No programme fee is stated by AO. AO pays the fellow a small stipend toward accommodation and living costs, calculated from a benchmark of USD 550 per week of fellowship in the United States and adjusted by a purchasing-power-parity price-level ratio for other countries, paid in Swiss-franc equivalents; it is a contribution only and may not cover all costs. Travel and insurance are paid entirely by the fellow; AO does not arrange accommodation. The exact weekly stipend for this country is not shown on the AO pages. SGH-published administrative fees (quoted on the AO host page): SGD 200 for a 4-week fellowship; minimum SGD 2,500 for a fellowship of more than 4 weeks.
Deadline
Not published
Duration
4 to 12 weeks
Hands-on
No hands-on role indicated
Clinical exposureShort-term AO Spine fellowship (observership-style placement) at Singapore General Hospital, Orthopaedic Surgery. The host page states that AO fellows have an opportunity to scrub in but, per the host, as an observer only (host note: "Complete the vaccine requirements to enter the theatre. Fellows can scrub to observe but further hands on require singapore medical council registration"). Techniques listed by the host: standard open surgery, endoscopy, robotics, pain management techniques, minimally invasive surgery, anterior surgery, spinal navigation, thoracoscopy. Journal club, pre-operative rounds, mortality and morbidity review and teaching rounds (host statement).
Participation levelObservational pathway. No independent patient care or operative privileges are implied.
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANT CHECK
Can an international surgeon apply?
≈Partially published
International applicants
AO Spine fellowships are open to orthopaedic, neurosurgical and trauma surgeons worldwide who meet the AO membership and course criteria; the host centre is allocated by AO from the applicant's preferences and available places. Nationality is not restricted on the AO page.
?Confirm directly with host
Clinical role
Observational pathway; no independent patient care is implied. Hands-on clinical activity is not described for this observational pathway.
≈Partially published
Medical registration
Host page, answer to 'special licence required to scrub in?': Complete the vaccine requirements to enter the theatre. Fellows can scrub to observe but further hands on require singapore medical council registration | Documents/vaccines the host asks the fellow to provide: Vaccines: COVID-19, MMR, TDAP ( 1st and 2nd Dose), Varicella (1st and 2nd Dose). Training employment pass to be registered with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), purchase personal medical insurance of $30,000 value ( treatment and hospitlisation in Singapore)
—Not published
Language
No formal language requirement is published by the cited source.
≈Partially published
Visa or work authorisation
Host page: a training employment pass registered with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is required; stays of more than 4 weeks are subject to Singapore Medical Council and MOM approval (formalities 8 to 18 months), 4-week attachments need hospital approval (formalities 6-10 weeks).
DATA QUALITY & AVAILABILITY79% of core application fields verifiedChecked 3 Oct 2026 · Next scheduled editorial review: 2027-04-01
✓ programme title✓ institution / department✓ city and country✓ programme classification✓ subspecialty✓ current status evidence✓ duration✓ commencement / intake✓ funding✓ benefits✓ eligibility✓ international eligibility✓ registration✓ visa / work authorisation✓ application process✓ required documents✓ application portal✓ faculty✓ verified institution logo✓ official source✓ institutional source✓ accreditation / organisation source✓ verification date— positions · not published by the cited official source— accommodation / relocation · queued for source review— Language requirement not published · queued for source review— Current deadline not yet published · not published by the cited official source— official contact · not published by the cited official source— Verified faculty photograph not available · queued for source review
APPLICATION TIMELINE & CONTACT
Plan the application
Application deadlineNo current deadline published in the cited evidence
Commencing dateIntake date not published
Application route / cycleThe most recent window (2027 programme) has ended. The AO programme page states that applications for the 2028 programme reopen in April 2027 (open call April 2027, close call May 2027, results September 2027); exact dates are not published.
Official contactAO Foundation fellowship team (applications are handled by AO; do not contact the host before confirmation); surgeon in charge of fellows at host: Reuben Soh
Spine physician, or specialised in orthopaedics, neurosurgery or trauma surgery, with a strong interest in spine surgery
Previous participation in at least one AO course or AO event (online or face to face)
At least two years of AO Spine membership before applying (active membership required)
Has not taken part in a spine fellowship in the past two years (except self-funded)
Up to 45 years old at the time of application
Application documents
Letter of motivation
Curriculum vitae including list of publications
Copy of medical diploma or specialisation diploma (orthopaedics/neurosurgery)
Most recent AO Spine course/event certificate
One recommendation letter from a senior surgeon (signed, with contact details, not older than 6 months)
Copy of passport
Proof of English proficiency (certificate or self-statement)
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
What this program offers
AO-coordinated short-term fellowship (placement through AO Spine) at Singapore General Hospital; operating-room language English, English written/spoken proficiency written (5)* / spoken (5)* (scale 1-5, as published).
BENEFITS & SUPPORT
Published benefits and support
AO Spine fellowship stipend as above; no salary is mentioned.
HOST INSTITUTION
About Singapore General Hospital
Singapore General Hospital is an AO Spine fellowship host centre (Orthopaedic Surgery). AO host page lists 150 beds in the department and 1120 surgical cases per year.
Alexandra Hospital Motion-Preservation & Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Unit
Singapore · Short format; the disc-arthroplasty pathway comprises evening teaching followed by a full day of live surgery, while the spinal-endoscopy pathway duration is not publishedView program profile →
