New Collaboration to Integrate Traditional Chinese Medicine with Western Care
Singapore is expanding its approach to patient care by bringing together Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in a pioneering collaboration that starts in 2027. Final-year students from NTU’s four-year Bachelor of Chinese Medicine program will join junior doctors on ward rounds at TTSH, gaining exposure to an integrated model that combines Western medical treatments with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapies. The initiative aims to explore how TCM can support pain management, symptom relief, and rehabilitation within mainstream healthcare.
What the Partnership Entails
The collaboration, named Prevention and Recovery through Integrative Medicine, was formalized during the 23rd Singapore Health and Biomedical Congress at the Singapore Expo on October 9. Senior Minister of State for Health Koh Poh Koon highlighted that the program aligns clinical and academic efforts and provides cross-training for TCM and Western medicine students, while advancing evidence-based practices in integrative medicine. The program envisions final-year TCM students rotating through TTSH to observe how TCM and Western medicine work side by side in patient care, with training tailored to Singapore’s healthcare landscape.
Benefits for Students, Clinicians, and Patients
According to Dr Koh, the partnership will equip clinicians with new competencies to meet rising demand for integrative care. Dr Koh, who also serves as Senior Minister of State for Manpower, emphasized the program’s potential to enhance patient outcomes through collaborative practice. Prof. Benjamin Seet, NHG Health’s medical board chair for research and co-chair for the Academic Partnership Office, said the collaboration will strengthen TCM training and help fuse biomedical science research with traditional Chinese medicine education.
Clinical Education and Research Opportunities
NTU Associate Professor Linda Zhong noted that the aim is to merge biomedical science research with TCM training to improve patient care. By exposing NTU students to hospital-round experiences, the partnership seeks to generate practical knowledge that translates into real-world treatments. In a preview of the program, second-year TCM students Aw Xi Han and Chandraratne Aiko Tiranya Kumari (both 20) accompanied Dr. Quah Teik Joo on rounds at TTSH to glimpse the clinical environment they will soon enter. Aw described TCM as a holistic, less invasive approach, while Aiko cited her cultural motivations for studying TCM and her desire to extend healthy years for the elderly.
Current Role of TCM in Singapore’s Healthcare Landscape
Even before the NTU partnership, TCM has been integrated into Singapore’s healthcare system. A 2022 National Population Health Survey reported that about 20 percent of adults in Singapore use TCM annually, with roughly 40 percent combining TCM and Western medicine. Acupuncture, a staple of inpatient TCM services, is offered at facilities including TTSH, Renci Community Hospital, and the TTSH Integrated Care Hub. At public hospitals and healthcare groups like SingHealth, acupuncture and related modalities support pain management, musculoskeletal conditions, stroke recovery, and peripheral neuropathy.
A Broader Vision for Integrative Medicine in Singapore
NHG Health’s collaboration with DFI Retail Group, announced on October 9, underscores a wider push toward preventive care and accessible wellness products in the community. Prof Seet framed these initiatives as a move from academic papers to tangible health outcomes, with a focus on evidence-based interventions and scalable programs that reach a broad population in Asia.
Looking Ahead
As NTU’s TCM students prepare to enter clinical rotations at TTSH in 2027, Singapore’s healthcare ecosystem is signaling a reinforced commitment to integrative medicine. The partnership will not only enhance training for future TCM practitioners but also strengthen collaboration between biomedical science and traditional healing approaches to better serve patients—particularly in pain management, symptom relief, and rehabilitation in palliative contexts.
