Undergraduate Education

Building the Foundations of Future-Ready Paediatric Practice

Paediatrics ACP sets the benchmark for undergraduate clinical training in knowledge, skills, and assessment through a structured, system‑wide approach to medical education. Students benefit from integrated learning experiences that combine core paediatric knowledge, bedside teaching, and supervised clinical exposure across diverse care settings. Emphasis is placed on developing clinical reasoning, effective communication, and professionalism, while fostering an early appreciation of child health within a multidisciplinary team environment.

As Singapore’s leading paediatric training site, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) supports approximately 600 undergraduate and postgraduate learners annually across LKCMedicine, the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, and Duke‑NUS Medical School. With increasing student numbers and growing demand from overseas elective applicants, the programme continues to strengthen resources and optimise training processes to ensure consistent and high standards of education within a dynamic clinical environment.

Under the stewardship of the Paediatrics ACP, undergraduate training is closely integrated with postgraduate pathways, forming a coherent and progressive continuum of education. Grounded in supervised practice, competency‑based assessment, and strong academic mentorship, students are equipped with the foundational competencies required for seamless transition into residency and specialist training.

Guided by robust supervision, meaningful feedback, and aligned assessment practices, the programme prepares students to evolve into confident, future‑ready clinicians. This commitment to excellence is further supported by ongoing faculty development, ensuring that clinician educators are equipped to deliver high‑quality teaching, foster innovation, and model professional practice.

Together, this integrated approach enables Paediatrics ACP to nurture the next generation of paediatric healthcare professionals—clinicians who are not only clinically competent, but also compassionate, adaptive, and prepared to meet the evolving needs of child health.

Programme Overview

The undergraduate paediatric programme is delivered through a structured and progressive curriculum that integrates clinical postings, bedside teaching, and formal teaching sessions across multiple institutions. Students rotate through diverse care settings at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), gaining exposure to general paediatrics and key subspecialties under close supervision.Organised across defined training phases, the programme combines experiential learning with competency‑based assessment to support the development of core clinical skills, while ensuring alignment with institutional curricula and academic requirements. This structured approach provides a coherent foundation for students as they advance towards postgraduate training.

🎓 Structured Curriculum

Structured curriculum designed to support progressive learning and competency development

🏥 Diverse Clinical Exposure

Broad clinical exposure across paediatric subspecialties and diverse care settings

👨‍🏫 Strong Supervision

Close supervision and mentorship by experienced clinician educators

🔄 Seamless Progression

Integrated pathways supporting smooth transition from undergraduate training to postgraduate practice

Undergraduate Training Timeline

The undergraduate paediatric programme follows a structured rotation schedule across multiple institutions, organised into defined phases comprising clinical rotations, academic blocks, and transition periods.

**Duke-NUS (Y2) T2: Transition week

The undergraduate paediatric programme is structured across key milestones that support progressive development from initial clinical exposure to readiness for postgraduate training.

🎓 Entry into clinical training
🏥 Structured clinical postings
🧠 Development of core clinical competencies
📋 Workplace-based assessments
📘 PCC-guided learning and continuous feedback
🩺 Hands-on learning through eOSCE training
✅ Consolidation and readiness for practice🚀 Transition to postgraduate training aligned with PCC competencies

Together, these milestones guide students through a structured, PCC-aligned progression, ensuring the development of core competencies, confidence in clinical practice, and readiness for transition into postgraduate training.

Undergraduate training within the Paediatrics ACP is designed to deliver a rich and immersive learning experience that integrates clinical practice with structured teaching. Students develop core competencies through bedside teaching, case-based discussions, and supervised participation in patient care, enabling the application of theoretical knowledge in real clinical settings.

Learning is anchored in experiential exposure across diverse care environments, where students engage with patients, families, and multidisciplinary teams. This is complemented by structured academic activities, including tutorials, small-group discussions, and simulation-based sessions that strengthen clinical reasoning, communication skills, and professional behaviours.

A key feature of the programme is the emphasis on hands-on learning through eOSCE training. Students participate in classroom-based short case practice and structured history-taking sessions with peers, providing opportunities to apply clinical frameworks, refine examination techniques, and build confidence within a supportive learning environment. These sessions reinforce both clinical competence and assessment readiness in alignment with programme standards.

Guided by dedicated clinician educators, students benefit from close supervision and timely, constructive feedback throughout their training. This supportive and interactive environment encourages active participation, fosters inquiry, and supports continuous development—ensuring that learners are progressively equipped with the confidence and competence required for future clinical practice.

Undergraduate training within the Paediatrics ACP provides broad and diverse clinical exposure across multiple care settings, enabling students to develop a comprehensive understanding of child health. Through structured clinical postings at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), students gain hands-on experience in general paediatrics as well as a wide range of subspecialties, including Neonatology, Paediatric Emergency Medicine, Child Development, Children’s Intensive Care, Dermatology, Genomic Medicine, Haematology & Oncology, and other specialty services such as Adolescent Medicine, Allergy , Cardiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, General Paediatric, Infectious Diseases, Nephrology, Neurology, Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology & Immunology.

Students are actively involved in patient care under close supervision, with opportunities to participate in ward rounds, outpatient clinics, and multidisciplinary case discussions. This exposure allows learners to appreciate the continuum of paediatric care—from acute presentations to chronic and developmental conditions—while understanding the collaborative roles of healthcare professionals within an integrated care environment.

Clinical placements are designed to offer progressive responsibility and depth of learning, enabling students to apply clinical knowledge, develop practical skills, and build confidence in real-world settings. By engaging with a broad spectrum of subspecialties and patient populations, students gain the adaptability and clinical insight required for seamless progression into postgraduate training and future paediatric practice.

Assessment within the undergraduate paediatric programme is structured to support continuous learning and competency development across different stages of training and institutions. Students are evaluated through a combination of workplace-based assessments, clinical competency evaluations, and structured academic tasks, ensuring a comprehensive appraisal of clinical performance.

Core assessment tools include Mini Clinical Evaluation Exercises (Mini‑CEX), clinical competency forms, and professionalism assessments, which provide regular opportunities for direct observation and feedback in clinical settings. In addition, learners engage in activities such as direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS), case-based discussions, multi-source feedback, and case analyses, reinforcing clinical reasoning and reflective practice.

Assessment requirements are tailored across different medical schools and training levels, ranging from structured minimum assessment quotas to more student-directed learning approaches. Collectively, these assessments emphasise ongoing feedback, progressive competency building, and alignment with clinical standards, supporting students in developing into safe, confident, and practice-ready clinicians.

🗨️ Student Feedback

Feedback from Student Voice and session-specific evaluations highlights key strengths of the programme:

“Doctors were highly engaging and prioritised my learning.”
“Wide range of cases with plenty of hands-on opportunities.” -
“Mock OSCE sessions were well organised and very helpful.” -
“Clear, well-structured programme despite a heavy student load.”
“Excellent tutors and strong supervision.”
"10/10, the doctors (HO, MO, Residents, Reg and Cons) were all very inclusive and happy to teach us! They answered all of our questions patiently and also asked us further questions to encourage us to think deeper and more broadly! The sisters were also very patient with our DOPs requests despite their busy schedules! Thank you to everyone at KKH, for making my first posting a really memorable one. :")"
"The clinical educators at KKH paediatrics are stellar educators, and really carve out the time to make sure we learn something, and foster a very nurturing environment!"
"Everyone is so teachy and I am so grateful that they are so nice. The evaluations did not feel as stressful compared to other postings, and I mentally felt more eager to learn under these conditions. Thank you!"
"Really loved paeds as a result of my entire posting experience as of the first half and am considering it seriously to be a future specialty!"

Student support within the Paediatrics ACP is anchored in a structured and supportive learning environment, where close supervision, mentorship, and continuous feedback are integral to the training experience. Students are guided by dedicated clinician educators who provide oversight during clinical activities, facilitate learning opportunities, and support the progressive development of clinical competencies.

Central to this support system is the Paediatric Core Curriculum (PCC), which underpins undergraduate paediatric education by providing a structured and standardised framework for both learners and clinician educators. For students, the PCC defines clear learning objectives, core competencies, and essential clinical skills, ensuring a consistent foundation in paediatric knowledge, clinical reasoning, and professional practice across institutions. For educators, it serves as a practical guide for curriculum delivery—outlining what to teach, how to teach, and how learning should be supported—thereby promoting alignment in teaching approaches, bedside instruction, and workplace‑based learning.

Building on the programme’s structured assessment framework, the PCC also enables ongoing guidance and feedback, supporting faculty in monitoring student progress, identifying learning needs, and providing targeted developmental input. By establishing shared benchmarks and expectations, it enhances faculty calibration and ensures that supervision and feedback remain consistent, purposeful, and aligned across training sites.

Importantly, the PCC acts as a continuum of training—bridging undergraduate education with postgraduate and advanced pathways—by aligning competencies and expectations across each stage of development. Through this integrated approach, students benefit from a coherent learning journey supported by consistent mentorship, structured feedback, and clearly defined progression outcomes.

Together, these elements create a cohesive support system that not only strengthens clinical competence, but also nurtures professional growth—preparing students to transition confidently into postgraduate training and future paediatric practice.

Paediatric Core Curriculum

The Paediatrics ACP offers a range of elective and enrichment opportunities designed to broaden students’ clinical exposure and support personalised learning interests. These experiences complement core training by allowing students to explore specific subspecialties, deepen clinical skills, and gain further insight into diverse areas of paediatric practice.

Students may undertake local elective or selective attachments, depending on their home institution, across various subspecialty services at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH). For students from Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Duke‑NUS Medical School, these are offered as elective attachments, while students from LKCMedicine participate in structured selective postings. These opportunities provide additional hands-on exposure beyond core rotations, enabling learners to consolidate clinical knowledge, refine practical skills, and engage more closely with multidisciplinary teams.

In addition, the programme supports overseas elective placements, which continue to attract strong interest from both local and international students. Applications may be submitted through the NUS Elective Portal or directly via the KKH Education Office, providing flexible pathways for students to pursue international clinical experiences. These placements offer exposure to different healthcare systems, patient populations, and clinical practices, fostering adaptability, cultural awareness, and a broader perspective on child health.

Through these diverse opportunities, students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning, pursue areas of interest, and develop confidence in navigating varied clinical environments. Collectively, these experiences enhance the overall training journey and contribute to the development of well-rounded, globally aware paediatric clinicians.

Undergraduate training within the Paediatrics ACP is designed to enable a smooth and seamless transition into postgraduate training, building a strong foundation for continued professional development. Through a structured curriculum, progressive clinical exposure, and aligned assessment practices, students develop the core competencies required for residency and specialist training.

This transition is supported by close alignment between undergraduate education and the SingHealth Paediatric Medicine Residency Programme. Shared frameworks, including the Paediatric Core Curriculum (PCC), ensure continuity in learning objectives, clinical expectations, and competency standards across training stages. This coherence enables students to progress with clarity and confidence within a familiar and consistent educational structure.

Early exposure to multidisciplinary teamwork, clinical responsibilities, and workplace-based assessments further prepares students for the expectations of postgraduate training. With strong mentorship, supervision, and ongoing feedback throughout undergraduate education, learners are equipped to take on the increasing responsibilities of residency.

As students transition into postgraduate training, they enter a structured residency programme that builds on these foundations—supporting the continued development of clinical expertise, professional identity, and leadership in paediatric care.

…prepared to contribute meaningfully to paediatric care and the evolving needs of child health.

To learn more about the postgraduate training journey: