The Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese was founded in 1887 to provide science-based medical care for the indigenous local Chinese population. That original mission has carried through to today and radiated in the past 40 years to the GBA and, through our research, to the world. A big part of that achievement has been the leadership provided within the Faculty by its deans – most of them HKU graduates – who have shown fortitude in overcoming challenges and foresight in seizing opportunities as soon as they arose. Resources have often been the biggest obstacle. HKU’s first female dean and first dean to graduate from HKUMed, Professor Rosie Young Tse-tse (MBBS 1953, MD 1959, Dean 1983-84), faced demands from the UK General Medical Council, which accredited HKU’s programmes at the time, to reduce the size of practicum classes and introduce specialities such as ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology. The government did not provide additional resources for this, so she turned to alumni for help. ‘At that time, most practising doctors in Hong Kong were graduates of HKU and they were very enthusiastic, devoted and eager to come back and teach the next generation of doctors at their own cost.’ Professor Rosie Young The Momentum of Success FEATURE ‘At that time, most practising doctors in Hong Kong were graduates of HKU and they were very enthusiastic, devoted and eager to come back and teach the next generation of doctors at their own cost. All we could give them was an honorary title,’ she said. ‘For small classes in practicum, we worked closely with the new medical school at The Chinese University of Hong Kong to share some of our external consultants. In fact, we were more like partners than competitors.’ Her successor, Professor John Leong Chi-yan (MBBS 1965, Dean 1985-90), noted that the Professor John Leong Chi-yan (MBBS 1965, Dean 1985-90) Professor Rosie Young Tse-tse (MBBS 1953, MD 1959, Dean 1983-84) 1980s Faced demands from UK GMC to reduce the size of practicum classes and introduce specialties 4
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mzg4NDg0