Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Programme

The Thoracic Surgery Fellowship Programme is a 12-month clinical fellowship designed to provide comprehensive training in operative thoracic surgery and the perioperative management of thoracic surgical patients. It places particular emphasis on minimally invasive thoracic surgery techniques, including Uniportal Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS), conventional VATS, robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS), and open thoracic surgical procedures. 

Fellows will gain hands-on experience in the assessment, surgical management, and perioperative care of patients with a wide range of thoracic conditions, while working alongside experienced thoracic surgeons in a high-volume tertiary centre.

The programme focuses on four main areas: 

• Patient Care
  o Evaluation and management of thoracic surgical patients.
  o Perioperative care.
  o Instrument care and maintenance.
  o Prevention and management of surgical complications.

• Thoracic Surgery Principles and Techniques
  o VATS, RATS and open thoracic surgery.
  o Surgical ergonomics and skills training.
  o Port placement and dissection techniques.
  o Intra-corporeal suturing and knot tying.
  o Stapling, closure techniques and troubleshooting.

• Disease-Specific Surgical Procedures
  o Lung resections (lobectomy, segmentectomy, pneumonectomy).
  o Mediastinal tumour resections.
  o Bullectomy and wedge resections.
  o Pleural procedures and empyema surgery.
  o Mediastinal lymph node dissection.
  o Chest wall resection and reconstruction.
  o Bronchoscopy, mediastinoscopy and mediastinotomy.
  o Pectus excavatum repair.
  o Rib fixation for traumatic rib fractures.

• Research
  o Data collection and analysis
  o Manuscript preparation
  o Scientific presentations
  o Clinical outcomes research
  

The programme is intended for:

• Surgeons or surgical specialists-in-training seeking advanced knowledge and skills in thoracic surgery. 
• Senior fellows who are currently undergoing, or have completed, cardiothoracic surgical training or advanced general surgical training. 

Fellows will gain exposure through: 

• Participation in a broad range of thoracic surgical procedures.
• Outpatient clinic exposure.
• Multidisciplinary tumour board discussions.
• Educational conferences and grand rounds.
• Supervised management of thoracic surgery emergencies.
• Opportunities to participate in clinical research, data analysis and academic publications.
  

• Comprehensive training across minimally invasive (Uniportal VATS, VATS, RATS) and open thoracic surgery. 
• Hands-on exposure to a broad spectrum of thoracic surgical procedures. 
• Structured clinical, operative and research experience. 
• Weekly multidisciplinary and educational activities. 
• Opportunities to participate in thoracic surgical services at different hospitals as part of the clinical team.
• Close supervision and mentorship by SMC-approved thoracic surgery specialists. 
  

​For enquiries and applications**, please email to: fellowship_application@nuhs.edu.sg.

**Please note this mailbox only processes Honorary Fellowship positions. For a paid position, you may wish to explore the Career listing here.