About Dr. Prem Pillay | Singapore

Dr Prem Pillay

MBBS (Singapore), FRCS (Edinburgh, UK), FAMS (Neurosurgery),
FRCS Canada (Neurosurgery), FACS (USA)

30 YEARS OF SPECIALIST EXPERIENCE
USA, CANADA, UK, SINGAPORE

Dr Prem Pillay specializes in all aspects of neurosurgery, Brain, Spine Surgery, Endovascular Neurosurgery, including non-surgical Brain and Spine Treatments. Servicing Singapore, he operates at the Mt Elizabeth Medical Centre.

  • Dr Prem Pillay, is a Neurosurgeon with more than 30 Years of Experience.  He spent many years working for the Cleveland Clinic, a Top hospital in the United States (Top 5 in Neurosurgery in the USA), where he was the Chief Resident Neurosurgeon and won the Lower Award and the Pudenz Award for his Neuro Research. He was mentored by their World Renowned Neurosurgeons including Dr Joe Hahn, Dr John Little (Aneurysms and AVMs), Dr Russell Hardy, Dr Ian Kalfas (Spine and Image Guidance/Spine Robotics Experts) and Dr Sam Hassenbusch (Pain and Brain Tumors Expert).  Following that, Dr Prem Pillay was posted to the Mayo clinic, thus allowing him to learn from Dr Patrick Kelly, a world leader in robotics and image-guided neurosurgery.
  • Dr Prem Pillay completed a Fellowship in Neurosurgical Oncology (Brain+Spine) at MD Anderson Cancer Center (The no.1 Cancer Center in the USA and Globally)  where he was taught by Dr Raymond Sawaya one of the Famous Pioneers of Brain Tumor Microsurgery including for Gliomas and Glioblastoma Multiforme.  Subsequently, he completed a fellowship in Pediatric Neurosurgery at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada under the tutelage of Dr Harold Hoffman, Dr Robin Humphreys, Dr Jim Drake, and Dr Rutka all of whom are among the best in their field in the World.  He also worked with Dr Joe Maroon, a Leading World renowned Spine Surgeon and Neurosurgeon in Pittsburgh and a pioneer and Leader for Minimally Invasive Spine and Percutaneous Spine procedures.
  • Dr Prem Pillay is now practising at the Singapore Brain-Spine-Nerves Center at Mount Elizabeth Hospital and at the Advanced Spine Center at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital in Singapore.
  • Dr Prem Pillay is an award winning Neurosurgeon in the areas of less invasive Brain and Spine treatments/surgery.  He is an old boy of ACS where he was a top student and a recipient of the Seow Poh Leng Medal.  He is a graduate of the National University of Singapore Medical School where he was awarded the Singapore Medical Association medal for being one of the top students in his graduating class.  He has served as a Military Doctor and was a Senior Surgeon at a Combat hospital during his reservist period.  He was also the Head of the Department of Neurosurgery and Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon at the Singapore General Hospital and involved in the teaching and training of medical students, young doctors and neurosurgical trainee.  He has introduced many new technologies and techniques in Neurosurgery to Singapore and the Region, including computer aided/Image guided surgery for the brain and spine, 3D microsurgery, and radiosurgery including the gamma knife, epilepsy surgery, Neuro Endoscopy and Pain treatments.  He was awarded the Mahaley Award (USA/ International) for innovative work on Endoscopic tumor surgery in the area of neuro oncology.  He also received the National Brain Tumor Foundation (USA) award for his work in helping individuals with Brain Tumors.
  • Dr Prem Pillay has presented at more than 100 international/local meetings and written for journals, textbooks and public talks.  He remains committed to carrying out the highest quality treatment pioneered by the best neurosurgeons in the world for his patients.
  • Memberships in Professional Organisations: Member, American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Member, Congress of Neurological Surgeons(CNS) for the tumour, spine & peripheral nerve, stereotactic & functional neurosurgery, paediatric and pain sections.

 Training & Subspeciality Training

  • Neurosurgery Residency Training, Cleveland Clinic, USA
  • Chief Resident, Neurosurgery, Cleveland Clinic, USA
  • Fellowship in Epilepsy Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, USA
  • Fellowship in Adult and Pediatric Neurosurgical Oncology (Brain/Spine Tumors)
  • MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA. Fellowship in Paediatric Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada

Awards

  • Singapore Medical Association Medal
  • Howard Eddie Gold Medal , FRACS
  • Pudenz Award, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Seattle, USA
  • William E Lower Award: First Prize from the Cleveland Clinic, USA
  • Congress of Neurosurgeons Fellowship Award , USA
  • Mahaley Clinic Research Award by American Association of Neurological Surgeons / Congress of Neurological Surgeons Tumor Section, USA
  • National Brain Tumor Foundation (USA) Award

Membership in Professional Organizations

  • Member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons and Member of the Tumor Section, Spine & Pheripheral Nerve Section, Stereotactic & Functional Neurosurgery Section, Pediatric Section and Pain Section
  • Executive Council Member of the Asian Society for Stereotactic, Functional & Computer-assisted Neurosurgery
  • Member of the American Epilepsy Society
  • Member Society of Neuro-Oncology, USA
  • Fellow of the International College of Surgeons.
  • Member of the American College of Surgeons.
  • Member WFNS Spine Comittee (World Federation of Neurological Societies)
  • Member Minimally Invasive Spine Society
  • Member Spine Arthoplasty Society

Previous Appointments

  • Chief Resident in Neurosurgery, Cleveland Clinic, USA
  • Head & Co-Director Brain Center and Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon, Dept. of Neurosurgery, Singapore General Hospital

Interest & Hobbies

He has been travelling to hospitals in the region to carry out free surgeries and treatments to the poor and underprivileged in our part of Asia, and train the local doctors.  He is involved in providing medical advise for charitable organisations. He is active in swimming, cycling, trekking and table-tennis and encourages his patients to remain fit and active.