If you feel too unwell to work, “online MC” may be the phrase you search for first. The useful next step is an assessment of your health and ability to carry out your usual duties. A certificate may follow that assessment, rather than being an item selected at checkout.
There are also two separate meanings of “online”: the consultation may happen by video, and the resulting document may be digital. A digital MC can also follow an in-person appointment. Its format does not tell you how the patient was assessed.
Explain what being unwell means for your day
Describe your symptoms accurately, when they started and how they affect your normal activities. You can tell the doctor that you need a fitness-for-work assessment and explain what your job involves. For example, working at a desk and operating equipment involve different tasks; describe your actual duties rather than guessing what information the doctor wants.
Mention care you have already received and any existing MC for the same episode. If the discussion raises questions you did not expect, answer as clearly as you can. The purpose is to give the doctor enough information to decide on care, not to complete a script for obtaining leave.
Expect a medical decision, not a preset number of days
MOH states that MCs must be issued on proper medical grounds and that the quality and adequacy of assessment matter. A consultation’s duration alone is not proof that it was sufficient. A promise of a very fast certificate is not a substitute for the doctor understanding your situation.
The doctor decides whether you are medically unfit for duty and what period is appropriate. Teleconsult.sg does not sell one-day or three-day MC packages. If an online assessment is insufficient, the next step may be a physical visit rather than an MC. Ask what to do if you remain unwell after any certified period ends.
Sources: MOH: consultation quality and medical grounds for MCs
How the request fits into a teleconsult.sg visit
Choose browser or WhatsApp video, complete the patient-identification steps and submit the pre-consult details. The optional remarks field can help introduce your concern, but it does not replace the conversation. You can register manually if you are not using Singpass MyInfo.
The standard consultation is S$15 nett, or S$10 nett for eligible CHAS Blue cardholders under the clinic-funded reduction. A DigiMC is provided at no extra issuance charge if medically appropriate. Medication and delivery are separate. If the doctor does not issue an MC, that does not mean no medical consultation took place.
Check the original digital document
For a DigiMC, keep the original mc.gov.sg link. The official DigiMC service explains that the doctor’s name and registration number identify the issuer; a handwritten signature is not required. Check your details and the dates shown before passing the document on.
If the clinic says an MC has been issued but you cannot find the link, contact the issuing clinic. For this service, the care team can help with document follow-up through WhatsApp. If the document is wrong or shows as void, ask the issuer to clarify it; do not edit a screenshot or PDF yourself.
Sources: DigiMC: accessing and sharing your digital medical certificate
Treat workplace submission as a separate step
MOM confirms that the Employment Act’s MC-recognition requirement includes certificates issued through teleconsultation by appropriately registered practitioners. That is separate from your sick-leave eligibility and whether your employer reimburses the consultation.
Use your employer’s notification and submission process promptly. If HR asks a question, clarify whether it concerns the certificate, your leave balance or the receipt; each is a different issue. For school, exams or another organisation, check that organisation’s requirements rather than assuming workplace rules apply.
Sources & editorial note
- MOH: consultation quality and medical grounds for MCs
- DigiMC: accessing and sharing your digital medical certificate
- MOM: recognition of teleconsultation MCs
Sources checked on 21 September 2026. This original guide provides general information. It does not replace a consultation. Follow your clinician’s advice for your situation.
