SPEECH BY MR MASAGOS ZULKIFLI, SECOND MINISTER FOR HEALTH, AT THE NUS YONG LOO LIN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY

Professor Chong Yap Seng
Dean, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

Distinguished guests

Parents and graduands

1. Good morning.  It is my pleasure to join you to celebrate this important milestone in your lives. To the graduating Class of Medicine 2022 – my heartiest congratulations! 

RESPONDING TO THE PANDEMIC

2. Due to the pandemic, your course of studies had to take a slightly altered route. When COVID-19 reached our shores in early 2020, all activities involving students in their pre-clinical years shifted online. There was less on-site clinical training at the healthcare institutions and more campus-based learning. Important occasions like the White Coat ceremony also had to be put on hold due to pandemic restrictions. 

3. In spite of these challenges, I am proud to see that you had adapted and encouraged each other to go on.  All of you graduating today have persevered and succeeded in the face of trying circumstances. Your presence here today is a reflection of your tenacity. I applaud every one of you for staying the course.

4. Many of you have had a unique schooling experience. When some training programmes with institutions abroad were shelved, six new pathway programmes were set up to hone a broad range of skill sets, such as problem-solving, innovation and entrepreneurship. These programmes have imparted important skillsets to help you in your career. I would like to thank the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine for working closely with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to equip you with the necessary clinical skills and attributes to be ready for Postgraduate Year One training, and more.

Well-being of Junior Doctors

5. The healthcare sector that each of you are entering has been irrevocably shaped by the past two years. The pandemic brought the issue of mental health and wellness to the forefront, and cast a light on the challenges faced by many, including healthcare professionals. The COVID-19 Mental Wellness Taskforce was set up to develop recommendations on mental health support and an interagency platform is now following up to implement the recommendations. To better support the mental wellness of the junior doctors, MOH formed the National Wellness Committee for Junior Doctors in December 2021. The Committee is looking into issues such as working conditions and working hours. We will continue to work to create more sustainable work systems and supportive environments for doctors to flourish.

LOOKING FORWARD: HEALTHIER SG

6. As we move towards normalcy, it is timely for us to rethink what healthcare should look like, post-pandemic. We must learn from the lessons of our pandemic response while remaining committed to our vision of championing a healthy nation, where our citizens can live well.

7. This is why we are making a national push on Healthier SG to help all Singaporeans take steps towards better health, and anchor care and support for Singaporeans in their communities, and close to home.

8. All residents will be encouraged to stay with one family physician, a trusted touchpoint of care throughout their lives. Individuals will receive more attention on preventative and holistic care from their family physicians who will work with them to develop their healthcare plans. We will create an ecosystem that family physicians can tap on to help Singaporeans lead healthier lifestyles. We are actively engaging partner agencies such as the Health Promotion Board, Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), People’s Association (PA), Sport Singapore, National Parks Board  to develop such initiatives.

9. As doctors, you are at the heart of our Healthier SG movement. Many of you will be the first point of contact for Singaporeans. Beyond drug prescriptions and medical advice, you will have the responsibility of supporting patients in making healthier lifestyle choices. Your personal touch with your patients will matter much more now than before. 

A BAR SET HIGH: ENCOMPASSING TRAINING STANDARDS AND TRANSITIONING INTO A BETTER PHYSICIAN

10. Doctors must be equipped with the skills and competencies to better serve the needs of the population. MOH is actively refining training standards and reviewing the curriculum to ensure that they evolve with the changing times so that your training remains relevant.

11. As shared in Parliament earlier this year during the Budget Debate, Family Medicine will feature even more strongly in the curriculum of our medical schools. Postgraduate training in Family Medicine will also be strengthened. I encourage new graduands to first have broad exposure in medicine so that you can acquire the confidence to assess and care for a patients’ medical, psychological, social and cultural needs.

12. While your repertoire of clinical skills is crucial, your professional skills such as communication, teamwork and empathy are equally important. At the end of the day, your patients may forget the prescriptions you have given them, but they will remember, always, your attentive care, warmth and emotional support.

CLOSING

13. I am happy to join you in celebrating this moment with you and your families. We take great pride that all 280 of you have reached a key milestone of your journey as a medical doctor, ready to embark on your next phase.

14. I would like to take this opportunity to recognise the role of your families (especially your parents) for standing by and supporting you. I extend my thanks to everyone at NUS Medicine for patiently nurturing you. I hope that the NUS Medicine values of Humility, Compassion, Integrity, Respect will remain etched in your heart.

15. My wish is that you will internalise and embody the Physician’s Pledge, which you will soon be taking. That you will dedicate your life to the service of humanity and always ‘make the health of your patient your first consideration.’

16. Congratulations to you as you begin your career as a medical doctor.

Thank you.