We welcome Dr Sue Smith to IMC Camden. We asked her some questions to get to know her better:
Welcome to IMC. Where were you based before?
Before coming to Singapore I was based in a rural practice near Canterbury in the UK. I’ve also worked as a GP in central Canterbury and South London.
What motivated you to leave England and come to live in Singapore?
I moved to Singapore as a trailing spouse, though I prefer the phrase trailing talent! My husband works in the music industry and was offered a role here. As a family, we jumped at the chance to move to Singapore to explore this part of the world and experience the diversity of the region.
What will you miss most about England?
Costco! I thought I would miss my family but they have all taken the opportunity to visit regularly. We’ve had a near constant stream of house guests since moving here, I think we’ve seen some of them more than we did in the UK!
What have you enjoyed most about living in Singapore so far?
I love the climate. It’s so safe for children here and we are constantly outdoors. My girls have learned to swim and scoot in the past year – cycling will be their next challenge.
I find it very exciting to see the wildlife, particularly the monkeys and exotic birds when I’m out and about.
Why did you train to become a Doctor?
Apart from briefly wanting to be a vet as a child, I’ve always wanted to be a doctor. I think a lot of this is due to my nature and desire to make a difference to my patients.
You have a lot of experience in mental health. Have you seen an increase in mental health concerns in patients over the years?
I did consider psychiatry as profession but decided that general practice would give me more breadth. I think that gradually the stigma associated with mental health conditions is reducing and this has empowered more people to seek the help they need; I hope that this trend continues.
What is your favourite part of being a General Practitioner?
There are lots of things which I really enjoy about my job as a GP. If I can pinpoint two, then they are meeting a variety of different patients and making a difference to them, and the camaraderie of working with a great team, not just of doctors but all support staff and healthcare professionals.
Dr Sue is a UK trained doctor and based at IMC Camden.
Call 6733 4440 to make an appointment.
