John Thomas

Dr. John Thomas is Adjunct Associate Professor at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School and Visiting Consultant in National Neuroscience Institute (NNI), Singapore General Hospital, National Cancer Centre (NCC) and Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC). Assoc. Prof. (Dr) Thomas has also been appointed by the Ministry of Health (Singapore) as the Chairman of the Residency Accreditation Committee for Neurosurgery in Singapore, which oversees neurosurgical training for Singapore.

Dr Thomas is a graduate of the National University of Singapore Medical School. He received the Howard Eddy Medal from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons for Best Candidate in Surgery during his basic surgical training.

Dr Thomas began neurosurgical training in Singapore in 1995. He received a Ministry of Health (Singapore) HMDP Fellowship to the UK. and completed his advanced neurosurgical training in Oxford, UK. He trained in Brain and Spine Surgery, Tumour surgery, Aneurysm and Stroke surgery and Functional Neurosurgery.

Dr Thomas received a second Ministry of Health (Singapore) HMDP Fellowship to the USA. He received further training in Epilepsy surgery and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders in Cleveland Clinic, Radiosurgery in University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Skull Base Surgery in University of Arkansas, USA. He also trained in Functional Radiosurgery in Marseille, France.

From 1998, Dr Thomas worked as Consultant Neurosurgeon at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH), rising to serve as Senior Consultant and Head of Department of Neurosurgery SGH. Under his leadership the Department of Neurosurgery, SGH received an outstanding review during the first international hospital accreditation of SGH by the Joint Commission International (JCI).

At NNI and SGH, he was Lead Consultant for the Functional Neurosurgery Service, which deals with Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders, Epilepsy Surgery, Micro-vascular Decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia, Hemifacial Spasm and Endoscopic Sympathectomy for Hyperhidrosis (sweaty palms). He was also Lead Consultant for the Radiosurgery Service for Benign and Malignant Brain Tumours, Spine Tumours, Arterio-venous Malformations of the Brain and Spinal Cord and Trigeminal Neuralgia.

Since 1998, Dr Thomas has been involved in the teaching of medical students, neurosurgical residents and junior consultants. Dr Thomas is an adjunct Associate Professor to the Duke- NUS Graduate Medical School. He was the founding program director of the Singhealth Surgical Sub-Speciality Residency Program. His research interests are in the field of Brain Tumours (Neuro-oncology), Radiosurgery and Functional Neurosurgery.