About the Programme

Cancer is the leading cause of death in the developed world, and its incidence continues to rise due to the lack of effective treatment for patients with advanced metastatic diseases. 

The Medical Oncology Senior Residency Programme at SingHealth aims to provide comprehensive training in the diagnosis, management and continued care of cancer patients, as well as develop and support young investigators in clinical and/or laboratory-based cancer research. 

If you wish to work in a specialty with many new and exciting developments, choose Medical Oncology. 

Message from the Programme Director

On behalf of the department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), I wish to thank you for your interest in our training programme. I would like to share with you a brief overview of our programme. 

As part of our institutional effort to achieve ACGME-I accreditation for our Residency Programme, NCCS will be spear-heading our efforts in developing a world-class training programme fulfilling our centre’s vision as a Global Leading Cancer Centre. The department of medical oncology NCCS has seen a period of tremendous growth in research and service in the last decade. NCCS houses the largest medical oncology department in the country with more than 30 consultant physicians. We provide subspecialty based oncology care for all types of cancers including uncommon cancers such as sarcoma, brain tumours and neuro-endocrine cancers. Additionally, we manage the largest population of lymphoma patients in the country. On the research front, Medical Oncology consistently ranks as one of the most academically productive departments in Singapore with strong collaborations with various research organisations within and outside of Outram campus leading to numerous papers being published in high impact journals. Our desire for improved outcomes for our patients has also led to a robust development and participation in clinical trials offering innovative therapies to patients in the phase I/II/III setting. 

We offer a three-year Medical Oncology training programme of which the first 2 years will be accredited by ACGME-I. In the first 2 years, Senior Residents will be rotated through the 4 subspecialised teams covering the entire spectrum of medical oncology. Together with the subspecialty team of Faculty members, Senior Residents will cover both inpatient and outpatient service under the close supervision and training of Faculty members. Alongside service, we provide a comprehensive weekly didactic core lecture programme, led by Faculty members, coupled with practical case-mix discussion to apply our knowledge in the clinical setting and weekly team-based journal clubs for an in-depth discussion on the latest development in each field. Weekly subspecialty multidisciplinary tumour boards in NCCS provide an excellent forum for experts in each field of cancer to meet and discuss optimal management strategies for patients with complex cancers. In R5 year of Senior Residency, Residents are given the opportunity to spend at least 3 months on an elective research posting to further their interest in various aspects of cancer management. 

Despite our growth and expansion, the Department of Medical Oncology NCCS continues to be a congenial group. Faculty members are friendly, approachable, and committed to fellow education. We see teaching and education as part of Medicine and a calling for each and every one of us. 

Again, we appreciate your interest and look forward to hearing from you. 

Dr Ravindran Kanesvaran
Programme Director, Medical Oncology
Senior Consultant, Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore 

Why Choose Medical Oncology?

Well-rounded training experience

The SingHealth Medical Oncology Senior Residency Programme is a highly structured programme which offers a unique, comprehensive and well-rounded training experience.

Residents will be exposed to the widest spectrum of oncology cases, from common cancers to rare tumours like sarcomas and brain tumours. You will also have the opportunity to work under the close mentorship of Faculty members who are subspecialty experts and participate actively in regular subspecialty tumour board meetings where experts from the various disciplines meet to discuss the management of complex cases. 

Learn from leaders and pioneers

NCCS Department of Medical Oncology has a strong tradition in medical education and several of our Faculty members are national leaders and pioneers in training Oncologists.

At NCCS, Residents can also learn from experts via a range of training platforms, such the regular subspecialty, multidisciplinary tumour board meetings, where experts from various disciplines meet to discuss management of complex cancer cases.

Access to research opportunities

On the research front, the Department of Medical Oncology consistently ranks as one of the most academically productive departments of its kind in Singapore. Our strong collaborations with various research organisations within and outside of the SingHealth Outram campus have led to numerous papers being published in high impact journals.

As a Resident, you will have access to vast research resources and opportunities to help you hone your clinical research skills and pursue your research interest.

Your Career Prospects & Development

Great career prospects await you upon completion of the Medical Oncology Senior Residency Programme.

While the most established career path is that of a Clinician Practitioner, NCCS has developed distinct career tracks to cater to specific interests of every individual. This includes the Clinician Educator, Clinician Researcher and Clinician Administrator career tracks. 

As you grow your specialist career in Medicine Academic Clinical Programme (ACP)*, you will find a myriad of opportunities available in the areas of education and research. 

*ACP is a cluster-wide framework for all clinical specialties to advance in Academic Medicine with resources and funding support from SingHealth and Duke-NUS. Each ACP is based on a clinical discipline and brings together all specialists in the discipline across various institutions for greater synergies in clinical care, education and research.