Health | 189
need to be observed. A voluntary Medical Device Administrative Control System was established by the DH in 2004 to raise public awareness of the importance of medical device safety and pave the way to implementing the long-term statutory control.
Under this administrative control system, medical devices are classified by the DH into four classes based on their risk levels. Products that conform to requirements on safety and are effective as declared will be listed. The manufacturers and traders must comply with the relevant listing requirements and regulatory measures, as well as report adverse incidents. The listing of high-risk and medium- risk devices, as well as high-risk in-vitro diagnostic medical devices is maintained by the DH. In 2011, the DH approved a total of 648 applications for listing medical devices, and processed 1 498 safety alerts and 20 adverse incident reports.
To prepare for the statutory regulation of medical devices, the DH commissioned a business impact assessment on the regulatory proposal in 2011.
Training of Medical and Health Personnel
Doctors
Degree courses in medicine and surgery are offered at the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, which enrolled a total of 339 students in 2011. The admission quota of first-year degree courses in medicine and surgery will increase to 840 in 2012-133. During the year, 21 medical graduates with professional qualifications obtained outside Hong Kong passed the licensing examination conducted by the Medical Council of Hong Kong. Doctors are also encouraged to pursue continuing education and enhance their professional skills and expertise in order to meet the present needs of professional practice.
The Hong Kong Academy of Medicine is an independent statutory body with the authority to approve, assess and accredit specialist training within the medical and dental professions. Its 15 colleges conduct training and examinations to award specialist qualifications to qualifying candidates.
The HA also undertakes training of specialist doctors. Each year, the majority of medical graduates of the two local universities are offered appointment to the HA to receive specialist training while working in the HA. The HA recruited about 290 doctors for specialist training in 2011. To improve the remuneration package of doctors under training and to ensure they have sufficient time to complete their training, the HA introduced a new career structure for doctors in 2007. Some 280 doctors completed training at the HA and obtained specialist qualification in 2011.
3
Two separate cohorts of 840 students will be admitted in 2012-13, with one admitted to a 5-year programme while another cohort to a 6-year programme. 420 medical students admitted to the 5-year programme are expected to graduate in 2017 and the 420 from the 6-year programme in 2018.