Please write in to WSG_Healthcare@wsg.gov.sg if you wish to be added to the Healthcare Mailing List for updates on the September 2021 Intake.

Overview of Programme

The Professional Conversion Programme for Allied Health Professionals (PCP-AHP) is a mid-career conversion programme that helps and supports mid-career Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs) in acquiring relevant training to be a Physiotherapist (PT), Occupational Therapist (OT) or Diagnostic Radiographer (DR).

Successful candidates will receive full course fee funding and a monthly training allowance during the training period, which are funded by WSG, Ministry of Health (MOH) (for public healthcare organisations) / National Council of Social Service (for Social Service Agencies) and a sponsoring organisation.

Brief Overview of Allied Health Professionals under the PCP

A brief description of the three professions offered under the PCP is outlined below:

Physiotherapists

Physiotherapists help to prevent, assess and treat human movement disorders caused by physical disabilities, trauma or illness. They work with patients to relieve their pain, improve muscle strength, joint range and mobility. They also help to improve patients’ cardiorespiratory fitness and function by increasing their exercise movement tolerance. Physiotherapists help patients to recover to their original physical condition using a variety of techniques such as therapeutic exercise, chest therapy and electrophysical agents such as ultrasonic therapy and electrical stimulation.

Occupational Therapists

Occupational therapists help a person develop and maintain his capacity to perform day-to-day tasks and live more productively. They design treatment programmes for people with physical disabilities, mental and psychosocial challenges. Besides enhancing their physical and psychological functions, they help them live more independently and reintegrate with life at home, work and society.

Diagnostic Radiographers

Diagnostic radiographers work with sophisticated medical equipment and use a wide range of techniques to produce radiographic images of the human body to aid the healthcare team in diagnosing illness or injury. They manage the technology to produce, display, manipulate, transmit and archive radiographic images. The image data is processed using high-end systems to produce complex multi-planar and 3D reconstructions. They will have opportunities to work in specialised areas utilising state-of-the-art equipment such as Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Interventional Radiography, Ultrasound and Nuclear Medicine. They also minimise radiation dose to patients, provide care and emotional support throughout the imaging procedures.

Remuneration

In the public healthcare sector, the gross monthly starting salary (median), including fixed allowance and overtime pay, is about $3,350 for Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Diagnostic Radiographers with a relevant degree. The degree in Physiotherapy / Occupational Therapy / Diagnostic Radiography from SIT will allow one to be registered with the Allied Health Professions Council to practise as a Physiotherapist / Occupational Therapist / Diagnostic Radiographer.

For information on salary guidelines for the Social Service sector, please visit NCSS’s website at https://www.ncss.gov.sg/Social-Service-Careers/Sector-Salary-Guidelines/Salary-Guidelines.

For more information, please download the FAQ and Infokit for reference.

Career Preview

Come join WSG, SIT and a PCP-AHP trainee/graduate for a virtual course preview session on 24 Feb 2021 (Wednesday), where we will share more information and address queries related to the programme and course structure.

Details of the virtual course preview are as follows:

To qualify for the Professional Conversion Programme for Allied Health Professionals, you must meet the following criteria:

# Successful applicants to the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Physiotherapy who have a Science-related honours degree from a recognised university, and who also meet the PCP’s non-academic requirements, may be offered a place by SIT into the two-year eight-month accelerated PCP-PT programme. For PRs who have utilised MOE tuition grant for local public universities’ degree programmes previously and who would like to be considered for the accelerated PCP-PT programme, please apply to the four-year Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Physiotherapy programme through SIT’s admission portal.

Examples of Science-related honours degrees include:

• Exercise and Sports Sciences
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Allied Health
• Nursing and Medicine
• Life Sciences / Biomedical Sciences
• Other Health Sciences

Other degrees will be considered on a case-by-case basis

MMI Dates

March to April annually. For the latest updates, please refer to SIT’s website at: https://www.singaporetech.edu.sg/applying-to-SIT/admissions-overview

Selection shall be solely within the discretion of the University and will depend upon the number of places available in the programme.

Funding Support

Eligible candidates will have their course fees fully sponsored under the PCP.

Trainees will also receive a monthly training allowance ranging from $2,100 to $2,450 during the training. Individuals will receive training allowance based on prior work experience. Upon graduation, trainees will also receive a one-time Career Transition Bonus of $2,000.

Application and Selection Process

The table below details the application, screening and enrolment process for the PCP-AHP September 2020 intake. Dates provided are tentative and contingent on the ability of all parties involved to meet projected deadlines.

Funding Criteria

(A) General

• Trainees must be Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents (PRs)* and have graduated/completed National Service for at least two years, whichever is most recent.

* Singapore Permanent Residents who have utilised their MOE Tuition Grant in a local public university are not eligible for the four-year PT/OT/DR programme. You may check with MOE if you are unsure whether you have received Tuition Grant for your previous studies.

• Trainees who have selected healthcare organisations as one of their choices must be selected by a sponsoring organisation through the selection process co-ordinated by MOH Holdings.
   
• Trainees who have selected SSAs as one of their choices must be selected by a participating SSA through the selection process conducted by respective SSAs.

(B) Other Criteria

• All applicants have to pass a medical examination and be free from physical disability in order to be admitted into the programme
• Trainees must be able to find two sureties
• Trainees are required to meet the SIT's attendance and/or graduation requirements
• Trainees are required to be present for all examinations

Signing of deed

Upon acceptance into the Programme, participants are required to sign a sponsorship deed with MOH Holdings. Participants who are sponsored by SSAs will sign a sponsorship deed with their respective sponsoring SSAs.

Participants must complete the training satisfactorily and attain the designated qualification, and thereafter be converted to actual employment with the sponsoring organisation.

Bond period

Participants are required to fulfil a four-year bond with their sponsoring organisation upon graduation and conversion to actual employment.