Bioethics

Aims of the Program

The Bioethics program was set up in recognition of ethics as a critical component in the practice of healthcare. As healthcare becomes more complex, the training is necessary to equip healthcare professionals with the necessary knowledge and attitudes on what to do and what not to do, and how to make professionally defensible decisions based on relevant ethical principles and values. Coupled with changes in the professional education continuation landscape, there is a growing emphasis on developing ethics knowledge and competency. From 2024, doctors must attain 5 continuing medical education points in ethics-related courses biennially for their professional license renewal. The ethical practice of healthcare will preserve the trust invested in our healthcare professionals and reinforce our commitment to person-centered care.

Leadership and Expertise

Dr Crystal Lim is a master social work with expertise in transplant ethics. She serves as faculty in the undergraduate education program at Duke-NUS medical schools teaching ethics, professionalism and communication skills. She is also a member of the Singapore General Hospital Bioethics Committee.

Clin Asst Prof Peter Chow Chiu Leung is a geriatrician at Changi General Hospital and has a Master's degree in medical law and ethics from the University of Edinburgh. He is chair of the Changi General Hospital Bioethics Committee and is the Deputy Director of the Singapore Medical Association Centre of Medical Ethics and Professionalism. He studied medical humanities at Birkbeck, University of London and narrative medicine at Columbia University in New York.

Trained in philosophy, bioethics methods, and medical jurisprudence, Dr Voo Teck Chuan was a faculty member at the National University of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Centre for Biomedical Ethics from 2007 to 2023. He is currently the Head of the SingHealth Office of Ethics in Healthcare. Click below to discover more about an insightful article Dr Voo has written: A CNA commentary: How do we justify using animals as organ donors for humans?

Scope of the Program

The focus of the program is in training clinical and research ethics. This is done through a blended approach using online learning, webinars, courses, and case discussions. In addition, the institute is collaborating with the SingHealth Office of Ethics in Healthcare to develop a cluster-wide ethics network. The network will facilitate collaboration and pooling of best practices and the development of ethical tools to support clinicians in providing compassionate and ethical care.