Milestones of the Medical School and Medical Progress of Singapore over the Past 100 years

Abstract

The Medical School started off in an old female lunatic asylum on the site of the general hospital at Sepoy Lines. It was founded on 3 July 1905 and was called the Straits and Federated Malay States Government Medical School. In 1916, the Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery (LMS) was recognised fully by the General Medical Council of Britain as a registrable qualification. In 1921, the medical school was renamed King Edward VII College of Medicine to reflect its academic status. In 1926, the College and its hospitals were inspected by Sir Richard Needham, who had been sent by the General Medical Council of Great Britain. In his report, he told the Council that in his opinion, the graduates should be given the MBBS degree because of the high standard of the Medical School. The medical school was closed by the Japanese on 16 February 1942. After the end of World War II, the College of Medicine resumed classes in June 1946. In 1962, the medical faculty became the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Singapore. From 1984 to 1986, following the university's move to Kent Ridge, the Faculty's clinical school also moved to the National University Hospital. In 2004, plans were well underway for the opening of the country's second medical school on the grounds of the Singapore General Hospital.