Dr Richard Sim was previously Senior Consultant and Head of Colorectal Unit, Director of Surgical Training, and Director of Centre for Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery (CALS), at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. CALS was the first centre in Singapore to use virtual reality simulators and the first centre outside the US to be accredited by Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES).

As Chairman of the National Healthcare Group (NHG) Colorectal Surgery Clinical Pathway Synchronization Workgroup, he led the introduction of evidence-based best care practices to optimise outcomes after major colorectal surgical procedures. His interest in performance and quality metrics underpins his firm belief that surgeons can improve by constantly tracking their own results. This led to the first widespread monitoring of colonoscopy quality indicators in a public hospital in Singapore. He is now advocating a transparent risk-adjusted surgeon-specific performance reporting system.

In research and education, Dr Sim is a member of the Editorial Board, Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore and Clinical Senior Lecturer of the Yong Yoo Lin School of Medicine, NUS.