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Health

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 admitted a total of 417 medical students to the five-year programme and 413 medical students to the six-year programme in 2012. During 2012, 47 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 which approves, assesses and accredits 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 trains specialist doctors. Each year, the majority of medical graduates of the two local universities are offered appointment to the HA for specialist training while working in the HA. The HA recruited about 275 doctors for specialist training in 2012 and some 320 doctors completed training at the HA and obtained specialist qualifications.

Dentists

Training in dentistry is available at the University of Hong Kong, which admitted 54 dental students to the five-year programme and 53 dental students to the six-year programme in 2012. During 2012, seven candidates who completed their dental training outside Hong Kong passed the licensing examination conducted by the Dental Council of Hong Kong. Dentists are also encouraged to study further to enhance their professional competence.

Chinese Medicine Practitioners

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Baptist University and the University of Hong Kong all offer full-time undergraduate degree courses in Chinese medicine. In 2012, 57 full-time local Chinese medicine bachelor's degree graduates who passed the licensing examination were registered as Chinese Medical Practitioners (CMPs).

The Chinese Medicine Centres for Training and Research are required to employ new graduates of Hong Kong degree courses in Chinese medicine as junior CMPs and to provide them with three years of training, including pre-employment training and training programmes provided by commissioned Western Medical Practitioners. As at the end of 2012, 17 Chinese Medicine Centres for Training and Research had provided 68 CMPs places for their first year of training and 136 CMPs places for their second and third years of training.

Allied Health Professionals

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University offers degree programmes for allied health professionals in physiotherapy, radiography, occupational therapy, medical laboratory science and optometry. In 2012, 226, 197, 172, 89 and 68 students enrolled in these programmes respectively.

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