Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (GDFM)
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General Information
Introduction
The GDFM is a structured training programme for family
physicians in
Application Form
Application
form can be downloaded from the College website when registration opens.
Aims and Objectives
GDFM
aims to provide a comprehensive and structured training programme for doctors
working in primary care so that they can practice family medicine at an
enhanced level, catering to the healthcare needs of the child, the
adolescent, the adult and the elderly.
Eligibility
The
candidate must possess the following to be eligible to register for the GDFM
programme:
- A basic
degree of the MBBS or equivalent qualification registered with the
Singapore Medical Council (SMC)
- Full or conditional
registration with the SMC; temporary registered practitioners must
support their applications with recommendations from their HOD and CMB
- Must fulfil
CME requirements
- Must have
1-year working experience in
- Must hold a
current and valid practising certificate
Course
Overview
The
programme is designed for practicing doctors who may have a busy work
schedule. The distance learning components enable the learning of core
knowledge and skills. Interaction with peers, trainers and expert resource
persons are conducted via e-Learning and face-to-face sessions are conducted
outside regular office hours. The course is divided into 8 modules, each
comprising of 2 learning units. Each module includes (conducted over the
period of 3 months):
- Reading
materials for self-study (Downloading from e-learning website)
- Online case
studies and multiple choice assessments
- 4
interactive Saturday afternoon seminars (each 2.5 hours in duration)
- 1 tutorial
(each of 1 hour in duration)
In addition to the 8 modules,
candidates must complete 4 GDFM specific short courses and 1 elective Family
Practice Skills Course (FPSC). These are short courses conducted over 2
weekends that cover specific areas in family medicine. There is also the BCLS
competency certificate which is mandatory for examination applications with
DGMS, NUS. Candidates must satisfy this requirement on their own.
The FMTP Modular Course (FMMC)
consists of 4 weekend afternoon workshops per quarter. The structure of each
module consists of 2 units. Each unit consists of 4 chapters; each chapter
has 2 case studies. One workshop covers 4 case studies. At each workshop, the
case studies of 2 chapters would be covered, i.e. 4 case studies. The active
tutorial groups are to present to the class on the case study they are
assigned to. The rest of the trainees are encouraged to field questions
relating to the case studies. Attendance of at least 3 of the 4 workshops
(i.e. minimum 75% attendance per module) is mandatory for each FMMC module to
be certified complete.
GDFM Tutorials
The
GDFM tutorials are conducted once per quarter (after the weekend workshops)
and are based on the theme of the FMMC module of that particular quarter.Each
trainee is assigned to a tutorial group of 8-10 mentored by a GDFM tutor.
Trainees are to arrange with their respective tutor for the tutorial at a
mutually agreed location and time.
There are a total of 8 tutorials for the 2 year course
and all tutorials are compulsory. At each tutorial, your tutor will require
you to sign on the tutorial attendance sheet.
GDFM Courses
The
GDFM Specific Short Courses emphasize on basic clinical diagnostic and
management skills essential to general practice and will be conducted in the
two years. The 5 GDFM courses are
Principles
& Practice of FM (P&P)
Consultation,
Communication & Counselling (CCC)
Professionalism,
Ethics & Law Skills Course
GDFM
Clinical Revision Course
Trainees may choose to do any 1 of
the Family Practice Skills Courses (FPSC) conducted by the
- Distance
learning course – six units published in the Singapore Family
Physician Journal with MCQ test
- Two
Seminars
- One
Clinical Teaching Session
-
Components may vary from course to
course.
E-Learning
Each quarter, trainees in the
tutorial group is to take turn to upload a case review to the e-learning
website for discussion.
In addition, trainees are also
required to logon to the e-learning website and complete the MCQ assessment
pertaining to the module covered each quarter.The course is divided into 8
modules, each comprising of 2 learning units.
Each Module includes (conducted over the period of 3 months):
- Reading
materials for self-study (Downloadable from e-learning website)
- Online case
studies and multiple choice assessments (Accessed via e-learning
platform website)
- 4
interactive Saturday afternoon seminars (each of 2.5hrs in duration)
- 1 tutorial
(each of 1hr in duration)
GDFM
Examination
The examination
is conducted by the DGMS, NUS in July/August and consists of:
- Written
Paper
- Applied Knowledge Test (MCQ) paper, 2hours, 25% of the exam
- Key Feature Problems , 1 hour, 25% of the exam - Skills
Assessment by OSCE (Objectively Structured Clinical Examination),
2hours, 50% of the exam
Fees
GDFM
Course Fees (payable to
College member: $4284
Non-college member: $4716
Fees do not include Examination, Elective Skills Courses
and BCLS
Fees are payable to Division of Graduate Medical
Studies, NUS when applying for Examinations in May 2008
Refund
Policies
100% refund less registration fee ($150) if the appeal
for refund is made more than 15 calender days* before the commencement date
of academic year** in writing***.
90% refund if the appeal for refund is made 15 or less
calender days before the commencement date of academic year in writing.
No refund of fees would be made once the academic year
commences.
* calender days includes Saturdays
and Sundays
** Academic year starts from the day of commercement ceremony
*** The date is based on the day when the college receives the letter