NUS Medicine launches Singapore’s first comprehensive Orthopaedics textbook
Published: 08 Sep 2025
Group photo of the authors and senior academic leaders: (Left to right) Assoc Prof Joseph Thambiah, Prof James Hui, Prof Patrick Tan, Dean-designate of Duke-NUS Medical School, Prof Chong Yap Seng, Dean of NUS Medicine, Adj Assoc Prof Hamid Razak, Duke-NUS Medical School, Emeritus Prof Lee Eng Hin, NUS Medicine, Prof Joseph Sung, Dean of Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University
On 15 August 2025, the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) launched its latest textbook, Essentials of Orthopaedics for Undergraduates. Attended by faculty, leaders, and members of the orthopaedic community, the launch event highlighted the school’s commitment to advancing medical education and building strong clinical foundations for medical students.
The programme featured remarks by the book’s authors, Associate Professor Joseph Thambiah and Professor James Hui, with Adjunct Associate Professor Hamid Razak as Guest of Honour. In their speeches, they emphasised the importance of contextualised and accessible resources in nurturing the next generation of clinicians. The occasion was also graced by senior academic leaders including Professor Chong Yap Seng, Dean of NUS Medicine, Professor Patrick Tan, Dean-designate of Duke-NUS Medical School, Emeritus Professor Lee Eng Hin, NUS Medicine and Professor Joseph Sung, Dean of Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University.
Introduction by co-author of Essentials of Orthopaedics for Undergraduates, Assoc Prof Joseph Thambiah, NUS Medicine and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University.
Speech by co-author Prof James Hui, Head of Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, NUS Medicine and NUH.
Speech by Guest of Honour, Adj Assoc Prof Hamid Razak, Duke-NUS Medical School.
About the textbook
Essentials of Orthopaedics for Undergraduates presents a fresh approach to teaching orthopaedics. Centred on real-life clinical cases, it provides a step by step guide to developing the analytical skills required to diagnose and manage common musculoskeletal conditions. With its emphasis on the Asian clinical context, the book translates complex concepts into practical knowledge not only for medical undergraduates, but also for general practitioners and junior residents. Integrated multimedia resources, including video demonstrations of standardised physical examination techniques, reinforce the importance of hands-on clinical assessment in orthopaedics despite advances in imaging. By equipping learners and practitioners with essential clinical skills and deeper analytical abilities, this textbook represents a significant advancement in orthopaedic education and practice.
Group photo with the book launch event attendees.
About the authors
Assoc Prof Joseph Thambiah is Senior Consultant and Director at the National University Spine Institute, National University Health System (NUHS), and Associate Professor with NUS Medicine and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University. He has served as the pioneer Director of Orthopaedic Residency Training at NUHS and Director of Undergraduate Teaching in Orthopaedics at the National University Hospital (NUH). He had long envisioned a contextualised textbook tailored for undergraduates, a goal realised during the COVID-19 years.
Emeritus Professor Lee Eng Hin is from Orthopaedic Surgery at NUS Medicine and an Emeritus Consultant at NUH. He is a specialist in Paediatric Orthopaedics and a former Head of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, as well as former Dean and former Director of the Division of Graduate Medical Studies at NUS Medicine. He plays an important role in postgraduate orthopaedic education in the region as Chair of the Education Committee of the ASEAN Orthopaedic Association and a member of the Education Committee of the Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association.
Prof James Hui Hoi Po is a distinguished leader in orthopaedic surgery, holding the prestigious Ling Chaw Ming Professorship at NUS and is the current Head of Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at NUS Medicine and NUH. A renowned clinician-scientist, Prof Hui directs the National University Tissue Engineering Programme. His prolific research output includes over 200 publications in internationally refereed journals, accumulating more than 15,000 citations. He also serves as associate editor for the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Journal of Cartilage and Journal of the Paediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America.
