Profile

Dr Lim Yean Teng is a highly accomplished Senior Consultant Cardiologist with a distinguished career spanning four decades in clinical excellence, healthcare leadership, and medical education at under- and post-graduate level.

Dr Lim graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 1983. He was among the first in his cohort to complete the Master of Medicine (Internal Medicine) examination in the shortest possible time, before undertaking specialist training in cardiology at the National University Hospital (NUH) in Singapore. To further his subspecialty , Dr Lim completed an 18-month dual Clinical Fellowship in the United States in Interventional Cardiology and Nuclear Cardiology.  Upon returning to Singapore, he was appointed Consultant Cardiologist at NUH and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Medicine at the NUS School of Medicine. 

He was active in formative years of interventional cardiology in Asia-Pacific region, Dr Lim was recognised as one of the region’s key opinion leader in the adoption of drug-eluting stent technology, and pioneered the use of thrombectomy in Primary Angioplasty for Acute Myocardial Intervention. He also the first to bring in Pressure Wire technology to Asia.  During his tenure as Director of Interventional Cardiology,  the NUH Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Programme was established and has since trained many cardiologists from across Asia.  Many of them have gone on to become leaders in cardiovascular medicine, heading major clinical and academic centres in their respective country.   Recognising the importance of regional collaboration and continuing medical education, Dr Lim initiated the Asian Interventional Cardiovascular Therapeutics (AICT) Course by bringing together like-minded interventional cardiologists from around the region.  The meeting continued to grow and evolved into the current AICT-Asia PCR Course.

In recognition his leadership and contributions to cardiovascular medicine, Dr Lim was appointed Chief of Cardiac Department at NUH in 1999, becoming the youngest individual to hold the position in the Department’s history.  Following the establishment of the National Healthcare Group, he was  appointed the Co-Director of The Heart Institute. During his tenure, he transformed a young cardiac department into a leading regional centre for cardiac care, laying the foundation for what is today’s National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS). 

In 2023, Dr Lim was appointed as Chairman, Medical Borad of NUH. Shortly after assuming office, Singapore confronted the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak.  As a member of the hospital’s executive leadership, he played a key role in guiding NUH through one of the most challenging healthcare crisis in the nation’s history.  Through coordinated leadership, rigorous infection control measures and the dedication of the hospital staff, NUH emerged as the only major public hospital where SARS virus penetrated into the Intensive Care Unit and a general ward, but did not cause a major outbreak in it.  For his contribution in combating SARS, he was award the Commendation Medal (Pingat Kepujian) in 2003 National Day Awards for Overcoming SARS, and the Courage Star Award 2003.

Since entering private practice in 2007, Dr Lim continued to provide comprehensive, evidence-based cardiovascular care through a patient-centred practice.  Together with his dedicated staff, they established a patient-friendly cardiology practice, recognised for commitment to quality, accessibility and personalised care.

Dr Lim served as Visiting Consultant to the NUHCS until 2025, but continues to hold the appointment of Adjunct Associate Professor at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.  He was served as Chairman of the Clinical Risk Sub-committee of the Board since 2017 and was appointed a National University Health System Board member in 2020, and Chairman, Clinical Risk Committee in 2021. 

In addition to his clinical work, Dr Lim continues to make significant contributions to Singapore’s healthcare system through public service.  He has chaired several key Ministry of Health committees, including the National Committee for Cardiac Care, the Medical Fee Benchmarks Advisory Committee and the Specialist Training Committee for Cardiology.   For his contribution to MOH, he was awarded the Public Service Medal (Pingat Bakti Masyarakat), 2020 National Day Awards.

In May 2024, Dr Lim was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Singapore Cardiac Society, in recognition of his years of steadfast commitment to advancing cardiovascular medicine in Singapore and Asia-Pacific region, visionary leadership and contribution to the development of national standards, healthcare policy and clinical governance.  

In 2025, the President and Council Members of the Singapore Medical Association awarded Dr Lim the SMA Merit Award, in recognition of his significant contributions to the development of Cardiology in Singapore, and also for his work as Chairman of the MOH Medical Fee Benchmarks Advisory Committee.