XN000022-1978-11-16 — Page 15

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1978

STUDENT PHYSIOTHERAPISTS GRADUATE

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THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES,

DR. S.F. LAM, TODAY URGED GRADUATES OF THE GOVERNMENT PHYSIOTHERAPIST TRAINING SCHOOL TO RETURN TO THEIR RESPECTIVE ORGANISATIONS AND HELP BUILD UP A MEDICAL SERVICE WHICH IS CATERED TO THE NEEDS OF THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY.

+THE GRASS IN YOUR NEIGHBOUR'S PASTURE IS NOT ALWAYS GREENER,+ HE TOLD THOSE WHO MIGHT BE THINKING OF GOING OVERSEAS AFTER GRADUATION.

DR. LAM WAS SPEAKING AT THE 12TH PHYSIOTHERAPISTS' GRADUATION. CEREMONY THIS AFTERNOON. LATER HE PRESENTED CERTIFICATES TO 10 GRADUATES - SIX FROM GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS, ONE FROM THE BRITISH RED CROSS, ONE FROM POK OI HOSPITAL AND TWO FROM THE DUCHESS OF KENT CHILDREN'S ORTHOPAEDIC HOSPITAL.

HE SAID THE TREND UP TO 1974 WAS THAT SOME 30 TO 50 PER CENT OF OUR TRAINED THERAPISTS LEFT HONG KONG ANNUALLY TO LOOK FOR GREENER PASTURE ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD.

HOWEVER, SINCE 1976 MOST OF THE GRADUATES OF THE GOVERNMENT PHYSIOTHERAPIST TRAINING SCHOOL HAVE ELECTED TO STAY IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE OR IN THE SUBVENTED ORGANISATIONS WHICH SPONSORED THEIR TRAINING, HE SAID.

+THUS TODAY HONG KONG IS BEGINNING TO REAP THE BENEFITS FROM THE SETTING UP OF ITS OWN TRAINING SCHOOL, DR. LAM SAID.

HE SAID TODAY'S GRADUATION CEREMONY WAS A RATHER SPECIAL OCCASION IN THAT IT MARKED THE CHANGEOVER OF THE TRAINING FROM THE SCHOOL TO THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC'S INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE.

THOUGH THE ADMINISTRATION AND ACADEMIC TEACHING HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO THE POLYTECHNIC, SAID DR. LAM, GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS, BOTH ITS STAFF AND FACILITIES, WERE STILL VERY CLOSELY LINKED WITH THEIR TRAINING.

+FOR IT IS IN OUR GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS THAT THE STUDENTS WILL GET THE GREATER PART OF THEIR PRACTICAL CLINICAL TRAINING, ✦ HE SAID.

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