A major step for military doctors

Caring for every patient, whether as individuals or one within a system, is the guiding principle of naval doctor and Top Graduate of the inaugural Command and Staff Course (Medical) [CSC(Med)] Major (MAJ) (Dr) Ivan Low Jinrong.

“In the emergency department, I care for one patient at a time. They trust me at their most vulnerable, and that’s a privilege I never take for granted. In uniform, I help improve the systems that keep thousands of sailors healthy and ready.

“Each keeps the other grounded: the one patient reminds me there’s a person behind every number, and the thousands remind me that every patient is part of a bigger system.”

Making history

Thirty-two-year-old MAJ (Dr) Low has had a busy year.

While serving as Head Naval Force Health Branch in the Republic of Singapore Navy’s (RSN’s) Navy Medical Service where he develops the healthcare systems supporting thousands of sailors, he is also undergoing specialist training in emergency medicine.

And he still found the time to make history by completing the new 11-week CSC(Med) for medical and dental officers, coming out on top among the cohort of nine!

The course is jointly conducted by the SAF Medical Training Institute and Goh Keng Swee Command and Staff College (GKS CSC).

On 22 Oct, his dedication was recognised at the GKS CSC Graduation Ceremony, held at SAFTI Military Institute.

He was among the 291 Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) leaders who completed their pinnacle courses that evening.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing urged the graduands to question old assumptions, build new models, and develop strong teams as they lead the SAF through an increasingly complex global landscape.

“Every generation of leaders faces their own defining challenges. Yours will be to navigate change without losing sight of enduring principles; to embrace innovation without abandoning judgement; and to strengthen security while continuing to build trust wherever possible.”

Pushing the SAF’s operational envelope

The CSC(Med) gave MAJ (Dr) Low a deeper appreciation of the SAF’s wider operating realities.

Joint planning exercises with other vocations, an overseas study visit to Malaysia, and dialogues with senior leaders reinforced his belief that the mission of military health services extends far beyond just providing medical support.

“By keeping our people healthy and performing at their best, we expand the SAF's operational envelope – how far it can go, how long it can stay, and how hard it can push,” explained MAJ (Dr) Low.

Tested at sea

When tackling complex staff exercises during the course, MAJ (Dr) Low drew extensively on his knowledge and experience from his previous tours of duty.

In 2020, he participated in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), serving as the Medical Officer on board RSS Supreme.

The deployment was a significant one as it was the RSN’s first overseas exercise since the COVID-19 pandemic began that year.

He oversaw the medical readiness and wellbeing of about 110 crew members on board the Formidable-class frigate, a challenge made tougher by the pandemic.

MAJ (Dr) Low recalled the sail, that saw the crew spending 67 consecutive days on the ship to reduce the risk of infection:

“Preparing for acute emergencies is only half the job; the other half is catching the slow-drip issues that could challenge our sailors' physical and mental health.

“Taking care of both is what keeps a ship ready for operations.”

Charting new waters in the DIS

His career also saw him taking on the role of Head DIS Health Service in the then-burgeoning Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS).

He worked across operations, training, infrastructure, manpower, and safety to establish core healthcare functions within the SAF’s newest Service.

"The DIS brought together many units, each with its own structures and legacies," he explained.

"That made consolidation complex, but it was also an opportunity – we could design (the workplace and processes) for health upfront, rather than bolting it on later.”

Anchored at home

How does MAJ (Dr) Low navigate the punishing pace of a new appointment, emergency medicine specialist training and the gruelling CSC(Med)?

He relies on his wife, Dr Goh Ying Xian, 29, who is also an emergency medicine doctor.

“She's on the front line of direct clinical care, while much of my work is in population health and services planning (so) we see the same problems from different angles, and we're each other's sounding board,” MAJ (Dr) Low shared.

Dr Goh also keeps him grounded amid the pressures, reminding him to take care of himself while caring for others.

“She's taught me that there's always another day to fight, and that looking after our own health is what allows us to keep going.”

Beyond medical support

For MAJ (Dr) Low, being named Top Graduate was a humbling moment, and he thanked the leaders who had paved the way for him in his career.

“The award is a reminder of the people who invested in me along the way: commanders who trusted me with responsibility before I felt ready, mentors who gave me candid feedback, and seniors who took time to teach me,” he shared.

“Now it’s my turn to do the same: to give my juniors room to grow, honest feedback, and the trust to step up.”

He believes the CSC(Med) will deepen integration between medical leaders and combat commanders across the SAF, building relationships across Services and vocations long before a crisis tests them.

“For medical support, it means health is woven into operational planning even earlier and more deliberately,” he explained.

“As other vocations see what medical officers can bring, I hope they'll draw on us (for needs) beyond medical care, in areas like force health protection and human performance optimisation.”