Dear students, colleagues and alumni of HKUMed,
I write with a heart that is filled with humility and yet the greatest pride that the University has named me the forty-first Dean of Medicine.
HKUMed is my home from home – a place where I have grown into the teacher, researcher, clinician and the person I am today. I feel tremendously honoured that the University has entrusted me to take the helm and lead our Faculty into the future.
This past year has been a fruitful experience for me as the interim Dean. I have had the opportunity to take a full review of the state of the Faculty and make exciting plans for its future development. Most importantly, working closely with you has allowed me to connect with each and every one of you and learn about your aspirations and accomplishments, as well as understand your challenges and concerns. What has been very clear throughout this exercise is your unwavering commitment to propel HKUMed to even greater heights in the future. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the trust you have bestowed on me and the Deanery to help make this happen.
During a recent seminar for members of the Faculty, a student asked me to define ‘success’ for HKUMed. To me, it is more than how we have risen through the various University ranking systems or the amount of research funds we have received. The true measure of success cannot be attributed to numbers alone. Our people are our biggest asset and HKUMed should be judged on how the best students, teachers, scientists and support staff want to be part of the HKUMed family. Our continued future success lies in your hands.
To continue and grow our status as a world-class medical school, HKUMed must train tomorrow’s healthcare professionals and provide a thriving platform for scientists to engage in innovative and impactful research that will translate into improved and holistic care for our patients, and ultimately, serve the local and international community. HKUMed has embarked on a full expansion plan to ramp up our education programmes, build more physical space and develop more facilities to push our teaching & learning and research to the next level, and create and foster collaboration opportunities with local, regional and international academic, industry and healthcare partners. HKUMed and I need to count on your dedication and unfailing support.
I see a very bright future for HKUMed and although the road ahead may encounter detours, as your Dean, I will be by your side every step of the way. HKUMed is where it is today because of the hard work of our forebearers. Let us join together to build on the strong legacy that we have inherited to bring HKUMed more success.
In the coming weeks, I will be reaching out to get your input, views and suggestions about the development of the Faculty. I will also be looking to establish the Deanery for the next five years, whose membership will be announced in early 2024.
With much gratitude and admiration to all members of the HKUMed family,
CS
28 November 2023
Follow HKUMed