clinician scientist residency track

About CS Residency Track

SingHealth CS Residency is committed to nurturing Residents to establish and integrate themselves in Academic Medicine. CS Residents will undergo regular clinical and research training, while receiving support in resources and funding from the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre.

CS Residents will go through the normal educational requirements of the clinical specialty with an additional year dedicated for research. During the course of training, CS Residents are provided mentorship, structured research training, opportunities to participate in research projects and given research protected time to obtain your Master of Clinical Investigation (MCI) or an equivalent training qualification. CS Residents will also be eligible to apply for the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) seed funding to start their pilot research projects.

Message from ADIO, Research

Welcome to SingHealth Clinician Scientist (CS) Residency!

The primary educational goal of the CS Residency is to provide opportunities for Residents passionate in clinical and academic research to embark on a career as a Clinician Scientist. The CS Residency aims to nurture its Residents interested in research through supporting them with protected time and research funding.

With the Academic Medicine partnership between SingHealth and Duke-NUS, CS Residency supports our Residents in developing critical clinical and research skills. With collective clinical and research training, Residents will be able to pursue their preferred specialty while shaping a career in Academic Medicine. SingHealth works closely together with Academic Medicine Research Institute (AMRI) to support the delivery of research training available at the respective Residency training programmes.

CS Residency is a nationwide programme and with state-of-the-art research labs at Academia, Residents can hone their research skills and acquired laboratory skills to embark on a career in research. Every CS Resident will be matched to a research mentor, who will support, guide and oversee their professional development.

Exposure to areas of scientific research is essential in nurturing the next generation of Clinician Scientists. While the ability to perform clinical procedures is crucial, the skills required to conduct clinical research is equally important. If you have the passionate interest in the science of medicine and wish to pursue a research career as a Clinician Scientist, we are excited to welcome you to CS Residency.

Prof Tan Eng King
Associate Designated Institutional Official (ADIO), Research, SingHealth Residency
Deputy Medical Director (Academic Affairs), NNI
Senior Consultant, Neurology (SGH Campus)

SingHealth also emphasises on the learning opportunities and promotes research skill development among CS Residents by providing curriculum funding for research-related courses. In addition, CS Residents can apply for NUS e-library access through their respective Academic Clinical Programmes (ACPs) to facilitate their research.
Protected time for research

All CS Residents have an additional year of Residency. During the research year, 80% of Residents’ work time is protected for research activities, and the remaining 20% for clinical work. Residents will also be allowed to extend beyond the 80% cap with the approval of their Programme Director (PD) and research mentor.
Resources and funding support
Residents can apply for research grants such as the SingHealth Foundation Research Grants. In addition, CS Residents are eligible to apply for a one-time NMRC Seed Funding of up to $50,000 for a pilot project. SingHealth also emphasises on the learning opportunities and promotes research skill development among CS Residents by providing curriculum funding for research-related courses. CS Residents can apply for NUS e-library access through their respective Academic Clinical Programmes (ACPs) to facilitate their research.
Achieving CS milestones
Residents will need to achieve the following:
a) at least the Master of Clinical Investigation (MCI) or equivalent, and
b) at least a first-author publication in a reputable peer-reviewed journal

For specialty specific requirements, Residents should discuss with their PD and research mentor.
Research training
The MCI is a two-year part-time programme. Residents can embark on the MCI at any Residency year as long as the Residency training requirements are also met. Residents have to obtain the PD’s endorsement as well as the Residency Advisory Committee’s (RAC’s) approval submitted together with the applications.

Residents who have already obtained research qualifications (e.g. PhD) may be exempted from MCI but will need to seek prior clearance and approval from the SAB Research Committee.

CS Residents can look forward to furthering your research career in areas such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, infectious diseases, neurological and sense disorders. Residents can expect to take their professional development to the next level and progress along the academic and clinical ranks within their respective Duke-NUS SingHealth Academic Clinical Programmes (ACP).