Academic Medicine: Vision to Reality

Abstract

1Dean, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore 2Group CEO, SingHealth Address for Correspondence: Prof Ranga Krishnan, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, 8 College Road, Singapore 169857. Email: communications@duke-nus.edu.sg Why Develop Academic Medicine in Singapore? There are at least 2 reasons why Academic Medicine that is properly developed can add value. The fi rst is that Academic Medicine and the curiosity that is engendered by the environment, coupled with the right resources, and under capabilities of the key drivers, can produce clinical breakthroughs that lead to new and better treatments. Two examples from Duke University are the development of Myozyme as a replacement for the enzyme that is lost in Pompe Disease (Dr YT Chen1) and the thymic transplantation as a treatment for DiGeorge syndrome.2 Only in an Academic Medical Centre (AMC) can these breakthroughs become a reality. Clinician scientists are given the opportunity to work with multiple profession groups across different disciplines. This interaction within a clinical setting allows them to identify and address unmet needs with their curiosity and scientifi c knowledge. This innovation greatly improves patient care. The second equally important reason is that AMCs can attract and retain top talent in the healthcare industry. It is a well-known fact that in the United States (US), AMCs are able to retain the “best” doctors while offering reasonable pay packages.3 AMCs give clinicians the intellectual freedom and support to quench their academic thirst. AMCs also help them to respond to unmet needs and unanswered questions that in turn, allow clinicians to improve care for their patients. To solve extremely complex problems, they are given seed funding, protected time, and access to the expertise of like-minded professionals across numerous disciplines.3