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Currently, sports medicine services are only available at select specialist clinics in public hospitals and private clinics. However, the scope of sports medicine practice has expanded beyond sports-related injuries to include prevention of common chronic diseases and treatment of general musculoskeletal injuries, which are particularly common in older people.
With this growing scope, coupled with the number of senior citizens in Singapore expected to climb to 900,000 by 2030, the demand for sports medicine services is set to rise exponentially. This creates an urgent need to develop another tier of sports medicine caregiver who are based in the heartland communities. Being readily accessible to the public, medical practitioners with this knowledge and skillset will play a leading role in the prevention of injuries and chronic disease as well as the management of minor injuries and prompt referral of complex cases to sports medicine specialists.
The GDSM programme, aimed primarily at medical doctors registered with the Singapore Medical Council (SMC), will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to confidently perform pre-participation screening for sport and exercise, manage general and sports-related musculoskeletal injuries in the primary care setting, and provide medical support for sports programmes and events, among others.
Endorsed by the SMC, graduates of the diploma can display the qualification in their clinics to attest to the additional skills they possess. 50 CME points (non-core points will be awarded for non-Sports Medicine specialists) will be awarded to SMC-registered doctors during and after completing the programme.
- GDSM is the first graduate Sports Medicine programme in Singapore.
- Be equipped with the knowledge and skills to confidently perform pre-participation screening for sports and exercise, manage general and sports-related musculoskeletal injuries in the primary care setting, and provide medical support for sports programmes and events.
- Scope of sports medicine practice includes prevention of common chronic diseases and treatment of general musculoskeletal injuries common in older people, which is most relevant for an ageing population.
- Juggle full-time clinical work with this flexible one-year part-time programme featuring blended learning including online lectures, practical workshops, and clinical attachment.
- Syllabus and programme are reviewed by Professor Peter Brukner, world renowned Sports Medicine physician and co-author of “Clinical Sports Medicine”
- The GDSM programme is taught by Sports Medicine Specialists, Senior Physiotherapists and Sport Scientists.
- Endorsed by the Singapore Medical Council (SMC), 50 CME points (non-core points for non-Sports Medicine specialist) will be awarded to SMC-registered doctors upon successful completion.
- Opportunities to learn and network with fellow healthcare professionals
- Developed by Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University (ranked 13th in the world in the 2021 QS World University Rankings and 2nd in Asia in the 2020 QS World University Rankings) in partnership with Changi General Hospital
- Up to $1,000 SkillsFuture credit available for Singapore citizens to subsidise tuition fees
WHY GDSM?
"While sports medicine has its roots in caring for athletes, it can also play important roles in chronic disease prevention and management, and in caring for the elderly who are prone to musculoskeletal injuries.
Equipping general
practitioners and family medicine physicians with this additional knowledge and skillset brings care to the heartlands, so that injuries can be prevented and managed at the primary care level, and more complicated cases can be promptly referred
to the specialist clinics."
Dr Fabian Lim
Programme Director, GDSM
"Prior to this, such courses were only available in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Graduate Diploma in Sports Medicine will provide doctors interested in sports and exercise medicine with an accessible and professionally
recognised training programme that will benefit both their practice and patients.
Furthermore, there is increasing evidence regarding the role of physical activity in the prevention and management of chronic diseases such as
obesity, hypertension, coronary heart disease and diabetes. The skills imparted will enable doctors to use exercise as a tool in the battle against these diseases with confidence.”
Adjunct A/Prof Roger Tian
Senior Consultant, Singapore Sport & Medicine Centre @ Changi General Hospital
Course Director (Clinical), GDSM
"Sports injuries see better outcomes when given prompt attention, and that is why primary care doctors need to be better equipped to manage these injuries."
Adjunct A/Prof Benedict Tan
Chief of Sport & Exercise Medicine, Singapore Sport & Medicine Centre @ Changi General Hospital
Chairman, GDSM Advisory Committee
HEAR FROM OUR ALUMNI
"I am a geriatrician and my sub-specialty is in Falls and Balance. My initial interest in this course was sparked by the gap I felt when I was seeing my patients, and many of them have musculoskeletal issues either causing the falls and/or caused by the falls. I felt ill-equipped to manage their issues. Beyond referring to the physiotherapist, I had close to zero practical knowledge about the management of musculoskeletal problems. This course has greatly equipped me with the skills of assessing musculoskeletal issues and some basic management principles. Lastly, what I learned about muscle health and exercise prescription have also revolutionised the way I counsel my patients about physical activity and the management of sarcopenia.
I would also like to mention the trans-disciplinary nature of GDSM and how this approach, I feel, is increasingly important in healthcare. We were taught by not just doctors but also exercise physiologists and physiotherapists. I got acquainted again with some topics that are important to health maintenance and healthcare but often neglected in our often disease-centric approach in medicine. These include topics like diet and nutrition, physical activity and exercise, and how to work in a multi-disciplinary team.
A trans-disciplinary approach involves transcending professional boundaries, acting collaboratively, continuous co-learning amongst the team members, culminating in shared goals and humanistic care of the patient. And I definitely see this approach embedded within GDSM."
Dr Yap Kwee Yong
Class of 2022
Consultant, Geriatric Medicine, TTSH
"There are many post graduate sports medicine programmes offered overseas but commitment to these overseas courses may present many challenges for the physicians as they involve travel for onsite attachments and course assessments.
Joining a local course makes perfect sense for me as
the programme negates these barriers and the syllabus is catered to suit the local sports context.
The GDSM allows for a more holistic approach to the management
of athletes and patients with sports injuries. It also allows me to prescribe exercise to my patients with greater confidence.
This programme is recommended to physicians who wants to have an overview on the
management of sports injuries, prescribing exercises and the various resources available for people to keep fit and healthy."
Dr Mohammad Ashik Bin Zainuddin
Class of 2022
Head ＆ Senior Consultant
Sport and Exercise Medicine Service, KKH
"Many of my patients have various symptoms related to their musculoskeletal system as well.
Hence, I think that I can be a better doctor if I am able to provide appropriate advice to my patients.
The course has been extremely helpful. With better clinical skills in diagnosing musculoskeletal problems, I can better diagnose their problems and provide appropriate advice on evaluation of their musculoskeletal symptoms.
Being able to prescribe exercise and work with physiotherapists and podiatrists to prescribe the appropriate therapy and follow up the patient’s progress have also been fulfilling. In the past,
I would just refer patients for
physiotherapy but now I am able to have a discussion with physiotherapists on actual therapy with measurable outcomes. In addition, I can also give advice to them on avoiding injuries.
With GDSM, I can work better with my colleagues in orthopaedics and radiology as we now have a common understanding of the patient’s problems. Overall, I find the course to be beneficial and I
will strongly encourage other doctors
to enrol in the programme. I would like to thank all the
lecturers and staff of the GDSM course for making this a most enjoyable course."
Dr Lim Chun Leng Michael
Class of 2022
Cardiologist, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore
- General Practitioners with at least six years post-Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery qualification or equivalent; or
- Family Medicine Physicians and other SMC-registered Specialists; or
- General Practitioners with a Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (GDFM); and
- Hold a primary medical qualification endorsed by the Singapore Medical Council.
Other Requirements (if applicable)
Applicants whose MBBS qualification is not from a local autonomous university are required to furnish evidence of proficiency in English language if the medium of instruction is not English.
Application Procedures
f. SMC practising certificate
Are you practicing in a sports and exercise medicine-related environment and/or are sports-related injuries a major part of your current practice? Please elaborate.
Application Period
1 January 2022 – 30 April 2022
Application Fee
Payment Modes
More details on the above payment modes can be found here.
The GDSM curriculum combines online lectures and workshops to cater to the needs of medical doctors, who must maintain operation of their clinics concurrently. The ratio of online (72 hours) to contact-hours (53 hours), therefore, balances competency development with flexibility for participants. To complement the online mode of teaching, students will also have access to consultation-sessions with the respective facilitator for each module.
The practical components of the programme comprise workshops held at LKCMedicine’s Novena campus on weekends and clinical / field attachments. Clinical attachments will be offered at participating Sports Medicine clinics.
Faculty
Clinical/Field Attachments
Students will be attached to sports medicine departments at participating sports medicine clinics to observe sports medicine clinicians practising on actual cases. Where possible, and if there are suitable ongoing sporting events, the clinical attachment will also include medical cover of sporting events.
Summary Training
Download the GDSM programme calendar for the July 2021 intake here.
Assessments & Examination
Tuition Fee
Period Of Study | Location Of Study | Tuition And Service Fees |
| 1 year | Singapore (for practical components of programme) | Tuition Fee S$5,400 (excludes GST, all course materials and books) The programme fees are reviewed annually and may be revised. The University reserves the right to adjust the programme fees without prior notice Student Services Fee S$251 (includes GST, for two semesters; subject to change) |
Notes
- All fees are subject to changes without prior notice.
Funding
For enquiries related to SkillsFuture Credit Claim, please email to SFCredit@ntu.edu.sg.
Payment Mode
Deferment & Withdrawal
For More Information
To refer to our list of FAQs and Information Sessions, please click here.