Allows a foreign-trained doctor to work only in a designated healthcare establishment, under the supervision of a fully registered medical practitioner.
Eligibility requirements:
has passed such national licensing examination as required in the country where the basic medical degree was conferred; and
has been certified to be in good standing by the overseas regulatory body or medical council equivalent.
The specified period of service under conditional registration for the different categories are indicated in table below:
Category/ Terms for Conditional Registration | Specialist* | Non-Specialist* |
Singaporean | Non-Singaporean & PR^ | Singaporean | Non-Singaporean & PR^ |
Specified period of good performance required before eligibility for Full registration | 1 year | 2 years | 2 years | 4 years |
Place of Practice | 1st year mandated in approved institutional practice` unless doctor satisfies (A) below | 1st year mandated in approved institutional practice` unless doctor satisfies (B) below |
Supervisory Framework ** | Yes | Yes |
Criteria for conditional registrants for direct employment and practice in any healthcare practice:
Category | Details |
(A) | Foreign-trained (except European-trained) specialists can practise under supervision of an appropriate specialist in private specialist practice IF he/she has 5 years clinical experience after obtaining specialty qualification. He/she must be accredited by the Specialist Accreditation Board and registered with SMC as a Specialist before he/she can practise as a specialist in Singapore |
(B) | Foreign-trained non-specialists can practise in non-institutional or private Family Medicine practice or other private group practice IF he/she has at least 5 years practice in Family Medicine after obtaining any of the following Family Physician qualifications: Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners, MRCGP (UK) Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, FRACGP (Australia only) American Board Certification in Family Medicine, USA Certificate of College of Family Physicians (CCFP, Canada) Fellow of the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians (FHKCFP)
Note: To qualify for this category, the doctor's basic medical qualification must be from a medical school listed in the current Schedule of the Medical Registration Act. |
Foreign-trained specialists and non-specialists can apply to join a non-institutional type of practice after the 1st year provided the doctor has consistently obtained grading of 'Exceeding' and 'Outstanding' in the assessment reports; and the performance must have been considered 'Exceeding' and 'Outstanding' by the supervisor, employing institution and the SMC. Doctors with performance grades of 'Meeting' and below would not be accorded this privilege and may also not be granted extension of conditional registration.
** There are 2 types of supervisory assessments in the Framework:
Assessment Report from appointed supervisor and medical director of the licensed healthcare practice or Chairman Medical Board of the hospital - for all conditionally registered doctors including categories (A) & (B) above.
Multi-rater assessment (from peers and fellow colleagues) - for all conditionally registered doctors excluding categories (A) & (B).
The SMC's Supervisory Framework for conditionally/temporarily registered doctors
applicable to different types of institutions can be downloaded here:
1. Restructured Institution/Hospital/Specialty Centre
2. Polyclinic
3. Health Sciences Authority/Health Promotion Board
4. Private hospital
5. Community hospital/Hospice
6. Medical Centre/General Practice
Assessment Forms Reference Table
Letter of Undertaking by Prospective Supervisor
# Medical degree obtained via a 'twinning programme' would be considered only if the clinical training years are completed in the country where the Scheduled medical school or university is sited.
^ PR - Singapore Permanent Residents
` Institutional practice refers to restructured hospitals. Other institutions may be considered by SMC on application.
