Vocational Training & Continuing Professional Development of the Family Physician
In Singapore, there are three key phases of the development of a family physician, and they consist of (1) Undergraduate Education, (2) Vocational Training, and (3) Continuing Professional Development.
The vocational training and continuing professional development of the Family Physician in Singapore is in turn marked by four major milestones, namely, the. attainment of the award of the Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (GDFM), the Master of Medicine in Family Medicine (MMed(FM)), the Collegiate Membership of the College (MCFP(S)) and the Fellowship of the College (FCFP(S)).
The first two postgraduate awards are conferred by the National University of Singapore (NUS). The second two postgraduate awards of MCFP(S) and FCFP(S) are conferred by the College of Family Physicians Singapore (CFPS).
One can choose to attain one or more of these milestones in the course of one’s professional career. GDFM will be the milestone that all family doctors should aim to achieve. Over time, it is hoped that many will set their sights on the other three milestones.
Vocational Training Milestones
The vocational training programmes are the Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (GDFM) and the Master of Medicine in Family Medicine (MMed (FM)).
The GDFM is a basic requirement to be a competent family physician and to be registered in the Family Practice Register (FPR) which was implemented in 2011.
The next level beyond the GDFM is the MMed(FM). The aim of the MMed(FM) is to train an echelon of highly proficient family physicians who can take on the additional role of educators and trainers in family medicine development.
Professional Development Milestones
The MCFP(S) is the professional benchmark for recognition as Senior Family Physicians. It is awarded to MMed(FM) holders to recognize individuals who have relevant clinical and educational experience post-Masters.
The fourth and highest milestone is the FCFP(S), which is awarded to family physicians with MCFP(S) who have successfully completed and exited from the two-year Family Medicine Fellowship Programme (FMFP). The FCFP(S) is recognized in Singapore as the hallmark for accreditation by the Specialist Accreditation Board (SAB) as a Family Medicine Specialist.
For more information on each of these milestones, please refer to the respective pages in our website.
