MBBS Curriculum: Phases I and II

The initial MBBS curriculum phases at National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine are designed to help students adjust to university learning without the stress of grades. These two years lay the foundation for understanding healthy body systems and the scientific basis of medical diseases. There will also be early and regular clinical experiences starting from first year, to prepare our students with Foundations of Clinical Practice.

In addition, with the formal introduction of the new NUS Common Curriculum for Healthcare Professional Education (Five Pillars), our students will learn alongside future health professional colleagues in nursing, pharmacy and dentistry. Learning and working together as a team, our students will be able to contribute to our mission – Inspiring Health for All through programmes such as application of social prescribing, workplace communication and teamwork for patient-centred, relationship based care, and the use of data and digital literacy to enable population healthcare planning, delivery and evaluation.

EnRICH and Mentoring activities are integral to the MBBS curriculum, offering regular and dedicated time across the two years, to better support the well-being of the students as they adjust to life as medical students, and professional development. In support of their entry into the role of a healthcare professional, the first two years of the EnRICH mentoring programme are organised around the themes of “Understanding self, and working effectively within teams/with others”, with focus on values, identity, personal and professional relationship formation building and to be equipped for reflective practice throughout their medical training.

MBBS Curriculum: Phases III, IV and V

These three clinical MBBS Curriculum Phases are when students gradually grow to become competent members of the healthcare team. In Phase III to V, students experience a range of clinical postings, progressing through Core Clinical Practice to Acute and Specialty Clinical Practice, and finally to Advanced Clinical Practice. Students are posted to various hospital teaching sites to experience the various specialties, with a chance to engage in clinical or population-based health research projects, enriching their MBBS clinical practice experience.

Students also get a chance to spend a semester abroad as an exchange student at more than 20 top international medical schools, during two elective periods in Phase III and IV.

Phase V marks the beginning of the transition to a practising doctor, where students will be embedded into healthcare teams in hospitals and clinics and carry out functions similar to that of a junior doctor under supervision.

To better support the students during their clinical years of studies, the EnRICH mentoring programme will be embedded in to their clinical postings to support them in Transition into the Clinical Environment (Phase III), Healthcare System: Working in the Clinical Environment (Phase IV) and Transition to Working Life (Phase V), with specific activities planned, embedded and contextualised accordingly.