Hi
all
I need some advise as to what
to do re: a deferment application. The whole story is a little
long, so please bear with me!
I'm a Singaporean doctor who left for
overseas for studies some time ago, and was working and completing
some specialist studies part time up to the start of this year,
when I was called back to serve my NS.
Upon registering for at the CMPB, I was
told that I would be enlisted as an MO due to my medical training.
However, a week later I was notified that I could NOT serve as an
MO; although I am registered in Australia as a fully qualified
doctor, I am not in Singapore. Hence, if I were to enlist, I would
have to serve in a non-medical capacity for 2 years (which would
result in me losing my medical license).
In order to be registered locally, I would need to work in a
government hospital for 2 years under supervision. I was advised by
a CMPB staff member to apply for get a job and apply for
deferment.
Fast forward 5 months - I have signed a
contract with MOH to start in September, and have been granted
conditional registration to work. I have also sumbitted my
deferment application (through a CMPB staff member who is "handling
my case"). However, despite all this, I got an enlistment letter
for the end of August. The CMPB informed me that this was because I
have not yet been deferred.
I have recently contacted the staff member
again, and all that I was told was that "the documents are
forwarded to the relevant department, and the application is in
processing and is still subject to approval". Now, it's been almost
2 months, and this wait
is pretty frustrating, for obvious reasons.
One, my wife and I have been literally
living off our savings for the last few months (she has just got a
job, thankfully, but visa issues have been a pain because she is a
foreigner). Two, I am receiving a lot of pressure from
different departments to give confirmation of clinical practice.
The MOH has confirmed my employment and informed my hospital that I
am arriving in september (so that they can organise their
staffing), the Australian Medical Board is wanting to check that I
am doing clinical practice, and Sydney Uni (where I was doing
specialist studies) wants to know I am resuming studies this half
year
Obviously all this depends on whether I
actually get deferred or not. With barely a month left to the
enlistment date, I need to know how/who I can speak to in order to
expediate the process. I've asked the CMPB staff member I've been
liaising with, and she doesn't give me any details as to what
department exactly/who is processing my deferment. Any ideas what I
can do/who I can contact to help?
Thanks
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Sing Chee