Page 80 - HKU Surgery 110 Anniversary E-Book

Chapter IV. A Centre of Excellence

their latest findings – a practice that development, human resources and The changes introduced by Wong The changes improved staff ’s personal
encouraged healthy competition as finance, international relations, and showed foresight given the growing lives, too, said Professor William Wei.
colleagues tried to match or better publicity. Over the years, the highly array of complex techniques and tools “We had different teams and it was
each other. A culture of excellence effective support that they provided available in each surgical speciality. quite good because you knew which
was soon established. enabled the Department to grow its As Professor John Boey saw it: “John day you would be on call. You can
divisions and academic activities Wong forced us to sub-specialise. It go to dinner or go to Lamma Island.
This culture also extended to the and hold two annual international was the right thing. You should start You can count which Sunday you’re
strong administrative team, which conferences under the Hong Kong with a basic exposure in your first on call. In GB Ong’s days, they put
was expanded under Wong and now Surgical Forum banner, among many couple of years, enough to know what you on call suddenly and you cannot
numbers seven staff. Administrative other things. The Department would your own interests would be, and then walk away. If you book a dinner with
staff were allocated to different not have been able to take on so many you choose your speciality. There are a friend, you have to cancel plans.”
teams to look after teaching/ initiatives at the same time without highly sophisticated technical things
research support, clinical service and such a high standard of support. available now compared to our day.” On the other hand, Wong placed
great demands on his administrative
Wong’s encouragement of research team, which he dispatched to help
“I observed an utter lack of complacency. There was never any reminiscence over
past accomplishments, only anticipation of the future.” also gave others something to aspire organise a wide range of activities.
to. KH Lam was among the first to “John Wong was a very strong leader
- Professor Edward E Whange, James IV Traveling Fellow in 2007 - get an MS following Wong’s example. and a good trainer. He invested more

“John Wong could see how things in administrative staff than other
should be developed. More people departments,” said long-serving
started to do research after us, Administration Manager Elaine Chan.
like Professor Fan Sheung-Tat and He also worked them hard. “There’s
Professor Lo Chung-Mau. Doing a saying that whoever can survive
an MS has become almost a regular in this Department can succeed
thing.” anywhere. There is good training,
but there is a heavy workload and
demanding bosses.”

General Office.

GB Ong Library (circa 2000).

John Wong Chamber (recent).

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