Everything you need to know about Medical Certificates (MCs) in Singapore
8 min read
A Medical Certificate (MC) Guide in Singapore 2024! (updated)
Digital Health Clinic
5 July 2024
"In Singapore you can get a MC, if you are really sick"
But you cannot get an MC if you are well!
There have been cases where MCs are "issued" to patients who wanted to skip work or school, but who were not really sick. This is not legal. But if you are really sick with mild symptoms, an online video consult may be your best choice! You get to skip the queue, see a doctor within 5 to 10 minutes, and get your much needed rest. You'd be surprised to know that majority of minor illnesses merely require rest, allowing the body's own immune system to fight and fend itself.
Can lie to the Doctor to get an "easy" MC?
Please don't. If genuinely sick, you deserve the rest.
Doctors are not lie detectors, and many diagnoses depend self-reported symptoms. Much of the time, a physical examination in clinic may not be able to help Doctors differentiate the 'liars' from the the 'really sick'. Take Primary headaches, for example; most headaches rely on history taking. Neither a physical examination nor even an MRI, will be able to differentiate a 'falsely reported' symptom of a headache from a genuine one.
Malingerers may have personal reasons for their lying, these include:
- Seeking attention
- Avoiding national service
- Getting leave from school or work
- Avoiding legal action
The doctor may suspect malingering:
- The person's situation could be improved by getting a certain diagnosis
- Symptoms are not coherent with signs of illness
- The person doesn't follow treatments or follow-up with care
- The person has a diagnosis of an anti-social personality disorder
How many days of MC can I get?
The number of days of MC you can get, depends largely on the doctor's assessment of your illness (type and severity), and the expected duration of recovery. In some cases, to minimize spread of infectious diseases, as with the case of Covid-19 or HFMD, MCs can be issued for an extended duration as recommended by infectious disease guidelines.
As a rule of thumb, Doctors tend not to give MCs beyond 3 days at one go for Tele-consultation. This is because closer reviews might be necessary, especially if the symptoms do not improve or worsen.
If you are seeing Doctor repeatedly (e.g. frequent symptoms, more than 1 to 2 times a month), rather than to repeatedly issue MCs, a doctor may advise you to a specialist for further review or to visit your nearest GP for a physical examination.
| Illness | Estimated recovery period in most cases |
|---|---|
| Diarrhea & Vomiting | 1 to 2 days Usually resolves quickly within 24-48hours. If you have diarrhea lasting more than 3 days, have blood in stools, fever or persistent sharp tummy pain, please see a Doctor in clinic for a proper assessment. |
| Headache | 1 day Usually resolves within a day with adequate pan relief, rest or hydration. If you have sudden onset intense headaches (thunderclap-like), headaches that are triggered by exertion (e.g. exercise or sex), early morning headaches, you may need a follow up with a Neurologist who can arrange an MRI for you. |
| Cough, Runny Nose, Sore throat, Fever | 1 to 3 days Usually improves within 2-3 days. If you have any chest pain (e.g. when coughing or taking deep breaths), shortness of breath or persistently high fever > 3-4 days, you may have a more serious infection. Do visit your GP for a physical assessment. |
| Hand Foot Mouth Disease | 7 to 10 days Usually improves in about 5 days, but considered infectious for up to 10 days. Most individuals recover well. Some individuals may experience temporary finger or toe nail loss subsequently. If you have persistently high fever, numbness or weakness in any part of the body, sensitivity to light, neck stiffness, severe headaches or are unable to tolerate orally because of significant pain, you may need to visit the emergency department. |
| Chicken Pox | 7 days Usually improves in 5 to 7 days. Considered infectious as long as there are fluid filled vesicles that have not dried up. If you have persistently high fever, numbness or weakness in any part of the body, sensitivity to light, neck stiffness, severe headaches or are unable to tolerate orally because of significant pain, you may need to visit the emergency department. |
| Insomnia or Poor sleep | 1 day Usually improves with adequate rest. Sleep Hygiene is advised: (1) No activity or work in bed (2) Don't stay in bed if unable to sleep (3) Remove clocks from the room - clock watching or counting hours left to sleep worsens the condition (4) Regular exercise (in the early evenings) (5) Avoid day naps (6) Avoid Caffeinated Drinks. |
| Low Back Pain | 1 to 2 days Usually improves with early mobility and avoiding carrying heavy items. If you have numbness or weakness in the lower limbs, bowel incontinence, difficulty passing urine you will need to be attended urgently in the Emergency Department. |
| Gout | 1 to 2 days Usually improves within 24-48hours with adequate hydration & pain relief. If you have 2 or more attacks in a year, you may want to consider follow up treatments. We will be able to advise you and arrange the necessary blood tests required. |
Are digital MCs valid in Singapore?
MCs are legitimate as long as they are issued by SMC-registered doctors. As the MC is a computer-generated MC, the doctor's signature is not required. The doctor's name and MCR number are stated on the DigiMC. To further cement its authenticity, ensure that the digital MC is issued from the https://mc.gov.sg domain. If your employer does not accept your MC, you may inform them that this is a new initiative by GovTech and point them to this webpage www.mc.gov.sg for more information. For further clarifications, your employer can contact GovTech via the support form.
