Your Learning Experience

The Singapore Integrated Programme (SGIP) for Haematology is a three-and-a-half year programme with extensive coverage of clinical and laboratory haematology. At the end of the programme, you should be competent in managing a wide spectrum of haematological disorders as well as run a comprehensive diagnostic laboratory.

Training will take place at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) with a short stint at the Blood Services Group, Health Sciences Authority of Singapore. During the training period, 21 months will be spent on clinical haematology which will cover various aspects of benign and malignant haematology practice and include haematopoeitic stem cell transplant.

A total of 13 months will be devoted to laboratory haematology including transfusion medicine. A further two months is allocated for elective and cross-institution attachment. The remaining six months will be devoted to mandatory postings in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine. Some specific areas covered during the training include:

Inpatient Care

Routine care of Haematology subspecialty patients and provision of haematology consultations to other medical disciplines, care of patients undergoing specialised procedures such as therapeutic apheresis and stem cell transplant and counselling of patients and family members.

Procedures

Bone marrow aspirates and trephines, performance of lumbar punctures, administration of chemotherapy, venesection.

Research Training

Ability to critique journal articles, understanding of biostatistics, conduct of an actual research project, grant writing and journal writing skills.

Outpatient/Ambulatory Care

Continuing care of benign and malignant Haematology subspecialty patients including diagnostic work-up of referrals from other disciplines, post-chemotherapy and transplant aftercare.

Laboratory Work

Reporting morphology of blood and marrow smears, common coagulation tests and blood banking procedures, flow cytometry, red cell diagnostic testing, laboratory quality control measures and molecular biology.