Speech by the Guest of Honour
Professor Rosie T T Young, GBM, GBS, CBE, JP
Emeritus Professor of the Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, HKUMed
Dear Provost Professor Wong, Secretary for Health Professor Lo, Dean Professor Lau, former dean Professor Leung, fellow colleagues, graduands, parents, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, Good Afternoon.
I wish to thank Professor Lau for inviting me to address you at this auspicious occasion of the 210th Congregation.
As you are aware, this is the 136th year of the founding of our Faculty of Medicine. At its first Congregation, there were only 2 graduates – Dr Sun Yat-sen and Dr Kong Ying-wa. At that time, they were unable to practice western medicine in Hong Kong after their graduation, because our degree was not recognised by the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom. You may remember that Dr Sun had to go to Macau to practice medicine, while planning for the revolution which transformed China.
We have come a very long way since then. At this Congregation, there are now nearly 600 undergraduates taking 7 full-time undergraduate programmes, and also around 130 postgraduates.
This year, we have also embarked on a large-scale expansion in terms of space and staff recruitment, to ensure that our Faculty can train more healthcare professionals to meet the needs of an ageing population in Hong Kong and beyond, and have more facilities and laboratories to pursue our ever-increasing research initiatives.
Dear graduands, when you joined this Faculty a few years ago, you all shared a common objective of serving the community and promoting the health of the population. This applies to doctors, nurses, pharmacists, Chinese medicine practitioners, biomedical scientists and other healthcare-related professionals. It is indeed an admirable and ambitious goal.
In fact, I think the MBBS graduates have even taken the Hippocratic Oath on your very first day in the University. Our nursing graduates have also reaffirmed their commitment to upholding a high standard of professionalism and ethics at the School of Nursing’s Pinning Ceremony.
Now that you all have successfully completed the undergraduate courses, I wish to remind you that in order to keep your promise of serving the community, first, you need to:
(1) Continue to engage in medical education and professional training.
Disease pattern has changed from infection to degenerative diseases, though there are still emerging infections from time to time. Advances in science and technology have enabled us to cure or arrest many diseases which were previously regarded as fatal.
There are ample opportunities in Hong Kong for the medical graduates, as well as those from other disciplines, to pursue postgraduate professional training to update their knowledge and skills. The Hong Kong Academy of Medicine was established in 1993 for this particular purpose.
Second, you need to:
(2) Be mindful that the Practice of Medicine combines both science and art
To quote from Harrison’s textbook of Medicine, the role of science in medicine is clear. Science-based technology is the foundation of the solution of many clinical problems. Yet, skill in the most sophisticated application of technology and in the use of the latest therapeutic modality does not make a good physician.
The combination of medical knowledge, intuition and judgement defines the art of science. Tact, sympathy and understanding are expected of the physician.
In essence, besides possessing sound medical knowledge and skill, a good doctor needs to have empathy and sympathy, based on a good understanding of human nature and behaviour.
Likewise, for all graduates from other disciplines, a strong passion to understand and serve others is one of the key success factors for your future career, no matter what paths you are going to pursue.
I wish to heartily congratulate all graduates and postgraduates on your remarkable success, despite the many challenges you encountered in recent years, from social unrest to the COVID-19 pandemic. You should feel extremely proud of yourselves.
I also wish to thank your parents, families and friends, as well as your teachers, who have offered their unstinting support to you to make this possible. Before leaving, I would like to remind you that The University of Hong Kong is always your home, and the alumni, your family. Thank you.
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