The 6 most popular medical specialisations in Singapore There are a total of 12,459 doctors in Singapore and about 38% (or 4,788) of them are specialists. Specialising requires strong commitment from the doctor, as they will need it to continue living and breathing their respective fields for the rest of their career. For the medical student on the cusp of graduation, deciding whether to specialise and which specialisation to go into is no small decision. These are the most coveted specialisations in Singapore (in no particular order): 1. Ophthalmology (Eye) Being a doctor of the eye allows for regular office hours as most eye conditions are not life threatening and emergency situations requiring their attention in the wee hours of the night are highly unlikely. Besides the cushy hours, it is an extremely lucrative business. With one of the highest rates of myopia in the world, and a greying population in Singapore, surgical procedures such as LASIK and the removal of cataracts are fast gaining prominence. The excitement of having a little bit of surgery on the side also contributes to its popularity. 2. ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) Similar to their eye doctor counterparts, otolaryngologists also enjoy mostly regular working hours. As the ears, nose and throat are all connected to the respiratory and other tracts, ENT doctors tend to dabble in a little bit of all the other specialisations, making it a challenging and rewarding field. 3. Dermatology With the constant humidity and the occasional episode of haze plaguing Singapore, it can be difficult to maintain a healthy-looking complexion. Skin cancer is also one of the leading cancers in Singapore, ranking 6th for males and 7th for females. It is thus no wonder that the dermatologist has a constant stream of patients. Besides the regular office hours, dermatologists also get to try the latest state of the art skin treatments on themselves, which probably doesn't hurt. 4. Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OBG) The OBG doctor seeks to improve women’s health and aids in conceiving and maternity care. With about 42,000 babies born in Singapore every year , and further emphasis placed by the Government on improving Singapore’s birth rate, business in obstetrics and gynaecology is set to boom. Apart from the occasional unpredictable baby delivery, the OBG doctor enjoys mostly office hours as well. But beyond that, the real joy and satisfaction of the job comes from delivering precious lives into the world and witnessing parents’ exuberance as they cradle their new-born children. 5. Paediatrics Paediatrics follows the delivery of babies. Perfect for the doctor who once had dreams of becoming a teacher or childcare teacher, paediatrics combines the rigour of medicine with the joy of working with children and young people. That said, the specialisation should not be seen as a glorified children’s playmate; it requires a great deal of patience when dealing with young children who are unable to articulate their discomforts and describe their symptoms. In fact, most of the communication happens between the paediatrician and the anxious parents of their wards. 6. General Surgery General surgery is the combination of all other specialisations and it hardly gets more hands-on than this. Although the hours can be grueling and constant surgeries can get very stressful, the cases they handle are vast in variety and interesting – ensuring they never fall into a routine and get bored. A common thread in many of these specialisations is the regular working hours that allow for a better work-life balance. Of course, being popular also means these medical fields are some of the most competitive, and the doctors who do end up in these specialisations commonly do very well in their profession. Source
