Evolution of hand surgery as an independent speciality over three decades: the Singapore model

Abstract

In Singapore, hand surgery has been an independent speciality with its own training programme for more than 30 years. Just as in many countries, the drive for specialization was borne out of an overwhelming clinical need (Pei-Yein et al., 2021; Pho and Pereira, 1992; Teoh, 1995). The 1960s and 1970s were a period of rapid industrialization and growth, inevitably leading to an increase in devastating upper extremity injuries. The Ministry of Health recognized that these injuries demanded special expertise and initiated a phased approach to develop hand surgery as an independent speciality. Hand surgery departments were formed in two tertiary hospitals – Singapore General Hospital (SGH) in 1985 and National University Hospital (NUH) in 1990. A dedicated training programme was started in 1990 and hand surgery was recognized as an independent speciality in 1997. This article reviews the evolution of the hand surgery speciality in Singapore over the past three decades.