“My world has changed, and
so have I
I've learned to choose and
even learned to say good-bye
The path ahead, so hard to
see
It winds and bends, but
where it ends depends on only me
In my heart I don't feel
part of so much I've known
Now it seems it's time to
start a new life on my own
But where do I go from
here?
So many voices ringing in
my ear
Which is the voice I was
meant to hear?
How will I know, where do I
go from here?”
(Lyrics from Where Do I Go From
Here? Pocahontas II: Journey To A New World)
Last year, it was decided that
the two medical schools would increase the intake of medical students to 160
each every year despite the concern raised by the HKMA that there had not been
and would not be enough structured training for the graduates.
In
December last year, a Year-Three medical student committed suicide by jumping off a
building. She was offered
university place through the Early Admissions Scheme after achieving 7As in the
HKCEE. She entered the
medical school at the age of 17. She
left a death note, revealing her difficulties towards academic and financial
issues.
Also in last year, a medical student convicted of sexual offences made an application
for registering as a
medical practitioner with the Medical Council of Hong
Kong after completing his studies and internship. A hearing under
camera was conducted to consider his application. There were concerns about his fitness to
practice and his mental status. How to
strike a balance between patient protection and giving chances to students who
had made mistakes? The decision is still
pending.
Where do medical students go from
medical schools?
There is a famous quote by Tom Bodett,
“The difference between
school and life:
In school, you're taught a
lesson and then given a test.
In life, you're given a
test that teaches you a lesson.”
We have invited Professor LEE Sum Ping, Dean of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the
University of Hong Kong, as our special guest of Council Dinner. Prof. LEE was concerned about the
discontinuation of medical services provided to citizens because of the plead
by the Hospital Authority that there would be a lack of doctors. However,
as an adorable scholar, Prof. Lee admitted that medical schools should also be
responsible for ensuring graduates to have opportunities of medical training. Our President pointed out the situation
several years ago when there were problems of not enough placement in the
Hospital Authority for doctors after housemanship. Ernie
and Kingsley shared their experience of temporary contracts and service posts
of junior doctors around the year 2000. In
view of these, I proposed to do a survey on the career of graduates of recent
years. The idea was supported by Prof. LEE
and the Council as evidence would be invaluable in guiding the direction of undergraduate
and postgraduate training.
I have also arranged an interview
with Professor FOK Tai Fai, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese
University of Hong Kong. Our President,
Vice Presidents, Immediate Past President and I will meet Prof. FOK at the
newly opened Salon de Ning. While enjoying
the environment of old Shanghai and the legend of Madame Ning, we shall again
discuss with Prof. FOK about the intake of medical students, undergraduate and
postgraduate training, and the survey of the careers of graduates. This will all appear in the next issue of the
HKMA News.
The interview in this issue is
with three current medical students. Apart
from enjoying the eye-catching pictures taken by Amy and me, please read the
article written by the three girls. They
share with us their worries as medical students. But at the same time, you can surely feel the
confidence and energy of our next generation.
(Source: HKMA News January 2009)
