Page 92 - HKU Surgery 110 Anniversary E-Book

Chapter IV. A Centre of Excellence

Training the Next Generation

The training of surgeons was also Niv Patil who was also closely involved For instance, in the gastrointestinal block, Kong). Wong also introduced Chief of
changing in the late 20th century, given in the Faculty-wide medical curriculum students studied the anatomy of the whole Residents and a Deputy Chief of Residents
the exponential growth in new medical reform launched in 1997. That reform gastrointestinal system, the physiology to nurture younger Residents and serve as a
knowledge and technologies that started introduced problem-based learning in of digestion, the pathology of the liver bridge to senior management. (Appendix)
to take off in the 1980s. In 1995, the the pre-clinical years to give students and so on. This approach also enabled the Every morning post-call, Wong would lead
Department established the Division, later a more integrated, clinical approach to early introduction of clinical skills, such a meeting with the Chief and Deputy Chief
Centre for Education and Training (CET) medicine. Rather than study pre-clinical as abdominal examinations. of Residents to stay on top of developments
to sharpen its teaching programmes at subjects as stand-alone topics, such as of the previous night.
both the undergraduate and postgraduate anatomy or biochemistry, they focused Surgical training also underwent changes
levels. Surgical training became more on them within different bodily systems. with the founding of the College of Training facilities were upgraded for
structured and standardised. Surgeons of Hong Kong in 1989 and the surgeons, nurses and medical staff, too.
Whereas the previous focus Hong Kong Academy of Medicine in 1993. The new Jockey Club Skills Development
was on conditions particular This enabled local surgical training to be Centre opened in 1996 to provide a
to Hong Kong, there was now divided into different stages and specialties, controlled environment for training and
more comprehensive exposure and awarded a fellowship from Hong evaluation of a range of surgical skills,
to every aspect of surgery and Kong alongside British and/or Australian from simple knot-tying to vascular and
encouragement to students to fellowships (under the previous system, intestinal anastomoses and laparoscopic
take forays into research. only the British and Australian colleges and thoracoscopic procedures.
had offered surgical examinations in Hong
The CET was the first centre in
Asia wholly devoted to surgical
education and it became a nucleus
of educational excellence. Its first
Director was Professor Htut
Saing, succeeded by Professor

Members of the Centre for Education and Training in 2002.

Patients’ Expectations

Change

In the 1970s and 1980s, hospital wards Wong. “Patients when they first came
were overcrowded and understaffed – were incredibly compliant and grateful
at night there would be one nurse, one even if they were sleeping in the stairwell.
student and an amah to look after more Because at that time, you were lucky to
than 50 patients and deal with emergency get into a hospital and if you got into
admissions – but the patients were not a hospital like Queen Mary, it was like
demanding, according to Professor winning the lottery,” he said.
The Jockey Club Skills Development Centre (circa 1996).

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