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Introduction: Singapore has had three medical schools since 2013. We undertook a cross-sectional quantitative national survey to determine the financial impact of medical education on medical students in Singapore.Methods: All 1,829 medical students in Singapore were invited to participate in this study. Information on demographics, financial aid utilisation and outside work was collected and analysed.Results: 1,241 (67.9%) of 1,829 students participated in the survey. While the overall proportion of students from households with monthly incomes < SGD 3,000 was only 21.2% compared to the national figure of 31.4%, 85.4% of medical students expected to graduate with debts > SGD 75,000. There were significant differences in per capita incomes among the schools, with 54.5%, 23.3% and 7.8% of Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS), NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine) and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) students, respectively, reporting a per capita income of < SGD 1,000 (p < 0.001). There were significant differences in financial support: 75.0%, 34.1% and 38.8% of Duke-NUS, NUS Medicine and LKCMedicine students, respectively, received financial aid (p < 0.001). The top reasons for not applying for aid included a troublesome application process (21.4%) and the perception that it would be too difficult to obtain (21.0%).Conclusion: Students in the three medical schools in Singapore differ in their financial needs and levels of financial support received. A national approach to funding medical education may be needed to ensure that financial burdens do not hamper the optimal training of doctors for Singapore's future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fire walking is a religious ritual practiced by predominantly Indians and some Chinese living in Singapore. Eighteen new cases of burns, directly related to a firewalking ceremony on 05 October 09, were studied as to the pattern of burns. Burns on the soles of the feet occurred in 17 patients. All these injuries were superficial or partial thickness burns. There were no deep dermal burns. The extent of burns ranged from 0.25% to 1.5% of body surface area. Burns due to falls accounted for one casualty. He sustained a mixture of deep dermal and partial thickness burns, and the extent of burns was 20% of body surface area. A new classification for the distribution of burns related to fire walking was developed based on the mechanism of injury. It was predictive of the anatomical distribution of burns, the extent of burns (in terms of body surface area), the depth of burns and the general severity of the injury: [I] Burns on the soles of the feet. This was the commonest form of injury. The surface area affected was not much – 1.5% at most. The burns were superficial. The foot was anatomically differentiated into the weight bearing and the non weight bearing parts. [II] Burns due to falls. Such injuries tended to be extensive and they could be deep. [III] Burns due to other practices: a fire walker carrying hot coals in his hands may sustain burns on the palms of the hands. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Foreign workers' migrant status may hinder their utilisation of health services. This study describes the health-seeking behaviour and beliefs of a group of male migrant workers in Singapore and the barriers limiting their access to primary healthcare., Methods: A cross-sectional study of 525 male migrant workers, ≥ 21 years old and of Indian, Bangladeshi or Myanmar nationality, was conducted at a dormitory via self-administered questionnaires covering demographics, prevalence of medical conditions and health-seeking behaviours through hypothetical scenarios and personal experience., Results: 71% (95%CI: 67 to 75%) of participants did not have or were not aware if they had healthcare insurance. 53% (95%CI: 48 to 57%) reported ever having had an illness episode while in Singapore, of whom 87% (95%CI: 82 to 91%) saw a doctor. The number of rest days was significantly associated with higher probability of having consulted a doctor for their last illness episode (p = 0.026), and higher basic monthly salary was associated with seeing a doctor within 3 days of illness (p = 0.002). Of those who saw a doctor, 84% (95%CI: 79 to 89%) responded that they did so because they felt medical care would help them to work better. While 55% (95%CI: 36 to 73%) said they did not see a doctor because the illness was not serious, those with lower salaries were significantly more likely to cite inadequate finances (55% of those earning < S$500/month). In hypothetical injury or illness scenarios, most responded that they would see the doctor, but a sizeable proportion (15% 95%CI: 12 to 18%) said they would continue to work even in a work-related injury scenario that caused severe pain and functional impairment. Those with lower salaries were significantly more likely to believe they would have to pay for their own healthcare or be uncertain about who would pay., Conclusions: The majority of foreign workers in this study sought healthcare when they fell ill. However, knowledge about health-related insurance was poor and a sizeable minority, in particular those earning < S$500 per month, may face significant issues in accessing care.