| Overview of Neurosurgery in Singapore |
Neurosurgery had a humble beginning 50 years ago. In 1956 Sir Douglas Miller, President of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and Director of Neurosurgical Unit, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia visited the University Surgical Unit at Singapore General Hospital (SGH). He together with Prof. Yeo Ghim Seng started neurosurgery as a new specialty in Singapore. Dr Tseng Yuen Lin became the first fully trained neurosugeon in Singapore with the FRACS diploma after completing his training under Sir Douglas Miller in Australia.
In 1970, a Committee on Medical Specialization recommended the development of neurosurgery and neurology as 1 of 5 tertiary specialities at the Singapore General Hospital. 1973 this Department of Neurosurgery and Neurology was set up at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH). Between 1974 and 1976, under the auspices of the Foundation for international Education in Neurosurgical Surgery, 12 neurosurgeons from USA and 1 from Canada served in Singapore in rotation for 1-3 months each, providing consultancy service and training young neurosurgeons. Two more neurosurgical trainees were sent to Perth, Western Australia for completion of their neurosurgical training under the FRACS (Neurosurgery) programme. With further assistance of American and Canadian Neurosurgeons, including Dr Charles Drake, Dr Jules Hardy and Dr Ralph B Cloward the neurosurgical specialty flourished and became the only internationally accredited neurosurgery service and training centre in Singapore.
In 1998 a new National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) was formed to oversee the provision of neuroscience services in Singapore. In 2002 the two departments at SGH and TTSH were integrated into a single entity to provide services to all public hospitals (including SGH, TTSH, KK Women's and Children Hospital and Changi General Hospital) in Singapore. The merged and enlarged department gave us the much-needed critical mass to embark on subspecialisation for treatment of brain and spinal tumours, spinal surgery, paediatric neurosurgery, cerebrovascular surgery, epilepsy and movement disorder surgery, radiosurgery as well as neurotrauma. Advanced trainees are required to carry out research as part of their training. NNI is poised to forge forward to improve our service standard, enhance our postgraduate training, to take on a high quality neuroscience research and eventually establish Singapore as a regional reference centre for neurological diseases.
The World's First Integrated Neuroscience Centre will be established at Singapore General Hospital in 2007. It will be equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology, real-time high quality intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (iMRI), Computed Tomography (iCT) scanning and advanced image-guidance neuronavigation system. Our neurosurgeons will be able to intra-operatively monitor progress and perform more complicated surgeries with less time required and improved patient outcome. It will be an exciting time for neurosurgery here in the years to come.
Message from the Chapter Chairman, A/Prof Ivan Ng
The Chapter of Neurosurgeons is focused in the academic development of all practicing Neurosurgeons who are members of the Chapter, as well as, involving its efforts in training the trainees. The Chapter organize its annual Chapter Lectureship by inviting speakers from the neurosurgery community or speakers who are renowned in their fields to deliver lectures of controversial topics or about the profession to its members and trainees.
By the mandate from the Ministry of Health encouraging institutions to retain good temporarily-registered doctors to fill the service gap that is to be provided by registrars, as well as, providing a structured programme to foreign-trained doctors who are interested to receive advance training in Singapore, the Chapter of Neurosurgeons has implemented the Diploma in Neurosurgery under the Staff Registrar Scheme programme jointly with the Academy of Medicine Singapore and the College of Surgeons Singapore in 2008.
The Chapter also looks into a continued partnership with its specialty society, respective institutions and the healthcare partners to collaborate in organizing events that could bring about greater benefits to all Neurosurgeons and trainees in the community.