The Postgraduate Year 1 (PGY1) training year is a vital transition stage between undergraduate medical education and full medical registration, and can be instrumental in guiding your eventual choice of Residency programme. How do you ensure that you start off your journey as a doctor on the right foot after graduating from medical school?
The SingHealth PGY1 Programme offers newly graduated medical students a series of broad-based postings across SingHealth hospitals and institutions so as to develop a good clinical foundation. At the Medical Students Engagement session held in November 2019, SingHealth Residency leaders, Programme Directors and administrators were on hand to answer questions about the SingHealth PGY1 Programme.
Read on to get the answers to questions you may have about the SingHealth PGY1 programme!
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About the SingHealth PGY1 Programme
1. What is unique about the SingHealth PGY1 programme?
The SingHealth PGY1 programme offers four-month postings (three rotations in one year). This gives PGY1s time to adapt to and rotate among the various departments, while gaining expertise and exposure to the various medical disciplines and the diverse patient base at SingHealth. Potential permutations of the postings could be as follows below:
2. What are some of the benefits of joining the SingHealth PGY1 Programme?
SingHealth has a strong tradition of excellence in medical education, offering PGY1s opportunities to work in renowned centres of excellence, while being mentored by experienced local and international clinician-teachers.SingHealth PGY1s will also benefit exclusively from excellent training infrastructure and resources, such as supplementary Residency Training Funds, laptops to facilitate work and training, access to the SingHealth e-Library.
3. If I am accepted for the SingHealth PGY1 programme, does it increase my chances of getting my top choices for postings in SingHealth's hospitals and institutions?
Application for your PGY1 postings are always considered in tandem by MOHH and SingHealth. Being a SingHealth PGY1 will grant you some preferential consideration for SingHealth postings, but MOHH will ultimately make the final decision in terms of PGY1 postings. Do note that your submitted posting choices to SingHealth and MOHH must match (i.e., postings submitted to both sides should reflect the same preferences).
It is also important to consider your ranking of posting combination. For example, SGH Internal Medicine and KKH Paediatrics combination is a highly competitive one, since KKH Paediatrics has very limited training slots. If your interest is not in Paediatrics, you are advised not to rank a combination with Paediatrics highly, so as to increase your chances of getting all 3 postings in SingHealth hospitals and institutions.
4. Will my chances of getting into SingHealth Residency be higher if I am accepted into the SingHealth PGY1 Programme?
Selection into a SingHealth Residency programme is a highly competitive process. Being a SingHealth PGY1 provides good networking opportunities to work with and be known to the Residency Faculty. Those who perform well during their PGY1 year will be favourably considered.
5. My three given postings are to SingHealth hospitals & institutions. Does this mean I am automatically in the SingHealth PGY1 programme?
Although MOHH may have allocated you with all 3 PGY1 postings in SingHealth due to availability, that does not mean that you are a SingHealth PGY1. Only those who have submitted their SingHealth PGY1 Programme application form to PGY1@singhealth.com.sg and have been officially accepted to the programme are considered SingHealth PGY1s. If you have been accepted into the SingHealth PGY1 programme, you will receive an official email of acceptance, once your school* releases your final examination results. *Applicable to Duke-NUS Medical School, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.
6. What can I expect during my PGY1 year?
About the Application Process
7. What documents do I need to submit when applying for the SingHealth PGY1 Programme?
When submitting your SingHealth PGY1 Programme Application Form*, kindly ensure that you have attached the following documents:
Applications will close on 9 Jan 2020.
*If you have not received the application form, you can request a copy from your class representative(s). Alternatively, you can write in to the SingHealth PGY1 Programme at PGY1@singhealth.com.sg to request for a copy of the form.
8. During my application for the SingHealth PGY1 programme, does my most important posting have to be my first posting of the PGY1 year?
Your most important posting does not need to be your first posting of the PGY1 year.
For example, if you have indicated an IM posting as your 2nd posting, and also indicated IM as your most important posting, the SingHealth PGY1 Programme would know that you would strongly prefer to have your IM posting as the 2nd posting and this helps us to plan for your postings.
9. Who should I approach for letters of reference to attach in the SingHealth PGY1 application? Must it be from only doctors in a particular specialty I am hoping to apply for Residency for?
Letters of reference can be given by doctors from any posting you have worked with. They could also be from healthcare professionals you have come in contact with as part of your training e.g., doctors who oversaw your research project in medical school etc.
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