The Faculty of Medicine offers a single, non-unit-based professional undergraduate programme in Medicine leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (M.B., Ch.B.). Students are admitted on a Faculty basis and must complete the two pre-clinical years and three clinical years of study.
Pre-Clinical Programme
The Pre-clinical Programme extends over two academic years. Each academic year is of about 33 weeks in duration and divided into two terms. The curriculum will be integrated as far as possible between subjects and the teaching will be by means of lectures, laboratory classes and tutorials. Assessment of individual subjects will be made periodically throughout the course. Towards the end of the first medical year, a Faculty Examination will be held. The First Professional Examination will be held at the end of the second medical year and will include the four main subjects; namely, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Physiology.
By the end of the second medical year, students shall have fulfilled the requirements on General Education (except Senior Seminar) and Physical Education. Students admitted in 1993-94 and before are also required to complete General Chinese and General English.
First Medical Year
Code : GEE298Z/299Z
Course Title : Behavioural and Social Sciences (Required General
Education course for Medical Students)
Length of Study : 1 year
Course Description
An understanding of why people behave in the way they do is
central to the delivery of effective health care services. The
goal of this course is, therefore, to introduce students to some
of those aspects of human behaviour and human society. Mind and
body are seen as interrelated, rather than as separate entities.
The same interrelationship is seen between the individual person
and the various groups of people who make up society. Statistics
will also be introduced as a means of helping solve numerical
aspects of problems the students will come across involving
individuals and groups of people.
Throughout the course, equal emphasis will be placed on didactic
lectures, integrated teaching, tutorials and seminars.
A family follow-up project which lasts three years will be
introduced during the course. It provides a unique opportunity
for students to observe the growth and development of a child
from birth to three years of age in a normal family environment.
First to Fourth Medical Years
Course Title : Family Follow-up Project (part of Behavioural and
Social Sciences Course)
Length of Study: 3 years
First and Second Medical Years
Code : MED1010/2010
Course Title : Anatomy
Length of Study : 2 years
Course Description
During the first year, human gross anatomy will be studied by
lectures and dissection and this will be correlated with surface
and radiological anatomy as appropriate. In addition, genetics,
cell biology and microscopic anatomy of tissues and organ systems
will be taught in the first year together with an integrated
course in human developmental anatomy.
In the second year, the main subjects studied will be the
topographical anatomy of the head and neck and neuroanatomy. The
course in developmental anatomy begun in the first year will also
be completed.
The teaching will be by means of lectures, demonstrations,
tutorials and practical classes, and an emphasis will be placed
upon the functional and clinical relevance of anatomical
knowledge.
First and Second Medical Years
Code : MED1110/2110
Course Title : Physiology
Length of Study : 2 years
Course Description
The topics taught during the first year include general
physiology, cardiovascular system, respiratory system and the
kidneys. Teaching during the second year covers nutrition,
physiology of the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine system
including reproduction, neurophysiology and integrated topics. It
is an important teaching aim of the physiology course to lay the
foundation for a good understanding of the pathophysiology of
diseases. Physiology will be taught in lectures, practical
classes and tutorials with a strong emphasis on small group
teaching.
First and Second Medical Years
Code : MED1310/2310
Course Title : Biochemistry
Length of Study : 2 years
Course Description
This course is designed to acquaint students with the
biochemistry necessary for an understanding of the molecular
basis of modern medicine. Topics taught during the first year
include the thermodynamics of life processes, acid-base concepts,
protein purification and structure, membrance structure and
function, enzymes, oxidative phosphorylation, carbonhydrate,
lipid and nitrogen metabolism and basic aspects of molecular
biology. More specialised topics covered in the second year
include cell regulation, nutrition, neurochemistry, immunology,
hormone action, cancer & development, genetic diseases &
biotechnology. The application of biochemistry to the analysis of
health-related problems is emphasized. Lectures are supplemented
by practical classes, tutorials and audio-visual materials.
Second Medical Year
Code : MED2210
Course Title : Pharmacology
Length of Study : 1 year
Course Description
The overall aim of the course is to provide the scientific basis
for the clinical use of drugs.
Pharmacology will be taught in the second medical year, building
on knowledge gained in the first year courses. The pharmacology
course will cover the following: Basic mechanisms of drug action
with particular emphasis on drug-receptor interactions and
interference with neurochemical transmission; the absorption,
distribution and excretion of drugs and factors affecting dosage
and duration of effect; actions of drugs on the various body
systems, for example the brain (anti-depressants, analgesics) and
the kidney (diuretics); the toxic properties of drugs; the
selective killing of parasites and cancer cells by drugs
(chemotherapy); the development of new drugs. In the latter part
of the course there will be increasing participation in the
interdisciplinary clinical presentations as preparation for the
course of Clinical Pharmacology which will follow.
During the three years of the Clinical Programme, classes will be held at the teaching hospital in Shatin in the various clinical departments. Each academic year is of about twelve months in duration from July to June of the following year.
In the third medical year, students shall take in the first three months General Pathology and the Introductory Clinical Course, to be followed by the Junior Medical Clerkship, Junior Surgical Dressership, and Systemic Pathology. The latter is divided into Anatomical & Cellular Pathology, Microbiology and Chemical Pathology. By the end of the year, they shall sit for the Second Professional Examination in the three Pathology subjects.
In the fourth medical year, students will rotate among attachments to four Clinical Departments, namely, Community and Family Medicine,, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Psychiatry. By the end of the year, they shall sit for Part I of the Third Professional Examination in these four subjects and then take the elective course.
In the fifth medical year, students will be attached to the medical and surgical wards and also to the outpatient clinics. They will assist the House Officers in the care of the patients under supervision. During the year, students will be rotated through various associated medical and surgical disciplines. At the end of the year, they have to sit for Part II of the Third Professional Examination in Medicine and Surgery.
Medical students are required to pass both the Professional Examinations and periodic assessment of individual subjects for admission to the Bachelor degree. Graduates in Medicine are also required to serve one year's internship at a recognized hospital. After satisfactory completion of internship, graduates will be qualified to apply for registration as a registered medical practitioner.
Third Medical Year
Code : MED3010
Course Title : Introductory Clinical Course
Length of Study : 10 weeks
Course Description
This course will concentrate on introducing the students to
clinical methods and acquiring the techniques of clinical
examination. This period will also enable the students to grasp
the approach to different clinical problems and to see how
history taking and examinations can help evaluate and solve them.
Code : MED3110 and MED3210
Course Title : Junior Medical Clerkship and Junior Surgical
Dressership
Length of Study : 8 months
Course Description
During this time students will be allocated to medical and
surgical wards and will be taught to take histories and examine
patients on a daily basis and subsequently to present their
findings to their colleagues and their clinical teachers. The
teaching of Orthopaedics and Traumatology also starts in Junior
Surgical Dressership. Clinical Pharmacology lectures, seminars
and ward teaching (see also Medical Year 5) take place weekly
during this period with the aim of applying the science of
pharmacology to the treatment of patients.
Code : MED3310
Course Title : Medicine Core Lectures and Therapeutics/Clinical
Pharmacology Lectures
Length of Study : 8 months
Course Description
These lectures will be given by staff members of the Departments
of Medicine, Clinical Oncology, Clinical Pharmacology and staff
from other clinical departments.
The lectures will be basic and introductory in nature and
scheduled, wherever possible, to be on the same topics as the
concomitant Pathology course provided by the Departments of
Chemical Pathology, Microbiology, and Anatomical & Cellular
Pathology. Approximately 30 lectures will be held in the year.
The Therapeutics/Clinical Pharmacology course comprises of a
further 25-30 lectures.
Code : MED3410
Course Title : Anatomical and Cellular Pathology
Length of Study : 1 year
Course Description
(a) General Pathology
This course introduces the pathological basis of disease in man,
and is based upon pre-clinical studies in anatomy, biochemistry,
pharmacology and physiology. It deals with the basic principles
and mechanisms of tissue and bodily reactions to injury and the
morphological and functional expression of these reactions. The
course includes studies in histopathology, hematology and
autopsies. There will be lectures, tutorials, laboratory
sessions, post-mortem demonstrations and clinico-pathological
conferences. Apart from the core curriculum, there are elective
courses in post-mortem techniques, electron microscopy, cancer
diagnosis and molecular genetics.
(b) Systemic Pathology
This is a continuation of the course in General Pathology. It is
designed to provide a survey of diseases based upon the
functional disorders of body systems. Emphasis will be given to
correlation o f pathological changes with clinical signs and
symptoms. There will be lectures, laboratory sessions, tutorials,
post-mortem demonstrations and clinico-pathological conferences.
Apart from the core curriculum, there are elective courses in
forensic pathology, paediatric pathology, cardiac pathology,
liver pathology, transplantation pathology, cytology, dementia
and advanced haematology.
Code : MED3510
Course Title : Microbiology
Length of Study : 1 year
Course Description
This course is designed as an introduction to the microbial
diseases, their pathogenesis, natural history, diagnosis and
management. The course is divided into two parts. The first deals
with basic and systematic microbiology and covers the morphology,
physiology and life history of bacteria, viruses, fungi and
parasites. This section also deals with the principles of
immunology, epidemiology, pathogenesis and antimicrobial therapy.
The second part of the course considers the infectious diseases
caused by microbial agents, and deals with their epidemiology and
clinical presentation, and laboratory aspects of diagnosis,
management and therapy.
Teaching includes lectures, laboratory demonstrations, practical
and tutorials, together with clinical presentations by members of
other departments. The course emphasizes the clinical aspects of
microbiology and the use of the laboratory for optimum patient
care.
Code : MED3610
Course Title : Chemical Pathology
Length of Study : 1 year
Course Description
This course is designed to teach the pathophysiological basis of
disease and associated biochemical changes. The course brings
together knowledge from pre-clinical studies in anatomy,
physiology and biochemistry to explain the principles of
pathological laboratory investigation and the interpretation of
laboratory results. It also describes how symptoms and signs can
be correlated to the pathophysiology . During the latter part of
the course, emphasis will be placed on how pathological
laboratory investigation can help in the diagnosis and management
of patients. The course includes lectures, laboratory sessions,
tutorials and case discussions. Each student will also select an
elective topic out of a wide range of choices. The student will
research a topic under the guidance of a tutor and present the
findings in either written or oral form.
Fourth Medical Year
Code : MED 4010
Course Title : Community and Family Medicine
Length of Study : 1 year
Course Description
This course provides nine weeks of integrated teaching in
Community Medicine (i.e. Public Health and Occupational Medicine)
and in Family Medicine. In Community Medicine, there will be
tutorials, seminars, site-visits and project work in
epidemiology, medical informatics, public health, occupational
medicine, environmental medicine and communicable disease,
relevant to modern medical practice. These sessions, together
with an introductory course of basic lectures, are taught by the
Department of Community and Family Medicine with contributions
from the Department of Health.
In Family Medicine, the range of teaching methods also include
video-taping, clinical interviews and clinical role-playing.
There are clinical attachments to the University Family Medicine
Clinic and Teaching Unit (in the Lek Yuen Health Centre) and also
to Family Medicine clinics run by private practitioners and
smaller hospitals. Continuity of care and communication skills
are emphasized in the context of the family and the community,
together with the principles of the assessment and management of
problems in unreferred patients.
The students are assessed on the theory and practice of Community
Medicine and Family Medicine in clinical contexts.
Code : MED4110
Course Title : Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Length of Study : 1 year
Course Description
This is a ten-week module of clinical clerkship in obstetrics and
gynaecology. All ten weeks are devoted to teaching in the
clinical settings of clinics, wards, operating theatres, and
labour wards. An integrated short course in perinatalogy and some
multidisciplinary topics will also be included. Two weeks of the
ten-week module are spent on attachment to either the Obstetrics
& Gynaecology Unit at Caritas Medical Centre or at Princess
Margaret Hospital, or at Tuen Mun Hospital.
Code : MED4210
Course Title : Paediatrics
Length of Study : 1 year
Course Description
Twelve weeks will be devoted to paediatrics in the fourth year.
Ten of these will be in the paediatric section of the modular
rotation; in addition one full week of paediatric surgical
teaching and attachment will be given during the psychiatric
modules; one full week of community paediatrics will also be
interdigitated into community and family medicine module.
The principal aims of the undergraduate paediatric course are to
introduce students to some of the basic facts about health and
illness in children. The areas which will especially be covered
are: normal growth and development; the influence of the
perinatal period on subsequent health; clinical presentation and
principles of management of the common diseases, disorders and
problems of children; the importance of preventive medicine; an
introduction to the problems and assessment of multiple handicap;
the organization of the various services for children in Hong
Kong. Throughout the course, the emphasis will be on bedside
teaching, backed up by lectures, seminars, many in a
multidisciplinary setting. Students will be responsible, under
supervision, for clerking children admitted to hospital.
Code : MED4310
Course Title : Psychiatry
Length of Study : 1 year
Course Description
This clinical course aims at teaching the psychiatric approach to
medicine and contributing to the understanding of health and
disease in terms of total functioning of individual patients. The
emphasis therefore will be on the inter-relationship of the
physical, psychological and social aspects of medical practice.
Throughout the clerkship, students will be taught on basic
psychiatric skills essential in medical practice and principles
of diagnosis, management and prevention of common psychiatric
disorders. The teaching consists of clinical instruction at
inpatient units, outpatient clinic, daycare centre, casualty
department, as well as case conference and liaison psychiatric
meetings.
Code : MED4410
Course Title : Elective
Length of Study : 6 weeks
Course Description
Under the guidance of and with the approval of the Coordinator of
Clinical Electives, each student will arrange an attachment to a
unit of the student's choice either in Hong Kong or in another
country, in order to broaden the student's medical horizons.
Fifth Medical Year
Code : MED5110 and MED5210
Course Title : Senior Medical Clerkship and Senior Surgical
Dressership
Length of Study : 1 year
Course Description
In Clinical Oncology students will become familiar with the
symptoms and physical signs produced by malignant diseases, and
their psycho-social impact. They will see all aspects of the
non-surgical management of cancer, especially radiation therapy
and chemothrapy, and multi-disciplinary management. They will be
taught the principles of palliative medicine. The principles of
prevention, screening, diagnosis, staging, follow-up,
communication health education and resource utilisation as
applied to cancer would be reviewed.
In Clinical Pharmacology, the series of seminars, lectures and
teaching ward rounds which have earlier been provided during
Medical Year 3 as part of the Junior Medical Clerkship to show
the application of the basic principles of Pharmacology to the
treatment of patients, and during Medical Year 4 to discuss the
application of drug treatment to the specialties studied during
that year, will be continued. The emphasis in Medical Year 5 is
on the practical aspects of therapeutics and the medical
management of disease with a further course of 25-30 lectures.
The Diagnostic Radiology and Organ Imaging Department will
familiarize students with the practicalities of the available
investigations. Students will be given the opportunity to apply
and extend their clinical diagnostic abilities to image
diagnosis, and to appreciate the importance of intelligent
requesting in the overall management of patients.
In Orthopaedics and Traumatology students will be introduced
to problems related to bone and joint diseases, with the emphasis
on the diagnosis and basic principles of management of common
orthopaedic conditions, including common injuries and fractures,
bone and joint infections, bone metabolic diseases,
rheumatological conditions and tumours, as well as rehabilitation
and sports medicine.
A course in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care will introduce
students to the principles of anaesthesia and care of critically
ill patients in the Intensive Care Unit. Particular emphasis will
be placed on managing acute medical and surgical problems
relating to anaesthesia, and multiple organ failure in intensive
care. Students will also be familiarized with resuscitation
skills and care of the unconscious patients. The objective of the
course is to teach students skills and attitudes in managing
basic pathophysiological derangements in acute illness.
During this time students will be attached to the medical and
surgical wards and also to the outpatient clinics. They will
assist the House Officers in the care of the patients under
supervision. During the year, students will also be rotated
through various associated medical and surgical disciplines
including Geriatrics, Otorhinolaryngology and Ophthalmology.
A rotation in Ophthalmology will introduce students to the
basic clinical diagnostic and treatment skills. Participation in
the outpatient eye clinic, operating theatre, accident and
emergency service and tutorials are organized to emphasize the
acquisition of a foundation of skill and core knowledge on common
eye diseases and injuries.
All teaching in the Faculty of Medicine is in English as are the examinations, both written and oral.
The degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (M.B., Ch B.) of the Chinese University of Hong Kong are recognised by the General Medical Council of Hong Kong and the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom for the purpose of full and provisional registration in Hong Kong and in the United Kingdom.