a student file reviewer.
In my opinion, there seems to be significant weightage on the file review, so it turns out that the effect of a good personal statement and excellent referee's letter can somewhat "offset" (well, not exactly, but u get what i mean) less than ideal academic scores kudos to Duke-NUS's holistic process. Damn cool if u have the privilege to speak to a student file reviewer.
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Hi there, a new applicant here and prepping for the applicant day coming up on 11 dec! Just want to clarify on what do they mean by "documents to authenticate your achievements and/or activities after high school, e.g. documents to support CCA etc". Are they referring to the CV? Or do I have to source for letters from my CCA organisation, JC testimonial etc?
(apologies for the super long question)
(apologies for the super long question)
May I know roughly when did you send in your application/received the invite? I m still anxiously waiting for any emails/news from duke nus. Also, all the best for your applicant day!
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I sent in my application last Thursday (just in time before deadline) and got the invite on Friday! There are still other applicant days coming up so don't lose hope yeah!!
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It just means that you need to provide evidence of whatever you have claimed in your application submitted earlier. A simple example will be, if you claim yourself to have received a "top student" award in your university, you will need to provide the certificate or certifying letter for that award. Or if you claimed to be the President of a student club in your university, you will have to apply for a certifying letter from your university and bring it on the applicant day. Hope that this helps!
Hi, I was a member of the varsity team in NUS but I checked and realised that they do help with CCA records, but I think it will be too late for me to get certification for that! I will ask my sports officer. Thank you so much!
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Hey there! Definitely not a CV; but basically whatever you state in your application should be reflected in your documents that you bring, so they can verify that you indeed did what you said you did in your application.
From secondary school/JC you should have an official testimonial, Top 3 achievements (aka T3A) and CCA records too. If you have research papers, you can even print out emails regarding submission of manuscripts for those pending publication, or bring your research paper/abstract if it is already published. If you joined competitions and you included them in your application, bring the certificates. You get the drift haha.
Remember you need to give them a copy of these documents as they will keeping those. The original documents you bring are for them to verify the copies. Lastly, remember to photocopy the back and front of your identification card as well. All the best!
Ah alright thanks so much!! I get it now
Hi I'm finishing my first degree, currently scouting out postgrad medicine programs. I did my MCAT but it didn't turn out fantastic
I came across this post, and wanted to know if anyone knew more about these:
To anyone who is applying for Duke NUS, this is just a take from the inside to list some if the more negative aspects which you might not see.( Some of the comments are not unique to Duke NUS , but are just what I feel. )
So unless you may be offered the 10 odd full scholarships the school is offering I reckon you reconsider.
The school may tell you that the figure is currently being increased by the Singapore healthcare system and the figure is still unknown. And those situations will be improving.
So it is true that the situation is still evolving, but it in the next few years will likely to difficult as the supply of spots will be limited. ( And it may be totally gone when a certain category of doctors exceed required quantity) Kind of like a good pyramid scheme, the ones who get in first gets the most benefits
I came across this post, and wanted to know if anyone knew more about these:
To anyone who is applying for Duke NUS, this is just a take from the inside to list some if the more negative aspects which you might not see.( Some of the comments are not unique to Duke NUS , but are just what I feel. )
- It is a really expensive course for anyone contemplating to enter the course at a annual course of 40000 SGD per annum. It costs 109 SGD per day for the course and bare minimum life expenditure it will cost 120SGD per day. Beware of the opportunity costs which you are accumulating as you are in the course, with very average assumptions, the total cost you will have would be around 200SGD per day at a cost of 80000SGD per year.
So unless you may be offered the 10 odd full scholarships the school is offering I reckon you reconsider.
- Now let us take a look at career prospects, You may think that there will be definitely good career prospects for yourself as a doctor, but normally, this is only so for those at the tip of the pyramid. After graduating from the school, you will have to fight for the minimal training positions in the various health groups in the country. Estimates have it that only 40% of students getting training spots, this is the figure for slots when considering the absolute. When we think about the more lucrative spots like neurosurgery, orthopedics and dermatology, the figure will be going lower.
The school may tell you that the figure is currently being increased by the Singapore healthcare system and the figure is still unknown. And those situations will be improving.
- But. There are difficulties in these as well. Even through the many years of encouraging doctors to stay in the public sector, there has been a general attrition of doctors towards private practice. This would largely limit the increase in mentors we can have in the system which we would need to increase the training spots.
So it is true that the situation is still evolving, but it in the next few years will likely to difficult as the supply of spots will be limited. ( And it may be totally gone when a certain category of doctors exceed required quantity) Kind of like a good pyramid scheme, the ones who get in first gets the most benefits
- As for those who managed to get into the system, at the junior level, all signs haveit pointing to you will have low pay in the public sector, many hours. It is highly political and nepotic .
- Well, we have come to an end for now, to many people who say that they want to do medicine because of they wish to help people. Well look at our respected Tan Tock Seng, Ng Teng Fong and Khoo Teck Phuat, many of them have contributed far more to the education of clinicians and treatment of patients. So if you can earn outside the healthcare, just do so and donate. I am sure you will provide more help. To anyone who is applying for Duke NUS, this is just a take from the inside to list some if the more negative aspects which you might not see.( Some of the comments are not unique to Duke NUS , but are just what I feel. )
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Hi there, do you mind sharing the themes for their interview questions?
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Congrats @onceasaint17 on the interview offer! I submitted my application a day before the dateline too but haven't heard back from them :O
Which program are you applying for? Check out the blog posts on the duke-nus website, a student has posted on how to prepare for the applicant day! x
Which program are you applying for? Check out the blog posts on the duke-nus website, a student has posted on how to prepare for the applicant day! x
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I am applying for the MD Program! And yup, I've read that blog post already! x
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I don't see the problem with withdrawing an application at this stage. Or even rejecting the offer from Duke-NUS. Some of these points are quite valid for any graduate studies even. I personally have considered these questions before and come to terms with it myself. And everyone who's applying to post graduate medicine owe it to themselves to come up with their own answer to these concerns.
1. The opportunity cost is real. It is true that if you really want to study medicine, one will be able to find some way to pay for it in SG. However, given that it is a post-graduate course, the opportunity cost of studying in Duke-NUS entails giving up job progression in a graduate level job paying >3k/month. Coupled with a annual fee that's closer to 45k/annum now, there is a large monetary opportunity cost of 80-100k/year. (I just realized that this is close to the cost of studying undergraduate medicine overseas even) These are definite things that one has to give up to study graduate medicine, and I expect that monetary concerns will come to haunt me 10 years down the road when I'm trying to start a family and realize that my friends have been working for twice as long as me.
2. The problem is that there is only one (or two) standard career paths as a doctor (versus an engineer for example that can branch off in so many other areas relevant to his degree). And right now, this career path is starting to be unable to cope with the influx of so many junior doctors entering the system. If by guaranteed training spot you mean HOship then it is true that there is space for everyone. What I think was referred to as training spots in the other post was specialization training, which is currently a VERY real concern for a lot of my friends that have just become MOs after undergraduate medicine. While I dont have exact figures, 40% does sound like a good ballpark figure. It is true that not everyone can eventually climb the corporate ladder, but the odds of doing that in medicine are getting from bad to worse. You can locum about and earn a decent salary, but for people who need distinct career goals, this is something to consider.
The system is starting to change though. How soon and into what, I dont think anyone knows the answer to that. We can only hope that it's for the better. Still, I'm surprised to find out that this was from a post 6 years ago. But at least MOH has officially made a statement this year that they are currently looking into the situation. There is also a greater influx of junior doctors as mentioned which would hopefully take some load off the poor HO/MOs in public hospitals while yet broadening the base of the career pyramid. But medicine in SG is definitely undergoing a paradigm shift and I think that it will no longer be as exclusive, prestigious or high-flying as it used to be.
3. From a totally utilitarian point of view, even if you could only sponsor the training of two doctors versus being a decent doctor yourself, the former option would be a no brainer. But as much as we want to help others, surely one must live for himself too right!
As to how much you want to pursue your own passions versus helping others, that's for your own self to decide.With all that said, I'm also just another applicant hopeful. @drftw I think that 2011 post still applies? But if you really want to be a clinician, these things are just considerations and shouldnt stop you from getting into medicine! Do retake the MCAT and reapply if you have too. I heard that a fair number of Duke-NUS students are re-applicants too. I myself retook my MCATs and am reapplying for my second time this year.
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I don't see the problem with withdrawing an application at this stage. Or even rejecting the offer from Duke-NUS. Some of these points are quite valid for any graduate studies even. I personally have considered these questions before and come to terms with it myself. And everyone who's applying to post graduate medicine owe it to themselves to come up with their own answer to these concerns.
1. The opportunity cost is real. It is true that if you really want to study medicine, one will be able to find some way to pay for it in SG. However, given that it is a post-graduate course, the opportunity cost of studying in Duke-NUS entails giving up job progression in a graduate level job paying >3k/month. Coupled with a annual fee that's closer to 45k/annum now, there is a large monetary opportunity cost of 80-100k/year. (I just realized that this is close to the cost of studying undergraduate medicine overseas even) These are definite things that one has to give up to study graduate medicine, and I expect that monetary concerns will come to haunt me 10 years down the road when I'm trying to start a family and realize that my friends have been working for twice as long as me.
2. The problem is that there is only one (or two) standard career paths as a doctor (versus an engineer for example that can branch off in so many other areas relevant to his degree). And right now, this career path is starting to be unable to cope with the influx of so many junior doctors entering the system. If by guaranteed training spot you mean HOship then it is true that there is space for everyone. What I think was referred to as training spots in the other post was specialization training, which is currently a VERY real concern for a lot of my friends that have just become MOs after undergraduate medicine. While I dont have exact figures, 40% does sound like a good ballpark figure. It is true that not everyone can eventually climb the corporate ladder, but the odds of doing that in medicine are getting from bad to worse. You can locum about and earn a decent salary, but for people who need distinct career goals, this is something to consider.
The system is starting to change though. How soon and into what, I dont think anyone knows the answer to that. We can only hope that it's for the better. Still, I'm surprised to find out that this was from a post 6 years ago. But at least MOH has officially made a statement this year that they are currently looking into the situation. There is also a greater influx of junior doctors as mentioned which would hopefully take some load off the poor HO/MOs in public hospitals while yet broadening the base of the career pyramid. But medicine in SG is definitely undergoing a paradigm shift and I think that it will no longer be as exclusive, prestigious or high-flying as it used to be.
3. From a totally utilitarian point of view, even if you could only sponsor the training of two doctors versus being a decent doctor yourself, the former option would be a no brainer. But as much as we want to help others, surely one must live for himself too right!
With all that said, I'm also just another applicant hopeful. @drftw I think that 2011 post still applies? But if you really want to be a clinician, these things are just considerations and shouldnt stop you from getting into medicine! Do retake the MCAT and reapply if you have too. I heard that a fair number of Duke-NUS students are re-applicants too. I myself retook my MCATs and am reapplying for my second time this year.
Well said, xmojojojo.
The situation is really not so good. Oversupply of specialists is result of policy failure
It would be best if you do not need to borrow money to study medicine.
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Hi I'm finishing my first degree, currently scouting out postgrad medicine programs. I did my MCAT but it didn't turn out fantastic
I came across this post, and wanted to know if anyone knew more about these:
To anyone who is applying for Duke NUS, this is just a take from the inside to list some if the more negative aspects which you might not see.( Some of the comments are not unique to Duke NUS , but are just what I feel. )
- It is a really expensive course for anyone contemplating to enter the course at a annual course of 40000 SGD per annum. It costs 109 SGD per day for the course and bare minimum life expenditure it will cost 120SGD per day. Beware of the opportunity costs which you are accumulating as you are in the course, with very average assumptions, the total cost you will have would be around 200SGD per day at a cost of 80000SGD per year.
So unless you may be offered the 10 odd full scholarships the school is offering I reckon you reconsider.
- Now let us take a look at career prospects, You may think that there will be definitely good career prospects for yourself as a doctor, but normally, this is only so for those at the tip of the pyramid. After graduating from the school, you will have to fight for the minimal training positions in the various health groups in the country. Estimates have it that only 40% of students getting training spots, this is the figure for slots when considering the absolute. When we think about the more lucrative spots like neurosurgery, orthopedics and dermatology, the figure will be going lower.
The school may tell you that the figure is currently being increased by the Singapore healthcare system and the figure is still unknown. And those situations will be improving.
And Singapore is also boosting the number of new medical trainees who enter the system. This is done through the NTU medical school, attraction of local students back from foreign universities( from formerly unaccepted countries like India, Russia and China) and opening the doors to foreign trainees.
- But. There are difficulties in these as well. Even through the many years of encouraging doctors to stay in the public sector, there has been a general attrition of doctors towards private practice. This would largely limit the increase in mentors we can have in the system which we would need to increase the training spots.
So it is true that the situation is still evolving, but it in the next few years will likely to difficult as the supply of spots will be limited. ( And it may be totally gone when a certain category of doctors exceed required quantity) Kind of like a good pyramid scheme, the ones who get in first gets the most benefits
It's a post from another forum's thread of 2011. Does it still carry weight now?
- As for those who managed to get into the system, at the junior level, all signs haveit pointing to you will have low pay in the public sector, many hours. It is highly political and nepotic .
- Well, we have come to an end for now, to many people who say that they want to do medicine because of they wish to help people. Well look at our respected Tan Tock Seng, Ng Teng Fong and Khoo Teck Phuat, many of them have contributed far more to the education of clinicians and treatment of patients. So if you can earn outside the healthcare, just do so and donate. I am sure you will provide more help. To anyone who is applying for Duke NUS, this is just a take from the inside to list some if the more negative aspects which you might not see.( Some of the comments are not unique to Duke NUS , but are just what I feel. )
I feel that ans to these are exactly what interviewers want to know in the applicant. People may have so many different concerns but i hope for those who want a career in medicine could have convinced ourselves first before making a commitment.
For other applicants I just want to point out that these "negative aspects" of medicine are same to all kinds of careers everywhere. it may come from insiders but simply complaints. Ask any friends of you and you will realise the same happen. that's life, and maybe that's determined by the society or the market's invisible hands. if there are only positive aspects, more people will rush into it to turn positive into negative. to make the overall neutral. there is definitely no one could surely say the payoff would justify the opportunity cost, not even for a group of people, not to mention that for an individual, and not even a probability would work for this case, coz it's only for repeated events.
When i first draft this, I simply want to reply that your INTEREST is the key, but I also find it a very vague answer. it's more than that, it's how confident you are when others challenge you with these concerns, it could be yourself, friends, family, interviewer.
i hope my reply could help those that are horrified by these concerns. these shouldn't be the top concerns on your list.
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Congrats! I didnt know the school had f/u interviews too.Just got my offer today. Went for sept applicant day, got a follow-up interview in Nov.
I also attended Sep applicant day
.Thanks! I was surprised when I received the f/u interview invite. Not very common in duke nus I guess.Congrats! I didnt know the school had f/u interviews too.
I also attended Sep applicant day
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