Foreign-trained doctors stabilise at 40% amid rising local intake

Singapore has expanded its list of recognised overseas medical schools for the second consecutive year, as authorities seek to meet growing healthcare demands in an ageing society.

Eight New Schools Recognised
On Jan 27, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Singapore Medical Council (SMC) announced that eight additional overseas institutions would be added to the list of recognised medical schools.

This raises the total number from 112 to 120 institutions.

The move comes after a major reduction in 2020, when Singapore trimmed more than 35 per cent of recognised schools, reducing the list from 160 to 103.

Demand Continues To Rise
The earlier cut was made after local medical school intake rose to around 500 students annually, with expectations that reliance on overseas-trained doctors would moderate.

However, healthcare demand has continued to grow as Singapore’s population ages.

MOH said Singapore will need to augment its core of locally trained doctors with a minority of foreign-trained doctors to meet rising healthcare needs.

Doctor Numbers Increase Significantly
According to SMC’s 2025 annual report, Singapore had 17,582 registered doctors at the end of 2024 — nearly 50 per cent more than the 11,733 recorded in 2014.

The doctor-to-population ratio improved from one doctor per 466 people in 2014 to one per 343 people in 2024.

Local medical school intake has also grown steadily, from around 320 students in 2010 to 555 in 2025 — an increase of more than a quarter over the past decade.

Foreign-Trained Doctors Stabilise At 40%
Close to 60 per cent of doctors practising in Singapore were trained locally.

Among the 7,150 foreign-trained doctors, more than half are Singaporeans who studied overseas and returned home. Over 31 per cent are permanent residents.

The overall proportion of foreign-trained doctors has stabilised at about 40 per cent in recent years, after peaking at 42.8 per cent in 2016.

Foreign-trained doctors typically undergo conditional or provisional registration and must work under supervision before full registration.

Criteria For Recognising Schools
MOH and SMC consider several factors when recognising overseas institutions, including international rankings, English as the language of instruction and the performance track record of graduates.

While six of the eight newly recognised schools improved or maintained their rankings in 2025, two institutions saw slight dips.

MOH stressed that recognition does not equate to active recruitment and reiterated that professional standards remain tightly regulated to safeguard patient safety.

Singapore’s decision to expand its list of recognised medical schools reflects the ongoing need to strengthen its healthcare workforce amid demographic shifts. While local training remains the backbone of the system, foreign-trained doctors — many of them Singaporeans returning home — continue to play a stabilising role. As healthcare demand rises, balancing quality, capacity and sustainability will remain central to workforce planning.

Sources: Straits Times (2026) , Malay Mail (2026)

Keywords: Recognised Medical Schools Singapore, Foreign Trained Doctors Singapore, Local Medical School Intake, Doctor Population Ratio Singapore, SMC Annual Report