Dr James Tan
Clinical Interests
- Prostate cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Robotic & laparoscopic surgery
- Kidney stone surgery
- Kidney transplant
- Hernia surgery
Appointments:Ā +65 6735 0369
Email: enquiry@urology.com.sg
Dr James Tan is a Specialist Urologist and accredited Robotic Surgeon
Overview
ABOUT DR JAMES TAN
Dr James Tan is a Senior Consultant Urologist and accredited Robotic Surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Hospital with extensive experience in robotic and laparoscopic surgery for prostate, kidney, and bladder cancers and complex urologic conditions. He is also an accredited Kidney Transplant Surgeon.
Dr Tan graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1990. He topped his batch with a Distinction in Anatomy. He completed his specialist training in Urology in 1999 at National University Hospital and Singapore General Hospital.
Dr Tan won a Ministry of Health HMDP scholarship for an overseas clinical fellowship in Genito-Urinary Cancer Surgery from 2000 to 2001. He trained under Uro-Oncologist Dr Joseph Chin of the London Health Sciences Centre in Canada. He was awarded the 2002 Academy of Medicine Traveling Fellowship to Chi Mei Foundation Medical Centre in Taiwan specializing in Laparoscopic Urology. He received further training in Laparoscopic Urology (Cleveland Clinic in 2001), in Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy (France in 2002) and Robotic Prostatectomy (Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit in 2003).
Prior to starting his private practice at James Tan Centre for Urology & Robotic Surgery in 2005, he was Head of Urology at Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the Lead Surgeon (Urology) at TTSHās Centre for Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery Department.
Dr Tan has wide experience in managing benign and malignant conditions of the adrenal gland, kidney, bladder and prostate. He is the first in Singapore to perform laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in 2002, laparoscopic retroperitoneal radical nephrectomy, laparoscopic transposition of retrocaval ureter, laparoscopic repair of vesico-vaginal fistula and robotic ureteric re- implantation.
Since 2004, Dr James Tan has personally performed more than 400 robotic prostate and kidney cancer surgery as console surgeon and an additional 700 cases as assistant surgeon. He is widely recognized as a pioneer in robotic surgery in Singapore. He was awarded the Da Vinci Triumph in April 2016 for his outstanding achievement in robotic surgery in Singapore. He performs clipless bilateral nerve sparing robotic prostatectomy to preserve potency and achieve early urinary continence.
He also performs robotic partial nephrectomy and laparoscopic radical nephrectomy regularly. He is first to perform laparoscopic donor nephrectomy for kidney transplant in Mount Elizabeth Hospital in 2008.
His other areas of expertise are in minimally invasive and endoscopic management of urinary stones and these include percutaneous kidney stone surgery and retrograde flexible ureteroscopic intra-renal laser surgery.
He has been practising in Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre since 2005. He is accredited to perform surgery in all private hospitals including Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital, Parkway East Hospital, Mount Alvernia Hospital and Farrer Park Hospital.
Dr James Tan is married and has four boys. He likes to travel and go for medical missions. In his free time, he enjoys reading, running and playing board games.
LANGUAGES SPOKEN :
- English
- Mandarin
- Teochew
- Hokkien
- Cantonese
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Bahasa Melayu
RESEARCH:
He wasĀ Deputy Director of TTSHās Clinical Research Unit. He was the Principal Investigator of studies on Prostate Cancer Screening Programme, Computerized Online Genito-Urinary Cancer Database, Empirical Antibiotic Therapy for Abnormally Raised PSA, Erectile Dysfunction, Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Varicocele.
His publications include at least 15 peer-reviewed indexed journal articles and more than 100 conference articles and award-winning videos.
Dr Tan has wide experience in managing benign and malignant conditions of the adrenal gland, kidney, bladder and prostate.
His subspecialty is inĀ genito-urinary cancer surgery, robotic & advanced laparoscopic surgery.
He is theĀ first in SingaporeĀ to perform laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (2002), laparoscopic retroperitoneal radical nephrectomy, laparoscopic transposition of retrocaval ureter, laparoscopic repair of vesico-vaginal fistula and robotic ureteric re-implantation.
Snce 2004, Dr James Tan has performed and helped colleagues perform more than aĀ few hundred robotic radical prostatectomy. He routinely performs bilateral nerve sparing and bladder neck sparing robotic prostatectomy to preserve potency and urinary continence. Where appropriate, he will perform additional bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy.
He is also theĀ first to perform routinely laparoscopic donor nephrectomyĀ for kidney transplant in Mount Elizabeth Hospital in 2008.
His other areas of expertise are inĀ minimally invasiveĀ andĀ endoscopicĀ management of urinary stones and prostate diseases.
Dr James Tan obtained his basic medical degree in the National University of Singapore in 1990, and won theĀ Thambipillai Medal for Distinction in Anatomy (top in Class).
He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh and Glasgow in 1995, and earned his Masters of Medicine in National University of Singapore in the same year.
He was conferred as Fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore (Urology) in 2000.
Dr Tan won a Ministry of Health HMDP scholarship for an overseas clinical fellowship in Genitor-Urinary Cancer Surgery from 2000 to 2001. He was attached to theĀ London Health Sciences Centre in Canada.
He was awarded the 2002 Academy of Medicine Traveling Fellowship to theĀ Chi Mei Foundation Medical CentreĀ in Taiwan specializing in Laparoscopic Urology. During the Fellowship, he honed his laparoscopic skill by studying and performing laparoscopic partial cystectomy and enterocystoplasty in an animal model. He also participated in many laparoscopic radical cystectomy and nephro-ureterectomy in the clinical setting for patients with bladder and/or ureteric transitional cell carcinoma.
He received further training inĀ Cleveland ClinicĀ (Laparoscopic Urology) in 2001, Detroit (Robotic Prostatectomy) in 2003 and France (Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy) in 2002.
Dr Tan won the Federation of Asean Urological AssociationĀ Best Oral Paper PrizeĀ in 1999.
He was awarded the Singapore Urological AssociationĀ Annual Book PrizeĀ in 2000.
He received the European Board of UrologyĀ Best in Knowledge PrizeĀ in 2002.
He also won theĀ Best Video PrizeĀ in the First National Healthcare Group Annual Scientific Meeting in 2002.
Dr James Tan has helped in the training of many junior surgeons in Singapore and the region through numerousĀ surgical demonstrations, teleconferences and workshops. He has also doneĀ live surgery demonstrationsĀ in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Nepal and Thailand. His teaching appointments include the following:
- Course Director, Experimental Surgery in Laparoscopic Urology, 2002
- Teaching Faculty, Advanced Urological Laparoscopic Symposium and Workshop, XXXIII World Congress of the International College of Surgeons, Taipei
- Faculty, Endourology & Laparoscopic Surgery Workshop cum National Conference, Society of Surgeons of Nepal
- Teaching Faculty, National Healthcare Group Annual Scientific Meeting 2002, 2003, 2004
- Teaching Faculty, Pre-Congress Workshop, Asian Congress in Urology (Hong Kong), 2004
- Qingdao International Urology Meeting, 2004
- Teaching Faculty, Urology Fair 2005
- Course Director, Laparoscopic Workshop, 2005
He is a life member of theĀ Singapore Urological AssociationĀ and had held the position of EXCO member and Honorary Treasurer.
He is in the Ministry of HealthāsĀ Clinical Guideline CommitteeĀ for Kidney Cancer as well as a member of Chapter of Urology Subspecialty Committees for Urologic Cancers, Endourology and Laparoscopy.
He is a member of the American Urological Association, European Urology Association, Asian Society of Endourology, Asia-Pacific Society of Uro-Oncolog and Endoscopic & Laparoscopic Surgeons of Asia.
He is currently Chairman of Tissue Committee, Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
He is also member of Medical Advisory Board, Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
He is currently the Representative of the Urology/Nephrology Subspecialty Interest Group at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
- Head of Urology at Tan Tock Seng Hospital
- Lead Surgeon, Laparoscopic Urology Service, Centre for Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital
- Visiting Specialist, Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery, Singapore General Hospital
- Deputy Director, Clinical Research Unit, Tan Tock Seng Hospital
- Clinical Lecturer, National University of Singapore
- Member, Tan Tock Seng Hospital Research Committee
- Member, Credentials and Accreditation Committee for Minimally Invasive Surgery, TTSH
- Mentor and Supervisor, Advanced Surgical (Urology) Trainees
- Reviewer for Research Grants Awarding Committees:
– National Medical Research Council
– National Healthcare Group Research Fund
– Tan Tock Seng Hospital Research Fund - Secretary, Urology Fair 2003, 2004
- Scientific Chairman, Urology Fair 2005
- Scientific Chairman, Federation of Asean Urological Assn Meeting, 2005
- Chairman Organizing Committee, Urology Fair 2006
- Treasurer, Singapore Urological Association 2004-2006
- Vice-President, Singapore College of Surgeons, 2007