The injuries they will see at the hospital, which handles more than 900 serious cases a year, should put them in good stead should their skills be needed in disaster relief, or wartime, said the SAF on Thursday.

Trauma management refers to the treatment of injuries like broken bones, damage to organs and bleeding.

A memorandum of understanding signed on Thursday between the SAF and Tan Tock Seng Hospital paves the way for SAF surgeons to attend the hospital's Definitive Surgical Trauma Care course in batches.

Some 100 SAF surgeons, who are regulars and operationally ready national servicemen, will attend the two-day programme to update themselves on trauma management skills and see, at firsthand, the trauma cases being handled by the hospital.

Associate Professor Chia Sing Joo, divisional chairman atTan Tock Seng Hospital, said the hospital is one of only 22 centres worldwide that conducts such a course, which is endorsed by an international society of trauma surgeons in Switzerland.

Describing trauma as 'the No. 1 killer of people under the age of 35 years in Singapore', Prof Chia said the course will strengthen trauma research, education and training among SAF surgeons and the hospital staff.

Although a large number of NS surgeons are specialist in their respective fields, the course will allow them to see trauma cases they do not usually come across.

Consultant vascular surgeon, Lieutenant-Colonel (NS)(Dr) Imran Nawaz, who commands the 3rd Combat Support Hospital, said: 'We'll look at how we can adjust the course and extend the training further down the line.''

Rear Admiral (Dr) John Wong, Chief of the SAF Medical Corps, added: 'Such initiatives will greatly enhance the quality of care in the treatment of casualties in war, as well as in humanitarian assistance and peace support missions.''