SINGAPORE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

Formed in 1959, the Singapore Medical Association (SMA) is the national medical organisation representing the majority of medical practitioners in both the public and private sectors.

The objectives of the SMA are:

•   to promote the medical and allied sciences in Singapore
•   to maintain the honour and interests of the medical profession;
•   to foster and preserve the unity and aim of purpose of the medical profession as a whole;
•   to voice its opinion and to acquaint the Government and other relevant bodies with the policies and attitudes of  the profession;
•   to support a higher standard of medical and conduct;
•   to enlighten and direct public opinion on problems of health in Singapore; and
•   to publish papers, journals and other materials in furtherance of these objectives.

Membership Benefits

As an SMA member, you will receive the following benefits:

• Receipt of the SMA monthly mailbag which contains important notices from the Ministry of Health and the SMA Council, information on medical meetings and conferences held locally and abroad, details of continuing medical education programmes and other announcements.

• Complimentary copies of the following SMA publications:

• The monthly Singapore Medical Journal (SMJ), which is listed in the Index Medicus, featuring research papers and case reports written by local and foreign doctors. The SMA  Newsletter containing articles on current medical issues, news and information on both the local and foreign medical scenes, a forum page for members to voice their opinions, and professional announcements.
• SMA members also  receive the Medical Journal of Malaysia and the Berita MMA.
 
• Reduced rates for insertion of advertisement or professional announcements in the SMJ.

• Participation in all SMA activities, often free of charge, or at reduced rates. The SMA organises talks, seminars and conferences pertaining to medical and ethical issues on topics such as “Managed Healthcare”, “Setting Up A Medical Practice”, and “Medico-Legal Issues”.

• Member’s views on important issues like national health policies. managed healthcare, living wills and advertising are sought through questonnaires to enable the SMA Council to prepare position papers for submission to government agencies.

• Members of the SMA Council and SMA Ethics Committee are always available to talk to members who seek advice on ethical problems.

• Members will qualify for a UOB Affinity Visa Gold Card with Smart Card benefits so long as their annual income is at least $30,000 as required by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. The annual fee is waived for the first five years.

• SMA provides insurance packages, like group term life, personal accident, hospitalisation and surgical insurance, underwritten by various insurance companies, to suit the needs of members at competitive premium rates.

• SMA provides a discount scheme for members under which they enjoy special discounts at both commercial and medical-related establishments. Discounts offered range from food outlets to medical products.

• SMA members are not charged any fee for listing in the locum register. Members seeking locums are furnished with an updated list of locums free of charge.

• SMA organises social activities for members such as the Inter-Professional Games, SMA Golf Tournament and SMA Annual Dinner.

• The SMA Trust Fund is a fund set up to help allevaite unexpected financial hardship among members and/or their immediate families.

Secretariat Services

The SMA Secretariat provides the following services to members:

• Assistance in applications for tax exemption whenever they attend a medical meeting locally or overseas.

• Information on companies that specialise in clinic computerisation and other clinic support services like servicing of air-conditioners.

• Letters of introduction and letters of good standing for members applying for membership to foreign medical associations and medical boards.

• Members can purchase SMA fee guideline tent cards, SMA ties and handbooks for clinic assistants at reduced prices.

Community Services

SMA conducts the following courses:

• Training courses for clinic assistants leading to the Certificate in Healthcare.

• Courses in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) which include the Basic Life Support Course and the Advanced Life Support Course.
 

• SMA administers the Medik Awas scheme, a community service service launched in 1970, which aims to reduce medical mishaps by alerting medical and dental personnal of problems of patients through the use of identification devices.

• SMA organises an annual National Medical Convention which focuses on current medical issues.

Complimentary Welcome Pack

Upon joining SMA, you will receive the following items:

• A copy of the SMA Constitution

• A copy of the SMA Ethical Code

• A copy of the SMA Guideline on Fees for Doctors in Private Practice

• An SMA  car label

To All The Following Questions, There Is Only One Answer – SMA
 

• Whom can I turn to if I need an assistant doctor or locum, or if I have a practice or medical equipment for sale?

• Am I not missing something if I don’t read the SMJ? Where do I get this publication from?

• If I have an ethical problem, whom can I consult?

• Who can assist me with tax exemption applications for medical meetings and conferences I wish to attend?

• If I wish to join a foreign medical association or practise in another country, whom can I turn to for a letter of introduction and good standing?

• I need to insure my clinic and clinic assistants. Where can I obtain an insurance policy?

How To Apply For Membership?

You may write in for an application form from the SMA at the followinng address: 2 College Road, Alumni Medical Centre, Singapore 169850. Alternnatively, you can call the SMA at 223-1264 of fax 224-7827.
 

Membership Categories
 

• Ordinary Membership shall be open to every medical practitioner registered or provisionally registered in the Register of the Singapore Medical Council.

• Associate Membership shall be open to all final year medical students.

• Scientific Membership shall be open to any person who does not qualify for Ordinary, Associate, Honorary or Life Membership of the SMA. Scientific Members must be in a profession allied or ancillary to the Medical Profession.

• Overseas Membership shall be open to any medical practitioner who, having been an SMA Ordinary Member, leaves Singapore and takes up permanent residence outside Singapore, or to any medical practitioner ordinarily residing outside Singapore who possesses qualifications as scheduled in the Medical Registration Act of Singapore. In cases of qualifications that are not scheduled in the Medical Registration Act of Singapore, these may be considered on a case-to-case basis.

Note
Ordinary Members joining the Association during the second half of the year need to pay only half the annual subscription in respect of that year.