Background
1. Why is the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) setting up a medical school?
The Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCSoM) is being set up to meet the expected rise in the healthcare demands of a growing and ageing Singapore population. It will augment Singapore’s healthcare manpower by producing top-quality doctors and medical leaders who are attuned to the needs of patients and of the Singapore community. It will also introduce innovations to medical education here and provide more opportunities for Singaporeans to pursue a high-quality medical degree locally.
2. Who is NTU partnering with to establish the LKCSoM?
NTU is partnering Imperial College London to set up the LKCSoM and to run the school’s undergraduate medical programme. The National Healthcare Group (NHG) is the primary clinical training partner for the school.
Curriculum
3. Briefly describe the curriculum for the undergraduate medical programme?
The LKCSoM’s Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme is a five-year undergraduate programme leading to a medical degree awarded jointly by the Imperial College London and NTU. The programme adapts the best of Imperial College London’s world-renowned curriculum and leverages on the engineering, business and biomedical research strengths of NTU in order to provide students with an innovative, multi-disciplinary curriculum aimed at developing medical leaders of tomorrow, for Singapore. Students will be taught the scientific basis of medicine, how to handle the doctor-patient relationship, and will be offered the clinical experience relevant to the needs of Singapore’s healthcare system.
The curriculum will impart medical knowledge, clinical skills and professionalism to students. It will also allow them to develop key general skills, such as interpersonal communication, leadership and life-long learning skills. The LKCSoM's curriculum will be delivered using a breadth of methods, including e-learning modules, simulations, lectures, seminars, webinars and apprenticeships, as well as problem-based and team-based learning.
4. How will the medical education at the LKCSoM differ from that offered at the two existing medical schools?
The LKCSoM will primarily produce clinicians like the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. It intends to pioneer new programmes and pedagogies, starting with the latest model and the best practices in medical education. The LKCSoM’s educational model with its focus on inter-disciplinary learning, will draw on synergies from the fields of medicine, science, engineering, technology and business management.
5. Is the undergraduate medical programme offered full-time or part-time?
It will be a five-year, full-time programme.
6. What is the name of the degree and who will award the degree?
The degree will be a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), awarded jointly by NTU and Imperial College London.
7. What quality assurance processes will there be to ensure that the course is delivered with a high standard?
Imperial College London will be closely involved in the development and implementation of the curriculum as well as the recruitment of top faculty members and students. The LKCSoM will also adhere to Imperial College London’s robust quality assurance procedures. The course will fall under the regulations of the Quality Assurance Agency, and will also have to conform to any local quality assurance requirements imposed by the Singapore Medical Council, NTU or the LKCSoM.
8. Where will students attend lessons?
In the first two years, students will spend half a week at the LKCSoM’s new Novena campus at No 11 Mandalay Road, as well as at NTU’s Yunnan Garden campus. They will spend the other half of the week at healthcare sites. During the next three years, they will be based in healthcare facilities throughout Singapore with the main clinical campus being at Novena, next to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. The teaching facilities at the Novena campus are expected to be ready by mid-2013.
9. Will students of the LKCSoM spend time at Imperial College London?
It is envisaged that in the future, there could be an exchange programme between students of both universities.
10. Will the LKCSoM offer opportunities for postgraduate studies?
The initial emphasis of the LKCSoM is on undergraduate education. However, there may be scope in the future for collaborative arrangements regarding postgraduate studies.
11. Where will the LKCSoM’s MBBS programme be accredited?
The new programme will be accredited in Singapore, in line with the requirements set out by the Singapore Medical Council and Singapore’s Ministry of Health.
12. Who will make up the faculty at the LKCSoM?
A core team of experienced faculty members from Imperial College London will teach at and run the LKCSoM. Faculty members from NTU with the relevant experience and expertise in biological sciences, engineering, technology and business will also be involved in the school.
The core team will be supplemented by a new team of medical faculty staff. NTU and Imperial College London will conduct local and global searches over the next few years as part of the school’s recruitment drive for an excellent faculty committed to delivering a world-class medical education.
Admission
13. When will the first cohort of students be admitted?
The LKCSoM will admit its first cohort of students in August 2013.
14. How many students will the LKCSoM accept each year?
The LKCSoM will receive an initial intake of 50 students in the Academic Year 2013. This will increase to an intake of 150 students or more annually, in the longer term.
15. When will application for the LKCSoM start?
Applications can be made from December 2012 to April 2013.
16. Who will be responsible for the admission process and what admission criteria will be used?
NTU will be responsible for the admission process and criteria for the LKCSoM, in consultation with Imperial College London.
17. Who can apply to the LKCSoM?
We welcome applicants with any of the following qualifications:
(a) Singapore-Cambridge GCE ‘A’ Level
(b) Local Polytechnic Diploma
(c) International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
(d) NUS High School Diploma
(e) Relevant international qualifications
18. What are the selection criteria for admission to LKCSoM?
Apart from the motivation for study, an interest in medicine and the potential to contribute to the course, applicants will also be assessed based on the following:
(a) Academic performance
(b) Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT) score
(c) Personal statement
(d) Multiple Mini-Interviews (MMI)
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend the MMI. Successful applicants will be offered admission to the LKCSoM, subject to clearing their health requirements check.
19. What are the minimum academic requirements for admission to the LKCSoM?
The requirements for the various qualifications are given in the table below:
| Qualifications |
Minimum Requirements |
Singapore-Cambridge
GCE A-level Certificate |
H2 Pass in Chemistry and a H2 Pass
in either Biology or Physics
All H2 subjects must be taken at one sitting
|
International
Baccalaureate Diploma |
Pass in HL Chemistry and either HL Biology or Physics |
| NUS High School Diploma |
Major CAP of 2.0 in Chemistry and either Biology
or Physics
CAP of 1.0 in one other major and in the English
Programme and Research Project |
| Polytechnic Diploma |
Polytechnic students will only be considered if they
have a 5-semester GPA in a Health Science-related diploma |
International Qualifications |
Advice on other international qualifications is available
from the NTU Office of Admissions and Financial Aid
You can visit the NTU Admissions website for more information
(http://admissions.ntu.edu.sg/UndergraduateIntnl
Admissions/Pages/InternationalOthers.aspx#admissioncriteria)
Evidence of proficiency in English language is required:
e.g. IELTS, TOEFL, GCSE O Level/ IGCSE O level
International Baccalaureate, or equivalent qualifications
More details of the minimum acceptable scores can be obtained
from the NTU Office of Admissions and Financial Aid |
Mother Tongue Language (MTL) requirements:
1. Minimum of D7 for the higher MTL paper taken at the 'O' Level examination.
2. Minimum of ‘S’ grade for the H1 MTL paper or General Studies in Chinese.
3. Minimum of 'S' grade for the H2 MTL paper taken at the 'A' Level examination.
4. Pass in the MTL 'B' Syllabus paper at the 'A' Level examination.
If an applicant has been exempted from MTL as approved by MOE, the MOE-approved subject-in-lieu will be considered the MTL subject.
20. What is the Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT)?
The BMAT is a 2-hour pen and paper test consisting of 3 separate sections. The BMAT does not require a great amount of extra study as it relies on the skills and knowledge that candidates should already have. For more information on the BMAT, please visit:
http://www.admissionstests.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/adt/bmat/about.
21. Why is BMAT required for admission to the LKCSoM?
Applicants to medical schools will have achieved very good academic grades. In order to ensure that we choose the best students to read medicine, an additional discriminator is necessary. The BMAT, which is currently used for top level medical schools in the UK, including Imperial College London, has been a good predictor of a student’s performance in a medical school.
22. When should I take the BMAT?
This year’s BMAT takes place on 7 November 2012. Students who would like to sit for this year’s BMAT will need to register in September 2012. The registration dates will be announced at a later date. Only results of the BMAT taken in the 12-month period prior to application to the LKCSoM will be considered in the selection process.
23. Why is the BMAT conducted in the middle of the GCE ‘A’ Level examination period?
BMAT is a global examination taken by students all over the world who apply to the LKCSoM, Imperial College London, University College London, the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, The Royal Veterinary College and others. Hence, the date of the examination is synchronised. Taking the BMAT around the GCE ‘A’ Level examination period may also help in the students’ preparation for the BMAT and vice versa.
24. What is the cut-off point for the GCE ‘A’ Level, IB and other exams for admission to the LKCSoM?
The cut-off point for academic requirements depends on the competition of the pool of applicants each year. From 2014 onwards, applicants may view the indicative grade profiles for LKCSoM for the previous year, which will be published on the LKCSoM’s website.
For the 2013 admissions, applicants may refer to the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine’s website for the indicative grade profile of the school’s previous year’s intake.
http://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/gradeprofile/sprogramme-igp.html
Additionally, applicants may refer to the indicative grade profile of Imperial College London. http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/ugprospectus/facultiesanddepartments/medicine/mbbsmedicine/entryrequirements
25. What are the Multiple Mini-Interviews (MMI)?
They are a series of interviews designed to assess a potential student’s aptitude and capability to successfully complete the MBBS programme. Applicants invited for the MMI will complete a series of 8 mini-interviews, each lasting approximately 5 minutes, conducted in 8 separate interview booths by professionals from various healthcare disciplines.
26. Will all the applicants get to attend the MMI?
Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend the MMI.
27. What are the health requirements for admission to the LKCSoM?
Applicants offered admission to the LKCSoM will need to complete a health screening and provide proof of negative Hepatitis B (Hep B) carrier status, prior to admission into the MBBS programme. Hep B carriers may not be admitted into the MBBS programme.
28. If I am currently serving National Service, can I apply for leave to attend the interview?
Male candidates currently serving National Service will be able to apply for permission to be released by MINDEF for the test and interviews.
29. If I am unsuccessful in my application, how do I receive feedback on my application?
Applicants may request feedback during the application cycle in which the application is made, by contacting the NTU Office of Admissions and Financial Aid and quoting their full name and identification number or application number.
30. If I have other exceptional talents, which I would like to highlight in my application, how do I go about doing it?
You may complete the Exceptional Individual Scheme (EIS) portion of the online application form if you would like to be considered under the EIS. If you are shortlisted by the Selection Committee and have achieved the minimum academic results, you will be invited to attend the interview.
Tuition Fees
31. What are the tuition fees for the new medical programme?
The undergraduate programme at LKCSoM will be highly subsidised by the Singapore Government. This subsidy comes in the form of a tuition grant administered by the Ministry of Education (MOE). Recipients of tuition grants will pay subsidised fees. The tuition fees for our first intake in 2013 will be announced at a later date.
The LKCSoM is committed to widening participation and ensuring that deserving, bright students are given the opportunity to enrol in the medical programme. Generous bursaries will be offered through the NTU Office of Admissions and Financial Aid (OAFA) to assist students with financial difficulties. Details of merit scholarships will be announced at a later date.
32. Where can I find out more about the fees and the MOE Tuition Grant?
For more information on fees and the MOE Tuition Grant, you can refer to the following link: http://admissions.ntu.edu.sg/UndergraduateAdmissions/Pages/FeesTuitionGrant.aspx
33. What is my service obligation?
Students admitted to the LKCSoM, who are not in receipt of the Public Service Commission (PSC) scholarships or bursaries, are required to serve the Government of Singapore upon successful completion of the MBBS course, as outlined in the following table:
| Singaporeans |
5 years (excluding housemanship / first year residency training) |
Singapore PRs and
International students |
6 years (excluding housemanship / first year residency training) |
Those awarded PSC scholarships or bursaries will be bonded according to the terms of their PSC awards. Each student is required to sign an agreement with the government to serve the specified bond period, failing which liquidated damages will be payable.
Management
34. How will the LKCSoM be governed?
The LKCSoM will have a Governing Board, comprised of representatives each from the MOE, MOH, NTU, Imperial College London, NHG and other industry leaders with the expertise and experience to help the LKCSoM achieve its goals.
Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman of The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and a member of NTU’s Board of Trustees, leads the School’s Pro Tem Governing Board. The Pro Tem Governing Board will oversee the setting up of the School until the Governing Board is established.
35. Where can I get more information?
Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine
Website: http://www.lkcmedicine.ntu.edu.sg
Email: admissions-lkcsom@ntu.edu.sg
NTU Office of Admissions and Financial Aid (NTU OAFA)
Website: http://admissions.ntu.edu.sg
Email (Local Qualifications): adm_local@ntu.edu.sg
Email (International Qualifications): adm_intnl@ntu.edu.sg