Message from the President, C.H. Leong, December 2004 Speech at the Fellowship Conferment Ceremony of Hong Kong Academy of Medicine on 17 December 2004
Today
is a great day for the Academy. For
we gather here to witness some 155 being admitted to the Fellowship,
bringing our brotherhood - figure to over 4000.
To our new graduands let me extend the Academy’s congratulations
and blessings. You are now a
formality away from being registered specialists in your relevant
disciplines. Yet with this
honour comes the responsibility to serve the public in the spirit and
dedication that this Academy so revered.
It is also a proud day for the Academy, as we just witness the
conferment of the Honorary Fellowship of the Academy to two distinguish
members of our professions. They
not only have contributed to the science, and practice of their respective
expertise’s but have demonstrate their selfless commitment to promote
medical education, to improve relationship between the town and the gown, to
foster closer bondage between the health care professions and services
between HK and the Motherland, and to serve this Academy in different
capacities. Whilst the honorary
Fellowship is the highest honour this institution can bestow, yet by
accepting the honourary Fellowship both Professor Huang and Professor Davis
pays honour to the Academy. My
sincere thanks to them and my congratulations.
I like to offer a special thanks to Mr. Simon Ip, not only for the
staunch support he has always given to this Academy but for his unfailing
meticulous and rational legal advises he had offered to us, many times
getting us out of troubled waters. Needless
to say Simon has been a friend of the whole dental and medical brotherhood,
we will miss his wise counsel. Thank
you Simon.
4 years ago, when I look over the helm of this institution, the
council and myself made some solid pledges to uphold the principles and
objectives behind the formation of the Academy.
– to train specialist; to promote better brotherhood; and to advise
the Government on areas where the Academy has expertise in and areas that
will affects the health of the HK people.
Looking back at the last 4 years, I am proud to say that despite the
onslaughts of economic downturn and SARS, the Academy has made progress in
established directions.
We have taken a big step in promoting continuing medical education
(CME) and continuous professional development (CPD).
Through the now matured Membership & Learning Management System
(MLMS), CME programmes can be obtained online and CME points are
electronically recorded in a well organised.
To enhance further the direction of postgraduate training, the
Academy had engaged a Director of CME/CPD and will be expanding this further
with a fully staffed CME/CPD office. This
not only streamlines CME/CPD for Fellows, advises trainees on their needs
and coordinates their training programmes, but also provides support and
directions to doctors and dentists in obtaining remedial training at the
recommendation of the Medical Council.
The
It has always been my belief that the Academy must not only be
internationally recognised but also produce global impact.
I believe we have already set our course.
We are a leading member of the IACAP (International Association of
College and Academy Presidents). Many
international Colleges and Academies are using our MLMS as the porta for
communications. We are providing
our CME programmes to
We have done all these with just one motto – standards of medical
and dental practice for the people of HK.
On this aspect we have stood firm and we will stand firm against any
political interference, nor we will not be drawn into any political
bickering. In short this Academy
has been and will be kept completely political neutral to gain the
profession’s support and the community’s respect.
Yet it does not mean that we will not defend any denigration of
professional standards or professional autonomy in setting standards, nor
will we be stringent in providing advises to the Government and the public
where this Academy and our 15 Colleges have expertise in.
I have no doubt this is the proper direction for the Academy to march
into the future.
As of tonight I will be demitting office.
I would not have done justice to this grand institution if I do not
pay tribute to the Council that have assisted me during the last 4 years.
Professor Joseph Sung our Vice President General Affairs has been
most effective looking after all the things I do not want to do even during
the days of SARS when he was in the eye of the storm.
Dr. Pamela Leung our Hon. Treasure is not only efficient with our
finance but has been most forthcoming in ideas and suggestions for the
different aspects of the Academy through her vast experience both in the
academic world and in management. If
she could manage the HK East Cluster of the HA, the Academy is just a piece
of cake. Dr.
Fellows, Ladies and Gentlemen, I will be leaving office with a light
heart knowing very well that this Academy is built on a stoic and solid
foundation, and that we can and we will only move forward.
May I part by offering you the words of an inscription donated to the
Academy recently by one of our Fellows, that I think is most appropriate to
our professions and this institution, it reads :
We serve not because we expect recognition,
We acquire knowledge not because we crave for glory. 非關因果方行善, 豈為功名始讀書。
C.H. Leong |