"I have had the privilege of being guided and mentored by many greats, who afforded me invaluable opportunities in my career path and have been instrumental in taking me to where I am today. I am thankful to Prof CN Lee and A/Prof Charles Tsang, who both trained me as a junior doctor and played important roles in developing my surgical skills. Thereafter, A/Prof Davide Lomanto and A/Prof Philip Lau went on to support me further in my trajectory. Such mentors have shaped me as a surgeon and as an educator – and I endeavour to pay it forward for future generations."

Dr Lynette Loo is a Senior Consultant in the Division of General Surgery at the National University Hospital (NUH) Singapore. Upon finishing compulsory medical officer service in Malaysia where she obtained her basic surgical training, she successfully completed concurrent advanced surgical training in NUH, Singapore and public health training in National University of Singapore.

A focus in trauma and minimally-invasive general surgery

Dr Loo's specialty is in trauma surgery and minimally-invasive general surgery.

In minimally invasive surgery, she has special interest in laparoscopic (keyhole) hernia surgery especially hernia in female patients, large ventral hernia and laparoscopic acute care surgical procedures (laparoscopic cholecystectomy and appendicectomy in the emergency settings). Dr Loo is currently the patient safety officer and department's lead in value-driven outcome projects.

Since 2019 – upon completion of her fellowship in Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia – she is part of a cohesive and innovative team of trauma surgeons in the Western Trauma Network, covering both NUH and NTFGH in care of severely-injured patients.

Research in improving surgical outcomes

Dr Loo's research interests include trauma epidemiology, surgical critical care, geriatric trauma and quality of life studies.

Since 2017, she has been working closely with the NUHS VDO office and the Ministry of Health, Singapore in order to deliver safe, high-quality and affordable surgical procedures in Singapore.

She is also closely involved in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in NUH and Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS being one of the core faculty in the surgery-in-general programme as well as the PGY1 programme.