Over the last 200 years, Western medicine has gradually spread across the globe, and has either been replaced or become integrated with traditional systems of medical care. Much of this expansion occurred during the colonial times. For example, Western medicine was introduced to Singapore by Thomas Prendergast, a surgeon who accompanied Sir Stamford Raffles when he landed on the island in 1819. In 1905, the Straits and Federated Malay States Government Medical School was founded in Singapore. In 1912, the School received support from the King Edward VII Memorial Fund and in 1921, it became the King Edward VII College of Medicine. In 1949, the College of Medicine amalgamated with the Raffles College to become the University of Malaya, and became its Faculty of Medicine. In 1959, the University of Malaya established two autonomous divisions, one in Kuala Lumpur, the other in Singapore. Further changes occurred after Singapore became an independent republic in 1965.
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