Exemption from examinations to introduce overseas doctors to meet the 4 major conditions to serve public medical services for a minimum of 5 years

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Written by: Zheng Cuibi and Li Enci

2021-05-18 14:30

Last update date: 2021-05-18 16:55

The issue of introducing overseas doctors in Hong Kong has always been controversial. Some supporters criticized local doctors for "protectionism" and questioned the licensing examination system for overseas doctors. The opposition camp emphasized that doctor licensing examinations are an objective standard for ensuring the quality of doctors.

Controversy continues. The Food and Health Bureau today (18th) announced major policy changes on the introduction of overseas doctors. It plans to amend the law and introduce a test-free system to introduce non-locally trained doctors.

The draft amendment will be first read in the Legislative Council on June 2.

According to the government’s proposal, the authorities will formulate a list of designated overseas medical schools. If qualified doctors with a Hong Kong permanent identity card have worked in public medical institutions for at least 5 years, they can obtain formal registration qualifications. In other words, they can become private after the bundling period. Practice.

▼Government amended regulations and exempted examinations to introduce overseas doctors to alleviate manpower shortage▼

The Secretary for Food and Health, Chen Zhaoshi, held a press conference in the afternoon on the Medical Registration (Amendment) Bill 2021.

The Director of Health, Dr. Chan Hon-yee, and Deputy Secretary for Food and Health (Health) Kwan Rubi also attended.

Chen Zhaoshi said that it is now recommended to open a new path to introduce doctors, which will not replace the existing qualification examination and limited registration system.

4 key points of introducing overseas doctors to exemption:

1. The applicant must be a local permanent resident

2. Must be awarded and recognized medical qualifications (a list of designated institutions will be drawn up) and registered as a doctor in the country where they are located.

3. Special registration as a full-time doctor in the Hospital Authority/ Department of Health/ The School of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong/ The School of Medicine of the Chinese University.

You can come back before and after you have obtained a specialist qualification, and have worked in the above-mentioned public sector for at least 5 years (with specialist qualifications), while it takes more than 5 years for those without specialist qualifications.

4. Relevant overseas doctors have passed the on-the-job evaluation, and their services are competent and satisfactory.

The list of accredited institutions is formulated by the Special Registration Committee and the list is reviewed once every three years.

Chen Zhaoshi stated that the chairman of the committee will be appointed by the Chief Executive among the above-mentioned medical committee members, and the list will be drawn up with an independent, objective and highly transparent list, taking into account the language of instruction, course content, international rankings of medical schools, and factors that are suitable. "There will be no political considerations. ".

The number of designated schools has not been finalized, and should not exceed 100 schools.

The "Medical Manpower Projection 2020" conducted by the Food and Health Bureau (using 2017 as the projection base year) shows that according to the changes in the population structure in Hong Kong, the medical service needs are estimated, and there will be a continuous shortage of doctors from now to long-term.

By 2030 and 2040, there will be a shortage of 1,610 and 1,949 doctors, respectively.

Chen Zhaoshi pointed out that the waiting time for specialist services by the Hospital Authority and the Department of Health is mainly due to the shortage of doctors.

As the training of local doctors takes time and practical factors are limited, it is difficult for the two medical schools to continuously increase the number of training places. Therefore, the Government cannot solve the problem of manpower shortage by increasing the number of local training places alone.

The Hong Kong Government plans to amend the law to introduce overseas doctors without examinations in order to increase the manpower supply of local doctors.

(Photo by Ou Jiale / Profile Picture)

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