Assoc Prof Darren Koh

Associate Professor Darren Koh is a Senior Consultant Anaesthesiologist at Singapore General Hospital and the Director of Education for the SGH Campus. In this pivotal role, he leads the strategic direction, governance, and advancement of clinical education across all professional groups—including medical, nursing, and allied health—underpinning SGH’s mission as an Academic Medical Centre. His oversight ensures alignment of educational initiatives with institutional priorities, fostering excellence in both undergraduate and postgraduate training. He also holds adjunct and clinical associate professorships at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Duke-NUS Medical School, respectively.

A/Prof Koh began his medical training at the National University of Singapore, where he earned his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) in 1993, followed by a Master of Medicine in Anaesthesia in 1998. He was awarded the Health Manpower Development Plan (HMDP) award in 2000 and completed an advanced fellowship in Neuroanaesthesia and Neuro-Intensive Care. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore, and also holds a Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture. He is registered with the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board (Acupuncture) under the Ministry of Health.

As a clinician-academician, A/Prof Koh is actively involved in teaching, mentoring, and faculty development. His areas of contribution include problem-based learning, simulation-based education, medical ethics, professionalism, and educational leadership.

Over the course of work, A/Prof Koh has received numerous academic, service and quality improvement awards both in hospital and public service.

• Best Residency Program Director Award 2019
• Best Residency Program Award 2019, 2021
• SingHealth GCEO Excellent Award 2016: Outstanding Educator
• SingHealth Duke-NUS Golden Apple Innovative Program Award
• SingHealth Academy Golden Apple Outstanding Creative Educator Award
• National University of Singapore Dean's Award for Teaching Excellence
• National University of Singapore MedSoc Distinguished Educator (Outstanding Tutor) Award 2016
• National University of Singapore Leadership Academic Medicine Award
• Public Healthcare Clinician Special Recognition Award 2013
• Best Clinical Practice Improvement Program Award (SingHealth)
• Clinical Practice Improvement Program Merit Award (NHG)
• Singapore General Hospital Making-A-Difference Award
• Singapore General Hospital Service Quality Awards
• Singapore General Hospital Service-with-A-Heart Awards
• Courage Award for SARS Warriors, 2003 
• Good Service Award, Singapore Civil Defence Force

• Staying Sharp in Times of Crisis – The impact ofCovid-19 on Anaesthesiology Residency. Proceedings of Singapore Health Care. 2021
• The abbreviated Maslach burnout inventory can over-estimate burnout: A study on anesthesiology residents. Journal of Clinical Medicine
• An Anaesthesia perspective on carotid body tumour (CBT) excision: A twenty year case series at the Singapore General Hospital. J Periop Pract 2017 Oct;27(10):228-233
• Singapore General Hospital Experience on Ethnicity and the Incidence of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting after Elective Orthopedic Surgeries. Journal of Anesthesiology, vol. 2015, Article ID 952302, 2015. doi:10.1155/2015/952302.
• Creativity and Innovation in Medical Education: It’s Time to Let the Trees Grow Freely. Annals Academy of Medicine Nov 2013: Vol. 42 (11);557-8.
• Improving on-time start for iMRI neurosurgeries. Asian Journal of Neurosurgery 2013: Jan 8(1); 2-8
• The use of single-injection thoracic paravertebral block in breast cancer surgeries in our Asian population:
• The Singapore General Hospital experience. Proceedings of SingHealth 2013: Nov 22(2); 107-113
• Anaesthesia for robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy: Considerations for laparoscopy in the trendelenburg position.  Anaesth Int Care 2007: Apr 35(2); 281-5
• The modified Cormack-Lehane score for the grading of direct laryngoscopy: Evaluation in the Asian population. Anaesthesia and Intensive Care 2002; 30:48-51
• Perioperative management of patient with congenital myasthenia gravis for elective caesarean section. Singapore Medical Journal 2001; 42 (2): 61-3
• Evaluation of a modified grading system for direct laryngoscopy: our preliminary experience in Singapore. SGH Proceedings 2000: Vol 9 (2); 79-82
• Prevalence study of chronic rhinitis in Singapore. Ann Acad Med 1994: Vol 23 (3); 358-62