NTFGH Hosts Joint Specialty Fellowship Examination in General Surgery
On 22 August 2026, NTFGH was honoured to host the Joint Specialty Fellowship (JSF) Clinical Examination in General Surgery at Tower A, A72, A73 and A74.
Bringing together senior residents from Singapore and Hong Kong nearing completion of their General Surgery training, alongside local and overseas examiners and teams from across NTFGH, the examination marked a significant occasion for surgical education and training at our institution.
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A Milestone in General Surgery Training
The JSF in General Surgery is a prestigious exit examination conducted by the Hong Kong College of Surgeons, Joint Committee on Specialist Training (JCST), Singapore, and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
For the candidates, the examination marks an important milestone in their residency journey. Successful candidates are recognised as specialists in General Surgery and awarded the Fellowship diploma by their respective Colleges. The examination also assesses their readiness for independent consultant practice and the associated medico-legal responsibilities.
Jointly conducted by the surgical training bodies of Singapore and Hong Kong, the JSF aligns surgical training and assessment standards across both cities while reflecting international best practices in surgical education and assessment.
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An Honour and Responsibility for NTFGH
For NTFGH, being selected as a clinical examination site reflects the trust placed in the hospital’s clinical standards, case mix, patient safety and facilities.
As Exam Convenor, Adj Asst Professor Seow Choon Sheong shared that hosting the examination was both an honour and a responsibility, requiring meticulous preparation to ensure a fair, rigorous and professional examination environment.
This year, 15 candidates were supported by 10 examiners from Singapore and overseas and 2 quality assessors. The examiner panel comprised 6 local examiners, with representatives from SingHealth, NHG Health and NUHS, and 4 overseas examiners — 2 from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) and 2 from the College of Surgeons of Hong Kong (CSHK).
Behind the scenes, the examination involved residents, resident physicians, associate consultants and above from the Surgical Department, as well as 10 nursing colleagues, 6 Operations administrative staff and 3 Education Office staff.
The close coordination across these teams helped ensure that the examination ran smoothly.
The Chief Examiner, A/Prof Tan Su-Ming, Head of Division of Breast Surgery, Director of Breast Centre and Senior Consultant Surgeon at Changi General Hospital, described the examination as “seamless” and “excellent”, and expressed his appreciation to the team:
“I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the hard work, dedication, and effort of the entire team.”
A Collective Effort
Holding the examination at NTFGH was more than a logistical achievement. It was a statement about institutional capability, culture and credibility, reflecting the collective efforts behind the successful running of the examination.
The successful hosting of the JSF Clinical Examination reflects more than the efforts of one department. It demonstrates the importance of institutional readiness, cross-disciplinary collaboration, patient engagement and a strong quality assurance culture.
For those embarking on the journey towards specialist practice, Adj Asst Professor Seow reflected on what Fellowship represents beyond the examination itself:
“Fellowship is not just an exam — it’s the reward for discipline, teamwork, and patient-centred care.”
The successful hosting of the JSF Clinical Examination affirms NTFGH’s strength as a training hub, showcasing its clinical excellence, organisational discipline and educational leadership.
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