Dr. Annabelle Tay Sok Yan

Professional Experience

Dr Sok Yan Tay, Annabelle graduated with the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2007. As a medical student, she was awarded the Jane prize in Pediatrics in 2006.  She completed her residency in otolaryngology and was accredited as a Specialist in Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) by the Singapore Medical Council and Specialist Accreditation Board in 2014. Following the completion of the surgical specialty examinations, she was admitted as a fellow of the Royal College Of Surgeons, Glasgow in 2010.

Sok Yan, Annabelle made the decision to pursue a career in Pediatric Otolaryngology following her residency. She was awarded an Academic Medicine Development Award (AMDA) in 2015 for a Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship. The same year, she completed her USMLE exams (Step 1 to Step 3) and received ECFMG certification.  She spent a year between 2016 and 2017 in the renowned Texas Children’s Hospital in the United States of America as a clinical fellow in an American ENT Board Accredited Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship Program with the Baylor College of Medicine. She also did an observership in Cincinnati Children’s hospital.  Her training has equipped her the ability to perform complex and routine cases in pediatric ear problems and hearing loss such as cochlear implant, bone anchored hearing aids, ossicular chain reconstruction, tympanomastoidectomy, endoscopic ear surgery, otoplasty and auricular reconstruction surgery.  She has been trained to perform both open airway reconstruction surgery (Laryngotracheal reconstruction) and endoscopic airway surgery for children with congenital and acquired airway stenosis and pediatric airway disease. Her other consults include management of pediatric snoring issues, sinus and allergy disease, voice problems, dysphagia, salivation problems (Sialorrhea) and pediatric head and neck tumours.

Annabelle has been the organizer of the pediatric module of the residency teaching and has been the mentor of multiple medical students and residents. She has published consistently in peer-reviewed scientific journals, authored book chapters and had presented her research in both regional and international meetings. She enjoys working on quality improvements projects to improve the care her patients receive.  Her passion has been seen in the quality improvements projects she led on tracheostomy care and tonsillectomy outcomes when she was working in the National University Hospital.

Academic and service profile

Annabelle has been a regular examiner for the Yong Loo Lin Medical school MBBS Final examination.  In the recent years, she has been the examiner for the ENT board examination and also the NUS Master of Otolaryngology examination.

She has conducted tracheostomy training courses for nurses in the hospitals on a regular basis and has been pivotal in the setting up of the tracheostomy care guidelines for the pediatric patients in NUH when she was working there. In order to reach out to the community, she has also given talks on tracheostomy emergencies managements to the paramedics.

Her passion in pediatric airway and aerodigestive can be seen in her involvements in multiple local and regional airway courses and workshops. She has authored book chapter on pediatric bronchoscopy.

Annabelle has a keen interest in pediatric sleep apnea. In the years when she was in NUH, she worked on building a multidisciplinary care model with pediatrician and pediatric orthodontist in the management of children with sleep apnea. She also worked on research projects with the NUH dental on reviewing the impact of sleep apnea on facial growth changes in children.

Peer Reviewed Articles

1. Anaphylaxis following the Ingestion of Flour Contaminated by House Dust Mites – A Report of Two Cases From Singapore. Tay SY, Tham E, Yeo CT, Yi FC, Cheong N, Chua KY, Lee BW. Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology 2008 Jun- Sep; 26(2-3): 165 – 70.
2. Epinephrine auto-injector prescriptions as a reflection of the pattern of anaphylaxis in an Asian population. Tham EH, Tay SY, Lim DL, Shek LP, Goh AE, Giam YC, Chng HH, Lee BW. Allergy and Asthma Proceedings 2008 Mar-Apr; 29 (2): 211-5.
3. Malignant transformation of keratocystic odontogenic tumour: Two case reports. Bernard Tan, Tay Sok Yan, Lee Shermin, Kwa Chong Teck, Poon Choy Yoke, Christopher Goh, Abhilash Balakrishnan. American Journal of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery 2013 Jul-Aug; 34(4): 357-61.
4. Management of Common Foreign Bodies in Otolaryngology for the Family Physician- Tips and Pearls. The Singapore Family Physician Jul- Sep 2015; 41(3):20-23.
5. Comparison of the distribution of intranasal steroid spray using different application techniques. Sok Yan Tay, S S Chao, Kim Thye Thong Mark, De Yun Wang. International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology 2016 Nov ;6(11):1204-1210.
6. Laryngeal Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumour (IMT): A case report and a review of the literature. Sok Yan Tay, Abhilash Balakrishan. J Med Case Rep 2016 Jun 23;10 (1):180.
7. A case report of absent epiglottis in children with Nager syndrome: Its impact on swallowing. Sok Yan Tay, W S Loh, T C Lim. The cleft palate-craniofacial journal 2017;54(6): 754-757
8. Hemoptysis in a 17-year-old Chinese Boy. Yang Chern Lim, Sok Yan Tay. Pediatrics in Review 2017 Dec 38 (12); 570-571.
9. Predictive Factors for Perinatal Outcomes of Infants Diagnosed with Micrognathia Antenatally. Sok Yan Tay, Rekha Krishnasarma, Deepak Mehta, Amy Mehollin-Ray, Binoy Chandy. Ear, Nose and Throat Journal. 2019. June 3.
10. A Ten-Year Review of Audiological Performance in Children with Inner Ear Abnormalities Post Cochlear Implantation in Singapore. Sok Yan Tay, Rosslyn Anicete, Henry KK Tan International Journal of Otolaryngology 2019.
11. Cervical Myxoid Solitary Fibrous Tumor: Report of an Unusual Variant and a Brief Overview of the Literature. Wu B, Sok Yan Tay, Fredrik Petersson. Head and Neck Pathology.2019 Dec 3.
12. Cutaneous “Fibroma-Like” Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Tumor (PEComa): a case report and review of literature. Eugene Odono, Victor Lee, Sok Yan Tay, Kong Bing Tan. Journal of Cutaneous Pathology 2019.
13. Pediatric Oncology patients with vincristine induced recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy: Two case reports and a brief review of literature. Sok Yan Tay, Jen Foster, Andras Heczey, Matthew Sitton. Ear Nose Throat J 2020 May 19.
14. Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterial Cervicofacial Lymphadenitis in Children- 10- Year Experience in a Tertiary Pediatric Center. Leow O, Aoyama R, Loh WS, Shih E,Tay SY, Chew KL, Shen L, Chan SM. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. Jul 2023.
15. Eosinophilic allergic rhinitis is strongly associated with the CD45RB^1o subset of CD161⁺Th2 cells that secretes IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, and IL-13. One of the co-authors. Allergy Oct 2023.

Book Chapters

1. Pediatric Bronchoscopy. Sok Yan Tay, Christine Barron, Tulio Valdez. Atlas of Pediatric Head and Neck and Skull Base Surgery. (Final Proof 2022)

2. Safe practices in Microlaryngoscopy and Laryngeal Laser Surgery During the Covid 19 Pandemic, Special Considerations in Children. An international Consensus. July 2020.
3. Approach to Pediatric stridor. 2022. Sok Yan Tay, Tulio Valdez. Deckermed. (Stanford University).

Invited Articles 

1. Fishbone Ingestion in Our Local Population. Straits Times Newspaper, August 2015, Singapore
2. Tonsillitis in Children. Medico Magazine Jul-Sep 2015, Singapore
3. Can my Baby become Deaf from Ear Infections. Smart Parents Magazine Nov 2017, Singapore
4. Foreign body in Children. Medico Magazine 2018, Singapore

Research Presentation

Oral Presentation at Scientific Meeting

1. Adrenaline auto-injector use in Singapore. Dr Sok Yan Tay, Dr Lee Bee Wah. Presented at the Annual Singapore Pediatric Congress 2006.
2. The Outcome Of Children With Inner Ear Abnormalities After Cochlear Implantation. Dr Sok Yan Tay, Dr Henry Tan. Presented at 4^th Asian Pediatric ORL congress 2013.
3. Predictive Factors for Perinatal Outcomes of Infants Diagnosed with Micrognathia Antenatally. Dr Sok Yan Tay, R Krishnasarma, A Mehollin-Ray, D Mehta and B Chandy. Presented at American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO) 2017.
4. Effect of Operative and Post-operative Care Standardization on Early Outcomes in Pediatric Tracheostomy. Dr Sok Yan Tay, Dr J bedwell, Dr E Arjmand et al. Presented at SENTAC 2017.

Simulation Presentation at Scientific Meeting

1. Using a Simulation Model in Tracheostomy Teaching. Dr Sok Yan Tay, H Prasla, S Pruitt, J Bedwell. AAO 2017.
2. Difficult Airway Intubation Simulation. Dr Carol Liu, Dr Sok Yan Tay. AAO 2017.

Poster presentation at Scientific Meeting

1. The Effect of Total Nasal Obstruction on Nocturnal Oxygen Saturation in an Asian Population. Dr D. Chua, Dr Sok Yan Tay, Dr S S Chao. Presented at Rhinology World 2009.
2. The Sensitivity of the Loss of Cervical Lordosis as a Sign of Foreign Body Impaction in the Aerodigestive tract. Dr Shahrul Izham Ibrahim, Dr Stephen Lo, Dr Sok Yan Tay. Presented at American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery conference 2011.
3. Outcomes of Neck Dissection in the Treatment of Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: Possible role of adjuvant treatment in the selected group with tendency to recur. Dr Sok Yan Tay, Dr Lim Chwee Ming, Dr Luke Tan, Dr Loh Kwok Seng. Presented at American Head and Neck Society conference 2012.
4. Vocal Fold Scar In Neonatal ICU Graduates as a Result of Prolonged Intubation. Dr Sok Yan Tay, D Devore, S Hollas, Dr J Ongkasuwan. Presented at American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO) 2017.
5. Multidisciplinary care of pediatric patients with Vincristine –induced recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. Dr Sok Yan Tay, Dr M Sitton, Dr J Foster et al. Presented at ASPO 2018.
6. Hearing assessment in preschool children with developmental delays, who passed newborn hearing screen in Singapore. Dr Ting Fang Ni, Sok Yan Tay, Jenny Loo, Shen Liang, Li Wei Wen, Jennifer Kiing, Kang Ying Qi. Presented at 7^th Singapore Pediatric and Perinatal Annual Congress 2018. Best poster
7. A Review of Pediatrics Tracheostomy in last 13 years in Singapore- What have we learnt? Dr Nina Pernia, Dr WS Loh, Dr Sok Yan Tay. Presented at ABEA 2019.
8. Evaluation of Implementation of Value Driven Outcomes Model on Pediatric Tonsillectomy. Dr Sok Yan Tay, Dr R Ngo, Dr WS Loh. Presented at VDC conference 2019.

Jane Prize in Pediatric, Best essay on a pediatric subject, National University of Singapore ( 2006)

Finalist for Investigational Medicine Unit Grant Writing Award Competition, NUHS, Singapore ( 2011)

Best Clinical award for Doctors, Singapore ( 2012)

Best Poster Presentation for the 15^th Asian Research Symposium Rhinology, Singapore ( 2012)

Best Free Paper Oral Presentation for the 4^th Asian Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology Congress, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2013)

Academic Medicine Development Award for further training in Pediatric Otolaryngology, Singapore ( 2015)

Proactive Risk Management Excellence Award ( 2017)

Member Singapore Medical Association

Member Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Singapore

Member Academy of Medicine Singapore, Chapter of Otolaryngology

International member American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology