SingHealth Duke-NUS Sport and Exercise Medicine Conference 2027

About the Conference

Organised by the SingHealth Duke-NUS Sport & Exercise Medicine Centre (SDSC), the SingHealth Duke-NUS Sport and Exercise Medicine Conference brings together healthcare professionals from a wide range of specialities to share knowledge, foster collaboration, and advance learning and research within the sport and exercise medicine (SEM) community. 

The 2027 conference carries the theme "Sport and Exercise Medicine in Special Populations", placing the spotlight on groups that have historically received less attention in SEM: children and adolescents, women and mothers, older adults, and athletes with disabilities. It also marks the 20th anniversary of Paediatric Sport and Exercise Medicine at KK Women's and Children's Hospital—celebrating two decades of specialised care for young patients within SingHealth. 

Taking place on 6 March 2027, the event will feature a main conference with four dedicated tracks alongside two pre-conference workshops, welcoming over 250 participants from across the healthcare spectrum.

Welcome Message from A/Prof Benedict Tan Chi-Loong Head, SingHealth-Duke-NUS Sports Medicine Centre (SDSC)

Dear Colleagues, Friends, and Distinguished Guests, 

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the SDSC Sport and Exercise Medicine Conference 2027. 

This year's conference holds a very special place in our hearts, as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) at KK Women's and Children's Hospital—a milestone that reflects two decades of dedication, growth, and innovation in this field. 

What makes this conference truly exceptional, however, is not just the anniversary we mark, but the ground we are breaking. For the first time, we are dedicating our programme to the "special populations" in SEM—our children and young athletes, mothers and women, our seniors, and our athletes with disabilities.  This is the first sport and exercise medicine conference in the region to place these groups at the very centre of our discussions, and I believe it is long overdue. 

These are not peripheral populations in sport and exercise medicine—they are, in many ways, where our work matters most. Singapore is an ageing society, and the evidence is clear that exercise is one of the most powerful medicines we have for healthy ageing. Our seniors deserve the same quality of SEM care and attention that we have long extended to competitive athletes. Equally, as a nation committed to nurturing the health of our children and supporting mothers through every stage of their journey, paediatric and maternal SEM must be brought into sharper focus. And as Singapore grows in prosperity and ambition, we must ensure that inclusivity is not an afterthought—our athletes with disabilities deserve to be seen, supported, and celebrated. 

In many ways, this conference reflects a broader national conversation. The government's efforts to promote inclusive sport, to encourage healthier families, and to support our ageing population are ones that SEM is uniquely positioned to advance. I hope that the discussions, research, and connections forged over these few days will translate into real and lasting impact for the patients and communities we serve. 

To our speakers, moderators, and delegates—thank you for being part of this moment. To the organising committee, thank you for your tireless work in bringing this vision to life.

Here's to a landmark conference, and to the next chapter of Sport and Exercise Medicine in Singapore and beyond. 

Warm regards,
Assoc Prof Benedict Tan Chi-Loong
Head, SingHealth-Duke-NUS Sports Medicine Centre

Welcome Message from Organising Chairpersons

Dear Colleagues, Distinguished Guests, and Friends of Sport and Exercise Medicine, 

On behalf of the Organising Committee, it is our honour and delight to welcome you to the SingHealth Duke-NUS Sport & Exercise Medicine Conference 2027. 

This year's conference is one we have looked forward to with great anticipation. As our second face-to-face gathering since the pandemic, there is something especially meaningful about coming together again in person—to exchange ideas, renew friendships, and collectively advance the field we are so passionate about. We are deeply heartened by the enthusiasm and support from our community, and we warmly welcome the over 250 healthcare professionals joining us from across diverse disciplines, including family physicians, orthopaedic surgeons, paediatricians, cardiologists, physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, dietitians, and many more. This breadth of representation is a testament to how far-reaching and collaborative Sport and Exercise Medicine has become. 

This year also marks a milestone that is particularly close to our hearts—the 20th anniversary of Paediatric Sport and Exercise Medicine at KK Women's and Children's Hospital. For one of us, this anniversary carries a deeply personal significance. Dr Benny Loo holds the distinction of being Singapore's first paediatrician trained in Sport and Exercise Medicine, and this conference is a celebration of the remarkable journey that specialty has taken—from a fledgling service established to meet a growing need for specialised SEM care for children and adolescents, to the thriving multidisciplinary team it is today, having achieved Singapore Sport and Exercise Medicine Centre (SSMC) status in 2022 and integrating seamlessly within the SingHealth Duke-NUS Sport & Exercise Medicine Centre. Twenty years on, we celebrate not just the growth of a service, but the countless young patients whose health and sporting journeys have been shaped by the clinicians who believed in this cause from the very start. 

Building on this spirit of growth and inclusion, the 2027 conference breaks new ground by shining a spotlight on the special populations that are so often underrepresented in SEM discourse. Our programme features a main conference with four dedicated tracks – Paediatric Sport and Exercise Health; Sport and Exercise Medicine for the Elderly; Maternal and Female Sport and Exercise Health; and Sport and Exercise Medicine for the Disabled – alongside two pre-conference workshops. Together, these tracks reflect our conviction that SEM has a vital role to play across every stage of life and for every member of our community, regardless of age or ability. 

We hope that the days ahead will be filled with rich dialogue, fresh perspectives, and the kind of collegial energy that only a gathering like this can inspire. Most of all, we hope you leave with new ideas and renewed purpose to bring back to the patients and communities you serve. 

Thank you for being here. Let us make this a conference to remember.

 
Yours sincerely,

Co-Organising Chairpersons
Dr Benny Loo
Dr Lim Ang Tee
Organising Chairpersons
SingHealth Duke-NUS Sport and Exercise Medicine Conference 2027

Organising Committee