Family medicine to be recognised as Singapore's 36th medical specialty from November 2025
Family doctors who have attained the Fellowship of the College of Family Physicians (Singapore) will be invited to be in the first batch of applicants for the new family medicine specialist accreditation.
The Specialists Accreditation Board, with support from the Ministry of Health, will recognise family medicine as the 36th medical specialty in Singapore on Nov 1, 2025. (Photo: Facebook/Ong Ye Kung/National Healthcare Group Polyclinics)
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
SINGAPORE: Family medicine will be recognised by the Specialists Accreditation Board as Singapore's 36th medical specialty from Nov 1, with the move supported by the Ministry of Health (MOH).
This is a significant step in affirming the contributions of family physicians in Singapore, MOH said on Friday (Oct 31), adding that family physicians with advanced clinical competencies already play a pivotal role in integrated care.
"This recognition will also provide a clear pathway to specialist accreditation for family physicians with advanced training and raise the standards of primary and community care," the ministry said in a media release.
Family doctors who have attained the Fellowship of the College of Family Physicians (Singapore) will be invited to be in the first batch of applicants for the new family medicine specialist accreditation.
According to MOH, there are currently over 200 registered family physicians who have received this fellowship. Fellowship holders will need to meet clinical practice criteria demonstrating currency of practice to qualify for the specialist accreditation.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said: "This is an important policy move as Singapore ages, and we shift the centre of gravity of our healthcare system away from hospitals to the community; from tertiary and secondary to primary care; and from curative treatment to management and prevention".
The initiative aims to enhance support for the care of the ageing population and will establish standards for specialist accreditation in family medicine and for entry into the Register of Specialists, said MOH.
The family medicine programme was first announced by then Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary in March during MOH's Committee of Supply debate for this year.
