Our History

Celebrating 40 Years of Post-Graduate FM Graduation
Click here(5.16MB) for a journey through the pictorial history of Post-Graduate FM Graduation.

30 June 1971
The College of General Practitioners Singapore was officially inaugurated.

5 November 1972
The first examination for diplomate membership, the M.C.G.P., was held. This was the first post-graduate examination for family medicine to be conducted in Singapore.

1 March 1973
The first issue of ‘The G.P.’ was published. This was the journal of the College. The name of the publication was changed to ‘The Singapore Family Physician’ in 1975.

1 July 1974
Dr. Benjamin A. Sheares, the late President of Singapore became the Patron of the College. The M.C.G.P. was recognised by the Singapore Medical Council as a registrable post-graduate medical qualification.

1978
The Sreenivasan Oration was established to perpetuate the memory of the founder President and his contribution to the College.

20 May 1983
The College hosted the Tenth WONCA World Conference on family medicine in Singapore.

9 December 1985
A memorandum was submitted by the College to the Ministry of Health proposing a vocational training programme for doctors intending to pursue a career in family medicine.

13 February 1987
Family medicine was recognised as a distinct academic discipline in medicine after much persistence and hard work by College members. The Department of Community, Occupational and Family Medicine was formed in the National University of Singapore. The Undergraduate Teaching Committee of the College would work closely with the Department in the teaching of family medicine in the University.

15 August 1987
The College premises was moved to the College of Medicine Building. It was officially opened by the former Minister of Health, Mr. Howe Yoon Chong.

19 October 1987
The Post-graduate Medical Library which was jointly set up with the Academy of Medicine was officially opened.

12 November 1988
The First Annual Scientific Conference and Meditech Exhibition was organised by the College.

1988
The Steering Committee on Family Medicine Training was formed. This was a tripartite body comprising the College, the Ministry of Health and the Department of Community, Occupational and Family Medicine.

February 1991
A Memorandum proposing the institution of a masters degree in family medicine was submitted to the School of Postgraduate Medical Studies by the Steering Committee on Family Medicine Training.

26 November 1992
A memorandum proposing an advanced training programme for family medicine was submitted to the Singapore Medical Council and the School of Postgraduate Medical Studies.

1992
The 15th and final M.C.G.P. examination and conferment was held.

1993
The College was appointed by the Singapore Medical Council to administer the Singapore Medical Council-Continuing Medical Education Programme.

12 July 1993
The first Master of Medicine (Family Medicine) examination was held.

17 November 1993
The name of the College of General Practitioners Singapore was officially changed to ‘College of Family Physicians Singapore’.

1998
The College started a 2-year Fellowship by Assessment programme

1999
The College Internet Project was launched.

2000
The College launched the first course in the Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine on 1 July 2000.

2001
The Institute of Family Medicine (IFM) was formed in 2001.

2004
The College launched the first course in the College Professional Development Programme (CPDP) leading to the award of MCFP, Singapore

2007
College hosted the 18th WONCA World Conference from 24-27 July 2007 at the Suntec City Convention Centre, Singapore.

2010
College hosted the 2nd Asia Pacific Primary Care Research Conference (APPCRC) from 4-5 December 2010 at the Gallery Hotel, Singapore.

2012
College hosted the 4th Asia Pacific Primary Care Research Conference (APPCRC) from 1-2 December 2012 at the Centre for Translational Medicine, National University of Singapore.

2014
College hosted the World Family Doctors' Day Gala Dinner on 17 May 2014 at the Marina Bay Sands, Expo & Convention Centre, Singapore.

2017
21-23 September 2017
6th Asia Pacific Primary Care Research Conference in Conjunction with Family Medicine Symposium.

2019
College was successful in its bid to host the WONCA Asia Pacific Regional Conference in Singapore in 2023.