Medical students choose their future careers based on many factors, of which many have been proposed. There are no clear reasons why medical students choose one specialty over others. This literature review serves as a starting point for a proposed study on Singaporean medical students’ attitudes towards FM as a career choice. The search covered period from 1993 - 2012 using Medline database and the keywords: medical students, career choice, Family Medicine or general practitioner/ general practice. Twenty articles (out of 274) met the review criteria. Three themes emerged - career choice specific to FM and in general and on attitudes towards FM. Positive factors included: female gender, older age, perceived lifestyle, rural background, a patient/societal orientation and experience with role-models. Negative factors included: research interest, nature of work, low income/prestige and debt repayment. Proportion of students interested in FM as a career was below 30% in most studies. The review showed that factors affecting career choices are complex. Difference in healthcare systems were also important factors. It is uncertain if studies conducted in different countries are reproducible. This review identified possible factors affecting medical students’ interest in a FM career and their attitudes towards FM as a profession.

The core of the Family Medicine (FM) vision is patient-centred care, requiring specific education and vocational training. We traced how FM education started and what have been achieved. FM training began in 1971 with the formation of the College of General Practitioners Singapore. Previously, training consisted of self-directed learning, lunchtime talks and examination preparation courses run by hospital specialists. Formal FM vocational training programmes in the United Kingdom and Australia provided the model for a 3-year programme in 1988. The tripartite relationship between the local university, College of Family Physicians and Ministry of Health, together with a structured training programme, contributed to its success. To date, more than 240 Family Physicians in Singapore have been awarded the Masters in Medicine (FM) degree. The Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine programme (GDFM) was introduced in 2000 for Family Physicians who wished to practice at an enhanced level. This programme has trained 194 doctors since then. Behind the scenes, the following were important developments: counterculture with a difference, tripartite stake-holding, training the trainers and learning from others. For the FM undergraduate programme, our aim is to develop the knowledge base, core values and roles of the Family Physician. Sustaining the value of Family Medicine as a career choice is the enduring vision.
Credentialing ; history ; Education, Medical, Continuing ; history ; Education, Medical, Graduate ; history ; Family Practice ; education ; history ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Singapore

INTRODUCTIONIntravenous calcium gluconate has been used to prevent postoperative hypocalcaemia (POH) following parathyroidectomy for secondary hyperparathyroidism in chronic kidney disease (CKD).

MATERIALS AND METHODSRetrospective data were obtained for 36 patients with CKD stage 4 and 5 after parathyroid surgery, correlating albumin-corrected serum calcium with the infusion rate of calcium gluconate. Calcium flux was characterised along with excursions out of the target calcium range of 2 to 3 mmol/L. With this data, an improved titration regimen was constructed.

RESULTSMean peak efflux rate (PER) from the extracellular calcium pool was 2.97 mmol/h occurring 26.6 hours postoperatively. Peak calcium efflux tended to occur later in cases of severe POH. Eighty-one per cent of patients had excursions outside of the target calcium range of 2 to 3 mmol/L. Mean time of onset for hypocalcaemia was 2 days postoperatively. Hypocalcaemia was transient in 25% and persistent in 11% of patients.

CONCLUSIONA simple titration regimen was constructed in which a 10% calcium gluconate infusion was started at 4.5 mL/h when serum calcium was <2 mmol/L, then increased to 6.5 mL/h and finally to 9.0 mL/h if calcium continued falling. Preoperative oral calcium and calcitriol doses were maintained. Blood testing was done 6-hourly, but when a higher infusion rate was needed, 4-hourly blood testing was preferred. Monitoring was discontinued if no hypocalcaemia developed in the fi rst 4 days after surgery. If hypocalcaemia persisted 6 days after surgery, then the infusion was stopped with further monitoring for 24 hours.

Adult ; Aged ; Calcium ; blood ; Calcium Gluconate ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperparathyroidism, Secondary ; surgery ; Hypocalcemia ; prevention & control ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Parathyroidectomy ; Retrospective Studies

INTRODUCTIONIt is important that medical students possess the correct attitude towards the elderly and not have an ageist attitude. This is because they will be caring for an increasing proportion of elderly patients. We thus sought to assess the attitudes of our medical students towards the elderly.

MATERIALS AND METHODSWe conducted a cross-sectional study assessing the attitudes towards the elderly of 225 fi rst-year and 135 third-year students using a self-administered questionnaire that incorporated the Kogan's Attitudes Toward Old People Scale (KAOP). Elderly people were defined as those aged 65 years and above for this study.

RESULTSThe majority of fi rst- (98.2%) and third-year (99.2%) medical students had positive attitudes towards elderly people (KAOP score above 102). KAOP scores were not significantly different regardless of seniority (medical student year), gender, race, household income, or having a doctor-parent. Although the mean KAOP score of third-year students was higher than that of fi rst-year students, this was not significantly different (P = 0.062).

CONCLUSIONSMedical students in Singapore have a positive attitude towards the elderly. It is important that their medical curriculum continues to have an increasing geriatric component in view of the increasing numbers of older persons that they will be caring for due to the ageing population.

Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Attitude of Health Personnel ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Health Care Surveys ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Pilot Projects ; Prejudice ; Psychometrics ; Self-Assessment ; Singapore ; Social Perception ; Students, Medical ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

Postgraduate Family Medicine (FM) training is important to train future primary care doctors to provide accessible and cost effective healthcare. In Singapore, a structured postgraduate FM training programme has been available for 20 years. This programme is characterised by involvement of both FM and non-FM doctors, well written modules and a rigorous assessment process. However, challenges faced by both the current healthcare system and training structure underlie the need to review the training structure to ensure its relevancy for future Family Physicians (FPs) to manage the needs of their patients. A workgroup was formed to review the current FM postgraduate programme and to explore the possibility of using the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) framework to enhance our current system. The workgroup felt that broad-based training and comprehensive coverage of topics are areas that are important to retain in any new FM residency programme. Weaknesses identified included a lack of early FM exposure and the need to strengthen formative assessments. New organisational structures such as Family Medicine Centres (FMC) need to be established and the involvement of the private sector in any FM residency progammes could be enhanced. The implementation of the FM Residency Programme in 2011 presented a unique opportunity to realign FM postgraduate education in line with the national objectives and to equip FPs with the necessary knowledge and skills for managing the future healthcare needs of Singaporeans.
Clinical Competence ; standards ; Curriculum ; standards ; Education, Medical, Graduate ; organization & administration ; standards ; Family Practice ; education ; Humans ; Internship and Residency ; organization & administration ; Program Development ; Singapore

INTRODUCTIONWe aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of canagliflozin as compared to sitagliptin in a real-world setting among multiethnic patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Singapore.

METHODSThis was a new-user, active-comparator, single-centre retrospective cohort study. Patients aged 18-69 years with T2DM and estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m were eligible for inclusion if they were initiated and maintained on a steady daily dose of canagliflozin 300 mg or sitagliptin 100 mg between 1 May and 31 December 2014, and followed up for 24 weeks.

RESULTSIn total, 57 patients (canagliflozin 300 mg, n = 22; sitagliptin 100 mg, n = 35) were included. The baseline patient characteristics in the two groups were similar, with overall mean glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) of 9.4% ± 1.4%. The use of canagliflozin 300 mg was associated with greater reductions in HbA1c (least squares [LS] mean change -1.6% vs. -0.4%; p < 0.001), body weight (LS mean change -3.0 kg vs. 0.2 kg; p < 0.001) and systolic blood pressure (LS mean change: -9.7 mmHg vs. 0.4 mmHg; p < 0.001), as compared with sitagliptin 100 mg. About half of the patients on canagliflozin 300 mg reported mild osmotic diuresis-related side effects that did not lead to drug discontinuation.

CONCLUSIONOur findings suggest that canagliflozin was more effective than sitagliptin in reducing HbA1c, body weight and systolic blood pressure in patients with T2DM, although its use was associated with an increased incidence of mild osmotic diuresis-related side effects.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Blood Glucose ; drug effects ; Blood Pressure ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; Canagliflozin ; administration & dosage ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; drug therapy ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; administration & dosage ; Least-Squares Analysis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osmosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Singapore ; Sitagliptin Phosphate ; administration & dosage ; Systole ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTIONSubjective indicators of health like self-rated health (SRH) have been shown to be a predictor of mortality and morbidity. We determined the prevalence of poor SRH in Singapore and its association with various lifestyle and socioeconomic factors and disease states.

MATERIALS AND METHODSCross-sectional survey by interviewer-administered questionnaire of participants aged 40 years and above. SRH was assessed from a standard question and categorised into poor, fair, good or excellent. Lifestyle factors, socioeconomic factors and presence of disease states were also assessed.

RESULTSOut of 409 participants, 27.6% rated their health as poor or fair, 53.1% as good and 19.3% as excellent. Smaller housing-type (PRR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.10- 2.44) and lack of exercise (PRR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.06-2.22) were found to be associated with poor SRH. Presence of chronic diseases such as coronary artery disease (PRR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.13-3.17), diabetes mellitus (PRR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.18-2.91), history of cancer (PRR: 2.15, 95% CI: 1.05-4.41) and depression (PRR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.13-2.65) were associated with poor SRH.

CONCLUSIONPrevalence and factors associated with poor SRH in Singapore was comparable to other developed countries. SRH is an important subjective outcome of health and has the potential for wider use in clinical practice in Singapore.

Adult ; Aged ; Chronic Disease ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Health Status Indicators ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Socioeconomic Factors

In many countries, family medicine (FM) training has been conducted mainly by senior family physicians alone. However, FM training in Singapore in the last 30 years has involved specialists working in close collaboration with family physicians. The areas in which specialists are currently involved include the training of FM trainees in tertiary hospitals, the Master of Medicine in Family Medicine [MMed (FM)] and Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (GDFM) programmes. This close relationship has been crucial in the continuing vocational and professional development of family physicians and in fostering closer collaboration between family physicians and specialists, thus ultimately benefiting patient care.
Education, Medical, Graduate ; Humans ; Interdisciplinary Communication ; Medicine ; Physicians, Family ; education ; Singapore ; Specialization

INTRODUCTIONWith the potential threat of an avian influenza (AI) pandemic, healthcare workers (HCWs) are expected to play important roles, and they encounter significant stress levels from an expected increase in workload. We compared the concerns, perceived impact and preparedness for an AI pandemic between HCWs working in public primary care clinics and a tertiary healthcare setting.

MATERIALS AND METHODSAn anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was given to 2459 HCWs working at 18 public polyclinics (PCs) and a tertiary hospital (TH) in Singapore from March to June 2006. The questionnaire assessed work-related and non-work-related concerns, perceived impact on personal life and work as well as workplace preparedness.

RESULTSWe obtained responses from 986 PC and 873 TH HCWs (response rate: 74.6% and 76.7%). The majority in both groups were concerned about the high AI risk from their occupation (82.7%) and falling ill with AI (75.9%). 71.9% accepted the risk but 25.5% felt that they should not be looking after AI patients with 15.0% consider resigning. HCWs also felt that people would avoid them (63.5%) and their families (54.1%) during a pandemic. The majority expected an increased workload and to feel more stressed at work. For preparedness, 74.2% felt personally prepared and 83.7% felt that their workplaces were prepared for an outbreak. TH HCWs were more likely to be involved in infection-control activities but the perception of infection-control preparedness in both groups was high (>80.0%).

CONCLUSIONSHCWs in both public primary and tertiary healthcare settings felt prepared, personally and in their workplaces, for a pandemic. Their main concerns were risks of falling ill from exposure and the possibility of social ostracism of themselves and their families. Preparedness levels appeared high in the majority of HCWs. However, concerns of HCWs could affect their overall effectiveness in a pandemic and should be addressed by incorporating strategies to manage them in pandemic planning.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Attitude of Health Personnel ; Birds ; Disaster Planning ; Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Humans ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional ; prevention & control ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; pathogenicity ; Influenza in Birds ; transmission ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; transmission ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Primary Health Care ; Singapore

INTRODUCTIONDuring an avian influenza (AI) pandemic, primary-care physicians (PCPs) are expected to play key roles in the prevention and control of the disease. Different groups of PCPs could have different concerns and preparedness level. We assessed the concerns, perceived impact and preparedness for an outbreak among PCPs in Singapore.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA cross-sectional survey of PCPs working in private practice (n=200) and public clinics (n=205) from March to June 2006 with an anonymous self-administered questionnaire on concerns (12- items), perceived impact (10 items) and preparedness (10 items) for an outbreak.

RESULTSTwo hundred and eighty-five PCPs responded - 149 (response rate: 72.7%) public and 136 (response rate: 67.3%) private. The majority were concerned about risk to their health from their occupation (95.0%) and falling ill with AI (89.7%). Most (82.5%) accepted the risk and only 33 (11.8%) would consider stopping work. For perceived impact, most felt that people would avoid them (69.6%) and their families (54.1%). The majority (81.3%) expected an increased workload and feeling more stressed at work (86.9%). For preparedness, 78.7% felt personally prepared for an outbreak. Public PCPs were more likely to be involved in infection-control activities and felt that their workplaces were prepared.

CONCLUSIONSMost PCPs felt personally prepared for an outbreak but were concerned about their exposure to AI and falling ill. Other concerns included social ostracism for themselves and their families. Public PCPs appeared to have a higher level of preparation. Addressing concerns and improving level of preparedness are crucial to strengthen the primary-care response for any AI outbreak.

Adult ; Animals ; Birds ; Communicable Disease Control ; methods ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Disease Outbreaks ; prevention & control ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Health Care Surveys ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; isolation & purification ; Influenza in Birds ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Physicians, Family ; statistics & numerical data ; Risk Factors ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires