Policy Address | John Lee: build the new medical school "as fast as we can" — overseas doctors to be recruited to raise doctor ratio
Chief Executive John Lee said he hopes the new medical school can be built "as fast as it can go". Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau told the Policy Address press conference on the 17th that the government hopes the third medical school will develop in a differentiated direction from the existing two — admitting second-degree students and attracting students from around the world.
Speaking on RTHK's "Saturday Pulse" programme today (19th), Lee noted that Hong Kong currently has only 2.1 doctors per 1,000 residents and hopes to catch up with advanced cities at 2.5 or above — hence building a new medical school "must be done", with multiple measures to raise Hong Kong's doctor ratio.
Lee said he wants the new medical school built as quickly as possible. Although the two existing medical schools have expanded admission, Hong Kong's "6+1" training model takes too long; he hopes the new school can admit second-degree students who can qualify and serve the public sooner — though whether training time can be shortened is for experts to decide. He also stressed that even with a new medical school, training doctors takes considerable time, so qualified overseas doctors may be recruited to increase Hong Kong's doctor numbers quickly.
Original article: https://news.mingpao.com/ins/%e6%b8%af%e8%81%9e/article/20241019/s00001/1729315215732