Geriatric Medicine Residency Programme

About the Programme

The SingHealth Geriatric Medicine Senior Residency Programme aims to equip aspiring geriatricians with the medical knowledge, clinical competence, leadership and organisational skills to care for the older adults.

We adopt a patient-centric approach and treat our older adult patients with compassion and dignity, focusing on the person as an individual and championing holistic care, healthy ageing, wellness and preventive health. Our aim is to optimise and maintain an older person's quality of life and independence, against a backdrop of multiple comorbid conditions, frailty and the vicissitudes of life.

Geriatric Medicine works best with a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach. We work with a team of healthcare professionals, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, nurses, social workers, care coordinators, pharmacists, dietitians, counsellors, and psychologists. In addition, we collaborate with primary care physicians, medical specialists, various healthcare institutions, older adult care organisations, and caregivers.

If you enjoy working with the older adults and is rejuvenated by building meaningful and deep relationships with your patients and their families, we welcome you to join Geriatric Medicine. 

Help older adults optimise their golden years and let their stories inspire and motivate you as you pursue this challenging and rewarding role that makes a positive and profound impact on the lives you touch.

Message from the Programme Director 

A warm welcome to you and thank you for your interest in the SingHealth Geriatric Medicine Senior Residency Programme. 

We hope to provide you with pertinent information about our programme and the training structure available to you at SingHealth. 

Do contact us if you have further questions. We will be most keen to answer them and guide you in your journey in becoming a geriatrician!

Dr Alexis Ang
Programme Director, Geriatric Medicine
Senior Consultant, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Changi General Hospital (CGH)

Why Choose Geriatric Medicine?

Diverse Training and Career Options

A geriatrician’s career path is diverse and varied. You can choose to practise in many different settings, ranging from acute to community hospitals, to long-term care facilities such as nursing homes. Alternatively, you may opt to provide home care and consultancy services to day centres, rehabilitation centres, and other agencies that offer older adult care services. 

The cornerstone of geriatric training is exposure to a wide spectrum of geriatric services. With our curated rotation programme, you can expect excellent core geriatric training in the first year, followed by comprehensive training in various affiliated institutions in the second year. In the final year, cross-cluster rotation will help enhance your perspective on different geriatric practices across Singapore.

Comprehensive and Rigorous Curriculum in Geriatric Medicine

You will be exposed to a comprehensive mix of general geriatric training and subspecialty training in acute, subacute and long term care institutions. Through small-group tutorials, lectures, journal clubs, supervised general and subspecialty clinics, multidisciplinary rounds, and regular knowledge assessment, you will assume graded responsibilities at each level of training, which commensurate with your confidence and experience.

Fast-growing Specialty and Career Opportunities

Geriatric Medicine is thus a fast-growing specialty with many exciting possibilities and career opportunities. As Singapore and other countries face rapidly ageing populations, there is significant potential for growth in research, services, and care interventions for older adults. Beyond providing healthcare services, geriatricians are also poised to become expert educators, researchers, and leaders in the development of older adult care policies.   

Renowned Faculty, Dedicated Mentors

We have an outstanding pool of Faculty members with a wealth of experience in Geriatric Medicine and medical education. They are highly committed to training the next generation of geriatricians and have a proven track record in mentoring young Residents. We also strive to provide an enriching and individualised educational experience for each Resident. With a favourable Resident–Faculty ratio and a high level of Resident supervision, we offer a conducive learning environment to help each Resident optimise their training years.

Your Career Prospects & Development

Upon completion of the three-year SingHealth Geriatric Medicine Senior Residency Programme, eligible Residents may also apply for further advanced training in an approved overseas institution under the Health Manpower Development Programme (HMDP). Residents will be promoted to Associate Consultant upon successful completion of their training programme and the local exit exam.