Medical Registration Act 1997

Medical Registration Act 1997

2020 REVISED EDITION

This revised edition incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 December 2021 and comes into operation on 31 December 2021

An Act to provide for the registration of medical practitioners and for matters connected therewith.

[3 April 1998]

PART 1

PRELIMINARY

Short title

1.  This Act is the Medical Registration Act 1997.

Interpretation

2.—(1)  In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —

“certificate of experience” means a certificate granted under section 25;

“Complaints Committee” means a committee appointed by the chairman of the Complaints Panel under section 44;

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

“Complaints Panel” means the panel appointed by the Medical Council under section 39;

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

“conditional registration” means registration in Part II of the Register of Medical Practitioners pursuant to section 21 or any other provision of this Act, which registration is subject to any condition or restriction as may be imposed;

“degree” means any degree or diploma or any qualification granted by any university or institution legally authorised to grant that degree or diploma or qualification and which degree or diploma or qualification is recognised or approved by the Medical Council;

“Disciplinary Tribunal” means a tribunal appointed by the President of the Disciplinary Commission under section 58 or the Chief Justice under section 59;

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

“fully registered medical practitioner” means a person registered in Part I of the Register of Medical Practitioners in accordance with section 20(1) or (2), as the case may be;

“Health Committee” means a committee appointed by the Medical Council under section 59H;

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

“Interim Orders Committee” means a committee appointed by the Medical Council under section 59J;

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

“lay person” means any person who —

(a) has rendered distinguished public service, or has achieved distinction in any field; and

(b) is not a legal professional or a registered medical practitioner;

[Act 33 of 2021 wef 01/07/2022]

“legal professional” means any person who —

(a) has at any time held but no longer holds, office as a Supreme Court Judge or a Judicial Commissioner;

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

(b) is an advocate and solicitor of at least 15 years’ standing; or

(c) is a Judicial Service Officer or Legal Service Officer who has in the aggregate at least 15 years of full-time employment in the Singapore Judicial Service or the Singapore Legal Service (or both);

[Act 33 of 2021 wef 01/07/2022]

“Medical Council” means the Medical Council of Singapore established under section 3(1) of the repealed Medical Registration Act (Cap. 174, 1985 Revised Edition), and by virtue of section 3 of this Act means the Singapore Medical Council;

“practising certificate” means a practising certificate granted under section 36;

“president” means the president of the Medical Council;

“professional performance” means the knowledge, skill or care possessed and applied by a registered medical practitioner in the provision of medical services;

“provisional registration” means registration by virtue of section 24 and “provisionally registered” is to be construed accordingly;

“registered medical practitioner” means a person registered under this Act and includes a person deemed to be so registered under section 72(1);

“Registrar” means the Registrar of the Medical Council;

“Registrar of the Supreme Court” includes the Deputy Registrar and an Assistant Registrar;

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

“Singapore degree” means a degree, diploma or licence in medicine and surgery specified in the First Schedule.

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

(2)  [Deleted by Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

(3)  [Deleted by Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

(4)  [Deleted by Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

Object of Act

2A.  The object of this Act is to protect the health and safety of the public by providing for mechanisms to —

(a) ensure that registered medical practitioners are competent and fit to practise medicine;

(b) uphold standards of practice within the medical profession; and

(c) maintain public confidence in the medical profession.

PART 2

MEDICAL COUNCIL

Medical Council to continue to exist

3.  The Medical Council of Singapore is to continue to exist as a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal and, as from 3 April 1998, be called the Singapore Medical Council.

Constitution of Medical Council

4.—(1)  The Medical Council consists of —

(a) the Director‑General of Health;

[Act 11 of 2023 wef 01/05/2023]

(b) a member of the Academy of Medicine Singapore appointed by the Minister, who —

(i) is the Master of the Academy; or

(ii) is a member of the council of the Academy nominated by the Master of the Academy;

(c) a member of the College of Family Physicians Singapore appointed by the Minister, who —

(i) is the President of the College; or

(ii) is a member of the council of the College nominated by the President of the College;

(d) a member of the Singapore Medical Association appointed by the Minister, who —

(i) is the President of the Association; or

(ii) is a member of the council of the Association nominated by the President of the Association;

(e) a member of the faculty of each prescribed medical school in Singapore appointed by the Minister who —

(i) is the Dean of the prescribed medical school; or

(ii) is nominated by the Dean;

(f) 12 registered medical practitioners resident in Singapore who are elected by the fully registered medical practitioners resident in Singapore; and

(g) 8 registered medical practitioners resident in Singapore who are appointed by the Minister.

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

(2)  The members of the Medical Council mentioned in subsection (1)(b) to (g) are appointed or elected for a term not exceeding 3 years and are eligible for re‑appointment or re‑election, as the case may be.

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

(3)  If for any reason the Director‑General of Health is unable to attend a particular meeting of the Medical Council, the Director‑General of Health may nominate a representative to attend the meeting and when so attending the representative is deemed for all purposes to be a member of the Medical Council.

[Act 11 of 2023 wef 01/05/2023]

(4)  The Minister may, at any time, revoke the appointment of any member appointed under subsection (1)(b), (c), (d), (e) or (g) without giving any reason.

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

Functions of Medical Council

5.  The functions of the Medical Council are —

(a) to keep and maintain registers of registered medical practitioners;

(b) to approve or reject applications for registration under this Act or to approve any such application subject to such restrictions as it may think fit;

(c) to issue practising certificates to registered medical practitioners;

(d) to make recommendations to the appropriate authorities on the courses of instructions and examinations leading to the Singapore degree;

(e) to make recommendations to the appropriate authorities for the training and education of registered medical practitioners;

(f) to determine and regulate the conduct and ethics of registered medical practitioners;

(fa) to determine and regulate standards of practice and the competence of registered medical practitioners within the medical profession;

(fb) to provide administrative services to other bodies (whether corporate or unincorporate) responsible for the regulation of healthcare professionals; and

(g) generally to do all such acts and matters and things as are necessary to be carried out under this Act.

Compulsory voting

6.—(1)  Every fully registered medical practitioner resident in Singapore who has in force a practising certificate on the day of election of candidates as members of the Medical Council mentioned in section 4(1)(f) must vote for the election of such members at such time and in such manner as may be prescribed.

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

(2)  Every registered medical practitioner who is required to vote for the election of the members of the Medical Council in accordance with subsection (1) and who fails to do so is not entitled to apply for a practising certificate unless he —

(a) satisfies the Registrar that he had a good and sufficient reason for not voting at the election; or

(b) pays to the Medical Council a penalty prescribed by the Medical Council.

President of Medical Council

7.—(1)  The Medical Council has a president who is elected by the members of the Medical Council from among its members.

(2)  The president elected under subsection (1) serves for a term not extending beyond the expiry of the term for which he has been appointed or elected to be a member of the Medical Council and is eligible for re‑election.

(3)  The president presides at any meeting of the Medical Council and, in his absence, such member as the members present may elect presides at that meeting.

Disqualifications for membership of Medical Council

8.  A person must not be a member of the Medical Council —

(a) if the person is not a citizen or a permanent resident of Singapore;

(b) if the person is not a registered medical practitioner with at least 8 years’ experience in the practice of medicine;

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

(c) if the person is an undischarged bankrupt;

(d) if the person has been convicted in Singapore or elsewhere of any offence involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude or implying a defect in character which makes the person unfit for the person’s profession;

(e) if the person has been found guilty in Singapore or elsewhere of any improper act or conduct which brings disrepute to the person’s profession;

(f) if the person has been found guilty in Singapore or elsewhere of professional misconduct; or

(g) if the person’s fitness to practise medicine is judged by the Health Committee to be impaired by reason of the person’s physical or mental condition.

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

Filling of vacancies

9.—(1)  The office of a member of the Medical Council becomes vacant if the member —

(a) dies;

(b) resigns the member’s office;

(c) is incapacitated by physical or mental illness;

(d) becomes subject to any of the disqualifications specified in section 8;

(e) without any good and sufficient reason, refuses to accept an appointment as a member of any committee appointed under section 11 or of the Credentials Committee or the Health Committee; or

(f) has the member’s appointment revoked before the expiry of the term for which the member has been appointed.

(2)  The Medical Council may, with the approval of the Minister, remove from office any member of the Medical Council who is absent without leave of the Medical Council from 3 consecutive ordinary meetings of —

(a) the Medical Council; or

(b) any committee appointed under section 11 or of the Credentials Committee or the Health Committee of which he is a member.

(3)  Any question as to whether a person has ceased to be a member of the Medical Council is to be determined by the Minister whose decision is final.

(4)  If any vacancy arises among the elected members, the Minister must, as soon as practicable, appoint any registered medical practitioner resident in Singapore to fill that vacancy.

(5)  If any vacancy arises among the appointed members, the Minister may appoint a person to fill the vacancy in the manner in which the appointment to the vacant office was made.

(6)  Any person appointed to fill the vacancy holds office for as long as the member in whose place the person was appointed would have held office.

(7)  The Medical Council may act despite any vacancy in the Medical Council and no act done by or by the authority of the Medical Council is invalid in consequence of any defect that is afterwards discovered in the appointment or election or qualification of the members or any of them.

Appointment of executive director, executive secretary and other employees

10.  The Medical Council may appoint an executive director, executive secretary and such other employees on such terms and conditions as the Medical Council may determine.

[Act 19 of 2025 wef 05/12/2025]

Appointment of committees

11.—(1)  The Medical Council may —

(a) appoint one or more committees for any general or special purpose which in the opinion of the Medical Council may be better dealt with or managed by a committee; and

(b) delegate to any committee so appointed, with or without restrictions or conditions as it thinks fit, any of the powers or functions which may be exercised or performed by the Medical Council.

(2)  The number and term of office of the members of a committee appointed under this section and the number of those members necessary to form a quorum are to be fixed by the Medical Council.

(3)  A committee appointed under this section may include persons who are not members of the Medical Council.

Meetings and quorum of Medical Council

12.—(1)  The Medical Council is to meet at such times and places as the president or the Registrar may appoint.

(2)  The quorum at every meeting of the Medical Council must be one‑third of the total number of members in office or 7 members, whichever is the higher.

(3)  The chairman at any meeting of the Medical Council has an original vote and, in the case of an equality of votes, a casting vote.

(4)  There are to be paid to the members of the Medical Council and members of any committee appointed by the Medical Council, or their respective employers, such fees as may be approved by the Minister.

(5)  The Medical Council may make rules for the conduct of its business.

PART 3

PRIVILEGES OF MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS

Qualifications to practise

13.  Subject to section 66 —

(a) a person must not practise medicine or do any act as a medical practitioner unless the person is registered under this Act and has a valid practising certificate; and

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

(b) a person who is not so qualified is called in this Act an unauthorised person.

No remuneration recoverable by unauthorised persons

14.  Subject to the provisions of this Act, a person is not entitled to demand, claim, accept, receive or retain or sue for or recover by any means any charge, fee, disbursement, expense or any remuneration —

(a) for or in connection with any medical or surgical advice, service, attendance or treatment or any operation performed; or

(b) for any medicine which the person has prescribed and supplied,

unless at the time of rendering such services the person is registered under this Act and has a valid practising certificate.

Medical certificates

15.  A certificate or any other document required by any written law to be signed by a duly qualified medical practitioner given after 3 April 1998 is not valid unless signed by a person who is registered under this Act and has a valid practising certificate.

Legally qualified or duly qualified medical practitioner

16.  In any written law —

(a) “legally qualified medical practitioner”;

(b) “duly qualified medical practitioner”; or

(c) any expression importing a person recognised by law as a medical practitioner or member of the medical profession,

is to be construed to mean a person who is registered under this Act and has a valid practising certificate.

Unauthorised person acting as medical practitioner

17.—(1)  Any unauthorised person who —

(a) practises medicine;

(b) wilfully and falsely pretends to be a duly qualified medical practitioner;

(c) practises medicine or any branch of medicine, under the style or title of a physician, surgeon, doctor, licentiate in medicine or surgery, bachelor of medicine, or medical practitioner, or under any name, title, addition or description implying that he holds any diploma or degree in medicine or surgery or in any branch of medicine;

(d) advertises or holds himself out as a medical practitioner; or

(e) contravenes section 13 or 14,

shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding $200,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.

(2)  It is a defence to a prosecution under subsection (1) if the defendant proves that —

(a) he practised a system of therapeutics according to Malay, Chinese or Indian method; and

(b) he did not in any way represent himself as a duly qualified or registered medical practitioner.

PART 4

REGISTRATION OF MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS

Registrar of Medical Council

18.—(1)  For the purposes of this Act, there is to be a Registrar of the Medical Council.

(2)  The Director‑General of Health is to be the Registrar of the Medical Council.

[Act 11 of 2023 wef 01/05/2023]

(3)  The Minister may appoint a Deputy Registrar to assist the Registrar in carrying out the Registrar’s functions and duties under this Act.

(4)  The Registrar may, subject to such conditions or restrictions as the Registrar thinks fit, delegate to the Deputy Registrar any of the Registrar’s powers or functions under this Act, except the power of delegation conferred by this section.

(5)  The Registrar may continue to exercise any power conferred on the Registrar or perform any function under this Act despite the delegation of such power or function under this section.

Registers

19.—(1)  In addition to duties under the Public Sector (Governance) Act 2018, the Registrar must maintain and keep the following registers:

(a) a register to be called “The Register of Medical Practitioners” containing —

(i) in Part I of the Register, the names of persons registered as fully registered medical practitioners under section 20(1) and (2); and

(ii) in Part II of the Register, the names of persons registered as medical practitioners with conditional registration;

(b) a register to be called “The Register of Specialists” containing the names of persons registered as specialists under section 22;

(ba) a register to be called “The Register of Family Physicians” containing the names of persons registered as family physicians under section 22A;

(c) a register to be called “The Register of Temporarily Registered Medical Practitioners” containing the names of persons who are registered temporarily as medical practitioners under section 23; and

(d) a register to be called “The Register of Provisionally Registered Medical Practitioners” containing the names of persons registered provisionally under section 24.

[5/2018]

(2)  Each register must contain —

(a) the names and addresses of the persons registered;

(b) the dates of the registration of the persons;

(c) the qualifications by virtue of which the persons are so registered and the dates they obtained such qualifications; and

(d) such other particulars as the Medical Council may determine for that register.

(3)  The Registrar is responsible for the maintenance and custody of the registers.

(4)  Every person whose name is registered in any of the registers must inform the Registrar in writing of —

(a) any change in the person’s name or residential address;

(b) any change in the person’s practice address or such of the person’s other particulars as may be prescribed; or

(c) any change or addition to the person’s qualification,

within 28 days after such change or addition.

(4A)  Any person who contravenes subsection (4)(a) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000.

(4B)  A person who makes a report of a change in the person’s residential address under section 10 of the National Registration Act 1965 is deemed to have complied with subsection (4)(a) on the date on which the person makes the report.

(5)  The Registrar may disclose any information in the registers to any person prescribed by regulations made under this Act, if such disclosure is in accordance with such conditions as may be specified in those regulations.

(6)  Subsection (5) is without prejudice to any other right or duty to disclose the information under general or written law.

Full registration

20.—(1)  Subject to the provisions of this Act, any person who —

(a) holds a Singapore degree;

(b) holds a certificate of experience or any other certificate specified by the Medical Council; and

(c) satisfies such other requirements as the Medical Council may, with the approval of the Minister, prescribe,

is entitled to be registered as a fully registered medical practitioner in Part I of the Register of Medical Practitioners.

(1A)  For the purposes of subsection (1)(c), the Medical Council may prescribe different requirements for the different degrees, diplomas or licences in medicine and surgery specified in the First Schedule.

(2)  Despite subsection (1), a person, not being a Singapore degree holder, who —

(a) holds such qualifications as may be recognised by the Medical Council;

(b) complies with section 26;

(c) satisfies such other requirements as the Medical Council may, with the approval of the Minister, prescribe; and

(d) satisfies the Medical Council that the person has special knowledge and skill and sufficient experience in any particular branch of medicine,

is, if the Medical Council thinks fit so to direct, to be registered as a fully registered medical practitioner.

(3)  Despite subsections (1) and (2), the Medical Council may, if it is of the view that it is not in the public interest for a person mentioned in either of those subsections to be registered as a fully registered medical practitioner, direct that the person be registered as a medical practitioner with conditional registration in Part II of the Register of Medical Practitioners, and section 21(4) and (6) to (9) applies accordingly.

Conditional registration

21.—(1)  Subject to the provisions of this Act, any person who —

(a) holds a degree from a university specified in the Second Schedule or any other qualification which is, in the opinion of the Medical Council, not lower in standing than a degree specified in the Second Schedule;

(b) has been selected for employment in Singapore as a medical practitioner in hospitals or other institutions or medical practice approved by the Medical Council;

(c) satisfies the Medical Council that the person has the knowledge and skill and has acquired the experience which is necessary for practice as a medical practitioner;

(d) complies with section 26; and

(e) satisfies such other requirements as the Medical Council may, with the approval of the Minister, prescribe,

is, if the Medical Council thinks fit so to direct and subject to such conditions or restrictions as the Medical Council may think fit to impose, to be registered as a medical practitioner with conditional registration in Part II of the Register of Medical Practitioners.

(2)  Subject to the provisions of this Act, any person who holds —

(a) a Singapore degree; and

(b) a certificate approved by the Medical Council as being equivalent to a certificate of experience and granted by a hospital or an institution outside Singapore that is recognised by the Medical Council for the purpose of this paragraph,

is entitled to be registered as a medical practitioner with conditional registration in Part II of the Register of Medical Practitioners and is subject to such conditions or restrictions as the Medical Council may think fit to impose.

(3)  The Medical Council may require a person with a degree, other than a degree specified in the Second Schedule, to undergo and pass an examination conducted or arranged by the Medical Council or by such other person or persons as the Medical Council may appoint to satisfy itself that the degree is not lower in standing than a degree specified in the Second Schedule.

(4)  Every direction by virtue of which a person is registered under this section must specify the conditions or restrictions of the person’s registration and may further specify one or more of the following:

(a) that the person must work for a specified period under the supervision of a fully registered medical practitioner approved by the Medical Council;

(b) that the person’s performance must be subject to review by such fully registered medical practitioners or healthcare professionals as the Medical Council may determine;

(c) the particular employment or descriptions of employment for the purposes of which the person is so registered.

(5)  [Deleted by Act 1 of 2010]

(6)  The Medical Council may cancel the conditional registration of a medical practitioner if —

(a) the medical practitioner fails to comply with any of the conditions or restrictions specified in the direction by virtue of which the person is registered; or

(b) the Medical Council is of the opinion, having regard to any report of one or more fully registered medical practitioners supervising the person and any reviews of the medical practitioners or healthcare professionals mentioned in subsection (4)(b) (if any) that the person is unable to perform the duties of a medical practitioner satisfactorily.

(7)  A person who is or has been registered with conditional registration may —

(a) after the expiry of the period of supervision under subsection (4)(a); and

(b) upon the revocation or lapse of all the conditions or restrictions specified under subsection (4),

apply to the Medical Council to be registered as a fully registered medical practitioner.

(8)  If the Medical Council thinks fit so to direct, having regard to the knowledge and skill shown and the experience acquired by the applicant mentioned in subsection (7), the applicant is to be registered under section 20 as a fully registered medical practitioner.

(9)  On a medical practitioner with conditional registration becoming registered otherwise than conditionally, the medical practitioner’s name must be removed from Part II of the Register of Medical Practitioners.

Registration of specialists

22.—(1)  Subject to the provisions of this Act, any person —

(a) who holds such postgraduate degrees or qualifications; or

(b) who has gained such special knowledge of and skill and experience,

in a particular branch or branches of medicine, may apply to the Medical Council to be registered as a specialist.

(1A)  A person may be registered under subsection (1) as a specialist subject to such conditions or restrictions as the Medical Council may impose.

(2)  The Medical Council must not register any person under subsection (1) as a specialist unless the person has obtained a certificate from the Specialists Accreditation Board under section 35.

(3)  The Medical Council may, with the approval of the Minister, make regulations for all or any of the following purposes:

(a) providing for the registration of specialists in any branch of medicine;

(b) regulating the recording in, removal from, and restoration to the Register of Specialists of the names, particulars and qualifications of persons so registered;

(c) providing for appeals by medical practitioners against any refusal of the Medical Council to register them in the Register of Specialists or to restore their names to that Register or against any decision of the Medical Council to remove their names from that Register;

(d) prescribing the fees payable in respect of —

(i) any application for registration as a specialist;

(ii) any such registration as a specialist;

(iii) any restoration of names to the Register of Specialists; and

(iv) any appeal.

Registration of family physicians

22A.—(1)  Subject to the provisions of this Act, any person —

(a) who holds such postgraduate degrees or qualifications; or

(b) who has gained such special knowledge of and skill and experience,

in family medicine, may apply to the Medical Council to be registered as a family physician in the Register of Family Physicians.

(2)  A person may be registered under subsection (1) as a family physician subject to such conditions or restrictions as the Medical Council may impose.

(3)  The Medical Council must not register any person under subsection (1) as a family physician unless the person has obtained a certificate from the Family Physicians Accreditation Board under section 35B.

(4)  The Medical Council may, with the approval of the Minister, make regulations for all or any of the following purposes:

(a) providing for the registration of family physicians;

(b) regulating the recording in, removal from, and restoration to the Register of Family Physicians of the names, particulars and qualifications of persons so registered;

(c) providing for appeals by medical practitioners against any decision of the Medical Council refusing to register them in the Register of Family Physicians or to restore their names to that Register or against any decision of the Medical Council to remove their names from that Register;

(d) prescribing the fees payable in respect of —

(i) any application for registration as a family physician;

(ii) any such registration as a family physician;

(iii) any restoration of names to the Register of Family Physicians; and

(iv) any appeal.

Temporary registration

23.—(1)  Subject to the provisions of this Act, any person —

(a) who is in Singapore for the purpose of teaching, research or postgraduate study in medicine under such training scheme as may be approved by the Minister in any institution recognised by the Medical Council for that purpose;

(b) who possesses medical knowledge, experience and skill which the Medical Council considers to be of international standing or are such as to have special value to the people of Singapore; or

(c) who is not otherwise entitled to be registered as a medical practitioner under this Act but who, in the opinion of the Medical Council, possesses other qualifications which are adequate for the purposes of registration under this Act,

and who, if the person has a degree other than a Singapore degree, complies with section 26, may be registered temporarily as a medical practitioner in the Register of Temporarily Registered Medical Practitioners for so long as the person continues to engage himself exclusively in teaching, research or postgraduate study in medicine under such approved training scheme or in such medical capacity as the Medical Council may specify.

(2)  Any registration under subsection (1) is for a period not exceeding 2 years which may be renewed, at the discretion of the Medical Council, for a further period or periods each not exceeding 12 months.

(3)  A person may be registered under subsection (1) subject to such conditions and restrictions as the Medical Council may impose.

Provisional registration

24.—(1)  This section has effect for enabling persons desirous of obtaining certificates of experience to be employed as mentioned in section 25(1).

(2)  Any person who is qualified to be registered under this Act may, for the purpose of satisfying any requirement as to experience, be provisionally registered for such duration and subject to such conditions or restrictions as the Medical Council may specify, if he produces evidence satisfactory to the Registrar that he has been selected to be engaged in such employment as is mentioned in section 25(1).

(2A)  The Medical Council may cancel the provisional registration of a medical practitioner if —

(a) he fails to comply with any of the conditions or restrictions of his provisional registration; or

(b) the Medical Council is of the opinion, having regard to the report of one or more registered medical practitioners supervising him and the reviews (if any) of the registered medical practitioners or healthcare professionals working with him, that he is unfit or otherwise unable to practise medicine.

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]

(2B)  The Medical Council must, before proceeding under subsection (2A), notify the registered medical practitioner concerned of its intention to cancel his provisional registration under subsection (2A) and must give the registered medical practitioner an opportunity to submit reasons why his registration should not be so cancelled.

(2C)  Any person who is aggrieved by the cancellation of his registration by the Medical Council under subsection (2A) may, within 30 days after being notified of the cancellation, appeal to the Minister whose decision is final.

(3)  Any person who is provisionally registered is to be registered in the Register of Provisionally Registered Medical Practitioners and on a person becoming registered otherwise than provisionally his name must be removed from such register.

Certificate of experience in approved hospital

25.—(1)  A certificate of experience must not be granted in respect of any person unless that person has been engaged in employment as a house officer or in such other similar capacity as may be approved by the Medical Council (called in this section the approved capacity) in one or more hospitals or institutions in Singapore approved by the Medical Council for a prescribed period.

(2)  A person who has been employed as mentioned in subsection (1) may apply for a certificate of experience to the certifying authority, and if the certifying authority is satisfied —

(a) that during the time the applicant has been so employed the person has been engaged for such period or minimum period as may be prescribed in medicine, in surgery and in an approved capacity; and

(b) that the person’s service while so employed has been satisfactory,

the certifying authority is to grant, in such form as may be prescribed, a certificate of experience that it is so satisfied.

(3)  In subsection (2), “certifying authority” means —

(a) the Dean of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine of the National University of Singapore;

(b) the Dean of the Duke‑NUS Medical School Singapore (formerly known as the Duke‑NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore); or

[Act 19 of 2025 wef 05/12/2025]

(c) such other person as may be prescribed.

Experience required for holders of degrees other than Singapore degrees

26.  A person applying for registration by virtue of a degree, other than a Singapore degree, must satisfy the Medical Council that the person has —

(a) a certificate of experience, or a certificate approved by the Medical Council as being equivalent to a certificate of experience and granted by a hospital or an institution outside Singapore that is recognised by the Medical Council for the purpose of this paragraph; or

(b) rendered satisfactory service in any appointment which, in the opinion of the Medical Council, confers experience of the practice of medicine not less extensive than that required for a certificate of experience.

Evidence of qualification and entry of additional qualifications

27.—(1)  No qualification is to be entered on a register unless the Registrar is satisfied by such evidence as the Registrar may consider proper that the person claiming the qualification is entitled to it.

(2)  Every person registered under this Act, who obtains any qualification in addition to the qualification by virtue of which that person has been registered, may apply to the Medical Council to have that additional qualification inserted in a register.

(3)  The Medical Council has power to decide what additional qualifications may be entered in a register.

Application for registration

28.—(1)  Every application for registration under this Act must be made to the Medical Council in such manner or form and must be accompanied by such documents and particulars as the Medical Council may require.

(2)  An application under subsection (1) must be accompanied by the prescribed fee.

(3)  The Medical Council may refuse to register any applicant who, in the opinion of the Medical Council —

(a) is not qualified to be registered;

(b) is not of good reputation and character;

(c) is unfit to practise medicine —

(i) because the applicant’s ability to practise has been impaired by reason of the applicant’s physical or mental condition; or

(ii) for any other reason;

(d) has without reasonable cause failed to submit to a medical examination when required to do so under section 29(4)(b);

(e) has had the applicant’s name removed from a register of medical practitioners in any country whose degrees or licences in medicine are recognised as a qualification entitling the holder of the degree or licence to be registered under this Act; or

(f) has failed to comply with any condition or restriction of any previous registration as may have been imposed on the applicant by the Medical Council.

(4)  Where the Medical Council refuses to register an applicant, the Medical Council must by written notice inform the applicant of such refusal.

(5)  Any person who is aggrieved by any refusal of the Medical Council under subsection (3) may, within one month of the notice given under subsection (4), appeal to the Minister whose decision is final.

(6)  The Registrar must enter the name of a registered medical practitioner in the appropriate register.

(7)  Every registered medical practitioner is, on payment of the prescribed fee, entitled to receive a certificate of registration.

Credentials Committee

29.—(1)  The Medical Council is to appoint a committee called the Credentials Committee, consisting of at least 3 members of the Medical Council, to —

(a) scrutinise all applications for registration other than applications for registration as specialists and family physicians; and

(b) undertake such other duties as the Medical Council thinks fit to assign to the Credentials Committee.

(2)  The term of office of the members of the Credentials Committee and the quorum of the Committee are to be determined by the Medical Council.

(3)  The Credentials Committee may interview the applicants and make such enquiries or do anything which the Committee may think necessary or expedient for discharging its functions under this Act.

(4)  Without limiting subsection (3), the Credentials Committee may, by written notice, require an applicant —

(a) to furnish such further information, documents or particulars as the Credentials Committee may require within the time specified in the notice; or

(b) to submit to a medical examination to be conducted by a registered medical practitioner nominated or approved by the Medical Council within such time as may be specified in the notice.

(5)  The registered medical practitioner who conducts the examination mentioned in subsection (4)(b) must, within 14 days after the examination or such longer time as the Credentials Committee may allow, submit his report on the applicant’s fitness to practise medicine to the Credentials Committee.

(6)  Any applicant who fails to comply with a requirement under subsection (4) within the time stated in the notice is deemed to have withdrawn his application.

Publication of list of registered medical practitioners with practising certificates

30.  The Registrar must publish on the Medical Council’s Internet website, or on such other medium which is accessible to members of the public as the Minister may require, a list of the names, practice addresses, qualifications and dates of qualifications and registration of all registered medical practitioners who have in force a practising certificate.

Alterations in registers

31.  The Registrar must —

(a) insert in a register any alteration which may come to his knowledge in the name or address of any person registered under this Act;

(b) insert in a register such alterations in the qualifications, additional qualifications and other particulars in the register as are required to be altered under this Act;

(c) correct any error in any entry in a register;

(d) remove from a register the name of any person whose name is ordered to be removed under this Act;

(e) remove from a register the name of any person who is deceased;

(f) remove from a register the name of any person who has not renewed his practising certificate for a continuous period of at least 2 years, and who cannot be contacted or sent any document using his particulars in the register; and

(g) remove from a register the name of any person who has requested and shown sufficient reason for his name to be removed from that register, unless an inquiry has or proceedings have commenced under Part 7 against that person.

Power of Medical Council to remove names from registers

32.—(1)  Despite the provisions of this Act, the Medical Council may, upon such evidence as it may require, order the removal from the appropriate register the name of a registered medical practitioner under any of the following circumstances:

(a) if he has been registered with conditional registration and the conditional registration has been cancelled by the Medical Council under section 21(6);

(b) if he has been temporarily registered under section 23 and has contravened or failed to comply with any condition or restriction imposed by the Medical Council;

(c) if he has been registered in the Register of Specialists and —

(i) his name has been removed from the Register of Medical Practitioners; or

(ii) he has contravened or failed to comply with any condition or restriction imposed by the Medical Council under section 22;

(ca) if he has been registered in the Register of Family Physicians and —

(i) his name has been removed from the Register of Medical Practitioners; or

(ii) he has contravened or failed to comply with any condition or restriction imposed by the Medical Council under section 22A;

(cb) if his provisional registration has been cancelled by the Medical Council under section 24(2A);

(d) if he has obtained registration fraudulently or by incorrect statement;

(e) if his degree for registration under this Act has been withdrawn or cancelled by the authority through which it was acquired or by which it was awarded;

(f) if he has had his registration in any other country withdrawn, suspended or cancelled by the authority which registered him;

(g) if he has failed to serve the Government or such other body or organisation as directed by the Government for such period as may be specified in any undertaking given by him to the Government.

(2)  The Medical Council must, before exercising its powers under subsection (1), notify the registered medical practitioner concerned of its intention to take such action and must give the registered medical practitioner an opportunity to submit reasons why his name should not be removed.

(3)  Any person who is aggrieved by any order of the Medical Council under subsection (1) may, within 30 days of being notified of the order, appeal to the Minister whose decision is final.

Restoration of names removed under section 31 or 32

33.—(1)  Where the name of a person has been removed from a register under section 31(f) or 32(1)(a), (b), (c), (ca), (cb) or (g), the Medical Council may, upon application by the person, if it thinks fit direct —

(a) that the person’s name be restored to the register; or

(b) that the person be registered as a medical practitioner with conditional registration in Part II of the Register of Medical Practitioners, and section 21(4) and (6) to (9) applies accordingly.

(2)  An application under subsection (1) must not be made to the Medical Council more than once in any period of 6 months by or on behalf of the medical practitioner.

(3)  An application under subsection (1) must not be made to the Medical Council by or on behalf of the medical practitioner unless the medical practitioner has complied with all the terms of the order made against the medical practitioner under section 32(1), where applicable.

PART 5

SPECIALISTS ACCREDITATION BOARD

Establishment of Specialists Accreditation Board

34.—(1)  There is to be a board called the Specialists Accreditation Board (called in this Part the Board) consisting of at least 8 registered medical practitioners to be appointed by the Minister.

(2)  The chairman of the Board is to be appointed by the Minister from among its members.

(3)  The chairman and members of the Board are appointed for a term not exceeding 3 years but may be re‑appointed and may at any time be removed from office by the Minister.

(4)  If any member of the Board dies, resigns or is removed from office, the Minister may fill the vacancy by the appointment of a registered medical practitioner and every person so appointed holds office for the remainder of the term for which the person’s predecessor was appointed.

(5)  The powers of the Board are not affected by any vacancy in its membership.

(6)  At any meeting of the Board, 3 members form a quorum.

(7)  At any meeting of the Board, the chairman presides and in his absence the members present must elect one of their members to preside at the meeting.

(8)  If on any question to be determined by the Board there is an equality of votes, the chairman or the member presiding at the meeting has a casting vote.

(9)  Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Board may determine its own procedure.

(10)  The Board may appoint one or more committees consisting of such members as it thinks fit to assist the Board in carrying out its functions under this Act.

Functions of Specialists Accreditation Board

35.—(1)  The functions of the Board are —

(a) to determine the qualifications, experience and other conditions for registration as specialists under this Act;

(b) to define specialties in medicine for the purposes of maintaining and keeping the Register of Specialists;

(c) to determine the training programmes to be recognised for persons who intend to qualify for registration as specialists under this Act;

(d) to grant to persons who have the qualifications or experience and who meet the conditions for registration as specialists under this Act certificates to that effect;

(e) to recommend to the Medical Council programmes for the continuing medical education of persons who are registered as specialists under this Act; and

(f) to advise the Medical Council on matters affecting or connected with the registration of specialists under this Act.

(1A)  The Board may further subdivide the specialties in medicine into further classes of sub‑specialties and this section applies, with the necessary modifications, to such sub‑specialties.

(1B)  A reference in this Act to a specialty is to be construed as including a reference to a sub‑specialty.

(2)  Any person who desires to have a certificate from the Board to certify that the person has the qualifications or experience and who meets the conditions for registration as specialists under this Act may apply to the Board.

(3)  Any person who is aggrieved by the refusal of the Board to grant the certificate may, within one month of the notice of the refusal, appeal to the Minister whose decision is final.

PART 5A

FAMILY PHYSICIANS ACCREDITATION BOARD

Establishment of Family Physicians Accreditation Board

35A.—(1)  There is to be a board called the Family Physicians Accreditation Board (called in this Part the Board) consisting of at least 8 registered medical practitioners to be appointed by the Minister.

(2)  The chairman of the Board is to be appointed by the Minister from among its members.

(3)  The chairman and members of the Board are appointed for a term not exceeding 3 years but may be re‑appointed and may at any time be removed from office by the Minister.

(4)  If any member of the Board dies, resigns or is removed from office, the Minister may fill the vacancy by the appointment of a registered medical practitioner and every person so appointed holds office for the remainder of the term for which the person’s predecessor was appointed.

(5)  The powers of the Board are not affected by any vacancy in its membership.

(6)  At any meeting of the Board, 4 members form a quorum.

(7)  At any meeting of the Board, the chairman presides and, in his absence, the members present must elect one of their members to preside at the meeting.

(8)  If on any question to be determined by the Board there is an equality of votes, the chairman or the member presiding at the meeting has a casting vote.

(9)  Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Board may determine its own procedure.

(10)  The Board may appoint one or more committees consisting of such members as it thinks fit to assist the Board in carrying out its functions under this Act.

Functions of Family Physicians Accreditation Board

35B.—(1)  The functions of the Board are —

(a) to determine the qualifications, experience and other conditions for registration as a family physician under this Act;

(b) to define the scope of family medicine for the purposes of maintaining and keeping the Register of Family Physicians;

(c) to determine the training programmes to be recognised for persons who intend to qualify for registration as family physicians under this Act;

(d) to grant to persons who have the qualifications or experience and who meet the conditions for registration as family physicians under this Act certificates to that effect;

(e) to recommend to the Medical Council programmes for the continuing medical education of persons who are registered as family physicians under this Act; and

(f) to advise the Medical Council on matters affecting or connected with the registration of family physicians under this Act.

(2)  Any person who desires to have a certificate from the Board to certify that the person has the qualifications or experience and meets the conditions for registration as a family physician under this Act may apply to the Board.

(3)  Any person who is aggrieved by the refusal of the Board to grant the certificate may, within one month of the notice of refusal, appeal to the Minister whose decision is final.

PART 6

PRACTISING CERTIFICATES

Practising certificates

36.—(1)  Any registered medical practitioner who desires to obtain a practising certificate must make an application to the Medical Council in such form and manner as the Medical Council may require.

(2)  Every application for a practising certificate must be accompanied by the prescribed fee.

(3)  A practising certificate is to be granted for a period not exceeding 2 years from the date of issue of the practising certificate.

(4)  Any application for renewal of a practising certificate must be made not later than one month before the expiry of the practising certificate in such form as the Medical Council may require.

(5)  Any registered medical practitioner who applies for a practising certificate later than one month before the expiry of the practising certificate is liable to pay to the Medical Council such late application fee as may be prescribed by the Medical Council.

(6)  The Medical Council may —

(a) refuse to grant a practising certificate to a registered medical practitioner; or

(b) refuse to renew the practising certificate of the registered medical practitioner,

if the registered medical practitioner fails to comply with any condition that is prescribed by the Medical Council with the approval of the Minister for the purposes of this section.

(7)  Without limiting subsection (6) and section 70(2)(b), the Medical Council may, with the approval of the Minister, prescribe conditions that require a registered medical practitioner applying for the grant or renewal of his practising certificate to —

(a) submit such information or declaration (including statutory declaration) as the Medical Council may require;

(b) comply with such continuing medical education requirements as may be prescribed; and

(c) take out and maintain, or be covered by, adequate and appropriate insurance or other forms of protection with such insurers or other organisations as may be approved by the Medical Council for indemnity against loss arising from claims in respect of civil liability incurred by that practitioner in the course of his medical practice, and which meets such minimum terms and conditions as the Medical Council may determine.

Cancellation of practising certificates

37.—(1)  The Medical Council may cancel any practising certificate issued to a registered medical practitioner if the Medical Council is satisfied that —

(a) the practising certificate has been obtained by the registered medical practitioner by fraud, or the registered medical practitioner has, in connection with the application for the practising certificate, made a statement or provided any information or document that is false, misleading or inaccurate in a material particular; or

(b) the registered medical practitioner fails, or has failed, to comply with any requirement prescribed in connection with the practising certificate (including any requirement that every registered medical practitioner must comply with in order to continue holding the practising certificate).

(2)  Where the Medical Council decides under subsection (1) to cancel a practising certificate, the Medical Council must serve on the registered medical practitioner a notice of the decision.

(3)  A decision by the Medical Council under subsection (1) takes effect on the date the notice under subsection (2) is served on the registered medical practitioner concerned, or on a later date specified in the notice.

(4)  A registered medical practitioner who is aggrieved by the cancellation of his practising certificate under subsection (1) may, within 30 days after receiving the notice mentioned in subsection (2), appeal to the Minister whose decision is final.

(5)  An appeal against a decision to cancel a registered medical practitioner’s practising certificate does not affect the operation of the decision appealed against or prevent the taking of action to implement the decision, and unless otherwise directed by the Minister, the decision appealed against must be complied with until the determination of the appeal.

(6)  Where a registered medical practitioner has had his name removed from any register (other than the Register of Specialists or the Register of Family Physicians) under this Act or has had his registration suspended under this Act, any practising certificate issued to him is deemed cancelled.

(7)  The cancellation or deemed cancellation of a practising certificate under this section does not affect —

(a) the enforcement by any person of any right or claim against the registered medical practitioner; or

(b) the enforcement by the registered medical practitioner of any right or claim against any person.

(8)  A registered medical practitioner whose practising certificate is cancelled or deemed cancelled under this section must, as soon as practicable after receiving notice of the cancellation, removal from a register or suspension of registration (as the case may be), surrender his practising certificate to the Medical Council.

(9)  To avoid doubt, this section does not affect the operation of Part 7.

[Act 34 of 2020 wef 01/07/2022]