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  1. Home
  2. Becoming a Registered Doctor
  3. Register of Medical Practitioners

Full Registration

Allows a doctor to practise independently in Singapore.

Eligibility requirements:

Full registration may be granted to a doctor who:

  • holds an MBBS/MD degree awarded by a medical school in the First Schedule of the Medical Registration Act and a certificate of experience as proof of satisfactory completion of PGY1 or housemanship; or
  • holds such qualifications as may be recognised by the Medical Council and a certificate of experience as proof of satisfactory completion of PGY1 or housemanship or the internship year(s) overseas and satisfies the Medical Council that he has special knowledge and skills and sufficient experience in any particular branch of medicine; or
  • has been Conditionally-registered, has completed the minimum period of full-time practice or equivalent under conditional registration in such types of clinical disciplines or specialties required by the Singapore Medical Council.

    AND
  • has obtained consistently satisfactory assessment reports on his performance during the period of provisional or conditional registration; and
  • for those on conditional registration, has been on Level 2 supervision for at least 6 months; and
  • has taken the SMC Physician's Pledge1.

The applicant is advised to refer to SMC’s website for other prevailing criteria for full registration.

SMC will only accept applications for full registration no earlier than 6 weeks before the doctor's eligibility to apply for full registration, based on the minimum period of practice under conditional registration.

1 In view of a fixed number of places available each time, attendance at the Pledge ceremony is strictly by invitation only.  Proof of attendance is compulsory for doctors who wish to be fully registered. However, an invitation to attend the Pledge ceremony and proof of attending the Pledge ceremony does not equate to certainty of approval for full registration which also depends on other criteria e.g. consistently satisfactory performance, professional conduct and fitness to practise.


Conditional Registration through a Medical School Listed in the Second Schedule of the Medical Registration Act (MRA)

If a conditionally registered (C-reg) doctor is registered by virtue of a basic medical qualification from a university / medical school listed in the Second Schedule [PDF, 614KB] of the MRA and had not completed Post Graduate Year 1 (PGY1) in Singapore, the satisfactory assessment reports must include:

  • at least 12 months of broad-based practice in General Medicine or Family Medicine2; OR
  • 6 months of General Medicine (or Family Medicine) and another 6 months in Internal Medicine related specialties3; OR
  • 6 months of General Medicine (or Family Medicine) and another 6 months in any of the following specialties: Emergency Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, General Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery or Paediatric Medicine; OR
  • 6 months of clinical posting in a Community Hospital4 and another 6 months in General Medicine5 or Family Medicine6 in an acute hospital. [effective from 1 January 2021]

The above postings are prospective following their registration in Singapore. SMC also recommends that employers and institutions of C-reg doctors arrange for their doctors to be assessed by more than one primary supervisor during the period of C-reg for a more objective and holistic appraisal.

2 Family Medicine postings must be in Family Medicine departments or Family Medicine practices recognised under the Family Physicians Accreditation Board for training or specifically recognised by SMC (for example the Accredited Learning Institutions). The primary supervisor must be a registered Family Physician approved by SMC.

3 Cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, geriatric medicine, haematology, infectious diseases, medical oncology, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, renal medicine, respiratory medicine, rheumatology.

4 Ang Mo Kio-Thye Hua Kwan Hospital, Bright Vision Hospital, Jurong Community Hospital, Outram Community Hospital, Ren Ci Community Hospital, Sengkang Community Hospital, St Andrew’s Community Hospital, St Luke’s Hospital or Yishun Community Hospital.

5 Must be in General Medicine and not Internal Medicine related specialties such as cardiology, gastroenterology etc.

6 Unlike the first 3 options, Family Medicine posting in this option is restricted to those in the acute hospital only. For example, Polyclinic posting will not be considered as Family Medicine posting in an acute hospital.

Conditional Registration through Registrable Postgraduate Qualifications

C-reg doctors who do not hold a basic medical degree from a university / medical school listed in the Second Schedule [PDF, 614KB] of the MRA will not be considered for full registration unless they:

  • are accredited as a specialist in a core specialty by the Specialists Accreditation Board, and have fulfilled two years of supervised practice under conditional registration in the new role as a specialist; or
  • obtained a registrable postgraduate Family Medicine qualification and accredited as a Family Physician by the Family Physicians Accreditation Board and have fulfilled two years (for Singapore citizens) or four years (for non-Singapore citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents) of supervised practice under conditional registration in the new role as a Family Physician.


Applications for Full registration must be submitted with the following documents or information online:

(i) Your updated curriculum vitae;
(ii) Supporting testimonial from the Head of Department and Chairman Medical Board or Medical Director as below:

  1. The supporting testimonial should be recent and written within 6 months from the date of the full registration application;
  2. The supporting testimonial can be obtained from any department and institution that you have practised in within the past 1 year from the date of the application for full registration; and
  3. You must have spent at least 3 full working months in the department. 
(iii) Payment of the prescribed application fee;

(Note: The SMC will request from (usually the last) employing institution for the final assessment reports from your supervisors and for other relevant reports if they are indicated. This may result in a delay in processing your application.)

Request for No-Pay Leave:

While the SMC does not impose any restriction of No-Pay Leave on fully registered doctors, they must be mindful of the requirements for Continuing Medical Education and participating in the SMC's elections which affect the renewal of the practising certificate.

It is therefore important for the doctor to update the SMC of his address and practice status e.g. if they are overseas for a period of time or training overseas.