Speech delivered at the Graduation Ceremony of the
Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong on 1 December 2004
C.H. Leong, President, HK Academy of Medicine
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by
Dr C H Leong
President, Hong Kong Academy of Medicine

Mr. Vice Chancellor, Mr. Dean

          May I begin by thanking you and the University for affording me the honour to address this congregation.

          My congratulations goes to all the new graduands. Today must be a proud moment for you, for today marks your graduation from the crème de la crème faculty of this world class pristine University. Yet this honour also comes with a pledge. For as of today, whether you decide to pursue a further course in academia or offer yourself to be of service to the society; whether you graduate today with a doctorate in medicine, a mastership in nursing or a bachelorship in health care science, you are on the path or career committed to serve the public, the sick and the needy, a pledge to be truthful to the Hippocratic Oath, a promise to abide by the dedication of Florence Nightingale. I am given to understand that some of you are the first graduands of new degree courses of your Alma Mater. I congratulate also the University for her vision, for these new degrees are not only important to health care as a whole but succinct to the society’s current needs.

          I would like to address you in two areas : the role of the health care professionals in promoting health care and your role in the society at large, the problems we today face.

          Mr. Vice Chancellor, no one can disagree that it is the inherent responsibilities of the health care professionals to promote health care and to serve the sick. There were times when this was easy. For as the chosen few around with the knowledge of the intricacy of human anatomy and physiology; saving life and sustaining health for the rich or poor, we were considered as “demigods”, and anything we said were taken as gospel truth with complete adoration. This of course was the scene of the past!

          Yet as the people become more knowledgeable from “Time Magazine”, “Reader’s Digest”; and as the world got smaller through the internet; as the society becomes more modern and the populace heightens the assertion of their rights, the knowledge and societal superiority of the health care professionals are put on trial and challenge.

          Stirred by the wide consumer protection and rights movement, the “sick” now learned to abandon the role of a “child” accepting treatment from a paternalistic health care provider without questions. They now assume the guise of “adults”. They want to know what is wrong with them. How much they understand may be questionable. Yet they want to know and the health care professions have the responsibility to make them understand.

          The former “blind faith” in the health care professionals have thus turn into a state of mistrust. The conventional “opinion based” decision making culture of our health care system – opinions based on the experiences of the health care providers will no more be sustainable. Instead, “evidence based” medicine prevails. In short it is not good enough to do thing right according to your own opinion, it is necessary to do the right things right with proper evidence in support. And so it should be both for transparency of the service and for scientific improvement of medical and health sciences.

          Mr. Vice Chancellor, the last few years are the Dark Ages for the health care professions in HK. The patients are demanding and insatiably, the politicians are taking every opportunity to denigrate our credibility, the media consider it a field day should there be a trace of a minute medical mishap, the unsustainably health care budget has left our professional carrier developments in complete disarray, and emerging infectious diseases have totally disrupted not only HK’s health care, but also HK’s economy.

          The health care professions cannot be completely absolved from blame. The all too unnecessary political bickering within our own ranks has resulted in the sour relationship between the Government and the professions, a chasm between the private, and public sector; the specialists and the generalists, the doctors and the nurses, the seniors and the juniors, creating a golden opportunity for the media to play Peter against Paul, further crushing the time honoured health care professionals and patients relationship – an issue so vital in the provisions of effective health care.

          The health care professionals today are therefore put under the public’s microscope. Your words and deeds are being scrutinized by the patients and public you serve. The only way for us to retain and regain loss ground is to further exhibit our designated practices and roles with more exertive tender loving care. One issue is obvious, if any patients could know for sure that no matter which health care professional he goes to, his life and health would be cared for by professionals equipped with the highest standards and latest medical advances, public confidence and respect to us will naturally follow.

          It is on this basis that there is a need for obligatory life long learning for all professionals in particular those dealing with health, diseases and illnesses, call it Continuous Medical Education, Continuous Nursing Education or Continuous Professional Department, if you like not just to better ourselves but to show the public that we care.

          Mr. Vice Chancellor, what role more can your health care graduates do in the society. Let us not forget, whether it is in the days of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, one of our first health care graduates, or in the future, people will still be sick; new diseases will still be discovered. The health care professionals will always be needed to care for those that are ill. This is where we must begin, but it is not all.

          The health care professionals in Hong Kong must participate more in the society. Medical problems, societal problems and ethical problems are no more clear-cut. The decision on reproductive technology and transplantation surgery for example cross many disciplines and cannot be solved with just hard medical know how alone. The health care profession of today must learn more of the society at large to influence the society.

          Talking about influence, we in health care have a distinct advantage. Our patients come from all sectors of the society – from billionaires to those on the dole. They basically trust us as they have pledge their lives in our hands.

          We have to speak out for the professions and for the society. We must take part in the different tiers of Government, engaged in elections, not only to provide our unbiased input, professional expertise but also as patients’ and society’s advocates. For if we believe that the disharmony of the society is the root of all diseases, then we as healers of individuals cannot refrain from extending our role to heal the society. Helping the society will invariably result in helping ourselves.

          There will be those of you who will ask “why me, why us?” Let us not ask why; but ask why not. Many of us in our ranks have done this, metamorphosed from Health Care Worker to Ministers, to head policy think tanks, to manage health care and social welfare organization or to engage in politics. But we need more such people.

          Yes, doing all these mean changes in our basic instinct and culture as a health care professional, perhaps even a change at how the society will perceive us. But let us create a change if a change is for the better and let us not wait to react to change.

          Mr. Vice Chancellor, Ladies and Gentlemen, no country or region can do without good medical and health care, for maintaining health and curing diseases must be the hub of any society’s and social stability. It is here that we have to take an active role.

          John Keats, an English poet, wrote in the poem “On His Blindness” said : “They also serve, those who only stand and wait.”

          There is no room for us to “just stand and wait”. We need to be not only good health care workers, but good statesmen (既為良醫，亦為良相) to make HKSAR tick.

          Let me end by quoting from Nei Jing (內經/Inner Canon) (perhaps the oldest ancient literature on Traditional Chinese Medicine) as a message to the new graduands.

          “The superior doctors heal the country. The good doctors heal the people. The ordinary doctors treat the diseases.”

          “上醫醫國，中醫醫人，下醫醫病。”

          The term “doctor” or 醫, of course is used in the wider contex to encompass the whole health care professions.

          May I again congratulate our new graduands and their teachers and mentors who have led them through the years of maturation.

          Thank you Mr. Vice Chancellor.