Dr Tan Yia Swam is a specialist in surgical oncology, with a special interest in breast.

Dr Tan completed her Bachelor of Medicine, and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at the University of Singapore (NUS) in 2004. She obtained the Membership of the Royal Colleges in 2007 and received her Master of Medicine in Surgery from NUS in 2008. In 2014, she obtained her Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of Edinburgh and is a fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore.

Dr Tan’s past appointments include being a consultant surgeon with KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital Department of Breast Surgery, and at Tan Tock Seng Hospital where she completed an advanced specialist training in general surgery. She was elected president of the Singapore Medical Association (SMA) and was the first female doctor to hold this position. Dr Tan has also received several awards, including the Singapore Health Quality Service Award: Gold, and KK Service from the Heart Award.

With an active role in medical education and volunteerism, Dr Tan was a tutor with the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and obtained the Dean’s Award for teaching excellence in 2013. She gives pro-bono education talks for the public, the Singapore Cancer Society, and doctors of SMA.