First woman to lead SAF's Military Medicine Institute

When Senior Lieutenant-Colonel (Dr) Shalini Arulanandam applied for a Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) scholarship in 1998, the local study award for medicine was only for men.

In her interview for the SAF Merit Scholarship, she told the panel that she was interested in doing medicine, but was told it was not open to women. But two days later, she received a call with an offer for the medicine scholarship, if she passed her officer cadet training and got into a medicine course, among other requirements.

She became the first woman to receive the scholarship.

SLTC (Dr) Arulanandam, 42, continues to be a trailblazer as she becomes the first woman to be appointed the commander of the SAF Medical Corps' Military Medicine Institute (MMI). She will be promoted to colonel, with effect from July 1, as part of the annual promotion exercise by the Ministry of Defence and SAF.

Asked for her thoughts on being the first woman to lead the MMI, she told reporters on Thursday that it was "very sobering" to be given the opportunity to take on this responsibility. "I don't see women as being any different in being able to take on certain appointments. So I think the barrier is within us," she said.

In her 23-year career, the ear, nose and throat surgeon has headed the Naval Underwater Medicine Centre and the Central Manpower Base's Medical Classification Centre.

Most recently, she was seconded to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) as chief medical officer. That, she said, was one of her most challenging appointments.

Ambulances that attended to 995 calls were part of her responsibility. Personal protection against Covid-19 had to be enhanced, and decontamination protocols changed, she said.

In her role at the MMI, SLTC (Dr) Arulanandam, who is married to a fellow surgeon, will be in charge of the medical centres that the Singapore Army operates, as well as medical screening for servicemen.

Said the mother of three children: "I'm definitely very grateful for all the little accidents of fate that led me to this point. From asking for a scholarship that didn't exist for women, to saying yes to the various postings, and even the unexpected challenge of Covid-19."