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Editorial
Sports medicine in Singapore: integrating into public hospitals and secondary care
  1. Dinesh Sirisena1,
  2. Sharon Lim2,
  3. Kong Chuan Teh1
    1. 1 Sports Medicine Clinic, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Yishun Central, Yishun, Singapore
    2. 2 Moving Space Pte Ltd, Singapore
    1. Correspondence to Dr Dinesh Sirisena, Sports Medicine Clinic, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Yishun Central, Yishun 768828, Singapore; Dinesh.sirisena{at}alexandrahealth.com.sg

    https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2016-096072

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      Since gaining independence from Malaysia in 1965, Singapore has become a financial and cultural hub in South East Asia. Four years after independence, the government decided to develop Sports Medicine, by sponsoring the first Sports Physician to train in the USA.1 The Sports Medicine and Research Centre (SMRC) was established along with the National Stadium in 1973, with a focus on managing national athletes. It also played a part in the ‘Sports for All’ programme, promoting regular exercise and establishing national physical fitness tests. This programme included the National Physical Fitness Award scheme, launched in 1982, for the general public, schools and uniformed personnel, including those of the military.

      Over time, sports medicine was expanded to include biomechanics, nutrition, psychology, and strength and conditioning. Subsequently, it was formalised as a medical specialty in 2007, similar to the UK model, with the first specialist rotation established at Changi General Hospital.2 ,3

      How does sports medicine differ from orthopaedics and primary care?

      Musculoskeletal/exercise medicine education is often lacking in the undergraduate curriculum and junior doctors …

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      Footnotes

      • Twitter Follow Dinesh Sirisena at @sport_med_doc

      • Collaborators Dr Chin Sim Teoh.

      • Contributors DS is the primary author and contributed significantly towards writing the article. SL, TKC and TCS contributed towards writing the article and editing it.

      • Competing interests None declared.

      • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.