SINGAPORE, Feb 22 — Singapore’s pool of registered doctors has grown by about 50 per cent over the past decade, reflecting efforts to strengthen healthcare capacity as demand rises.

The number of medical practitioners with full, conditional and temporary registration reached 17,582 as at December 31, 2024, up from 11,733 in 2014, according to a report by the Singapore Medical Council.

This translates to a doctor-to-population ratio of 1:343 in 2024, compared with 1:466 in 2014.

The growth has been supported by a steady increase in local medical school intake, which rose from about 320 students in 2010 to 555 in 2025.

SMC data show that close to 60 per cent of doctors practising in Singapore were trained locally.

About 40 per cent were trained overseas, with more than half of these foreign-trained doctors being Singaporeans who studied abroad and later returned to practise.

On January 27, the Ministry of Health and the Singapore Medical Council announced that eight additional overseas universities would be recognised for medicine, bringing the total number of recognised institutions to 120.

The authorities said the move would help Singapore better meet growing healthcare needs as its population ages.

They added that while local graduates form the core of the workforce, foreign-trained doctors will continue to supplement the system to ensure standards of care are maintained.