Foreign Doctor Finds Hong Kong Medical System Can Be Too Tough

The local licensing exam for doctors has long been criticised as being unfriendly to overseas talent with a very low passing rate, but even those doctors who finally pass the exam find the system and working conditions too harsh to make a job in the city a long-term prospect.

A European doctor, identified only as Angela, left Hong Kong this summer even though she passed the exam in one go in 2013.

The 37-year-old mother said she expressed the wish to take a part-time internship over two years as she needed time to take care of her two preschool children, but the Medical Council rejected her request.

"It was uncommon in Hong Kong and doesn't fit into Hong Kong culture," she said.

As a specialist in internal medicine with more than seven years of experience, Angela also criticised the year-long internship as tedious.

"It was basic work but not in your area of expertise … You lose a year of brain life," she said.

She said there were very few options left for her and "sees no future in Hong Kong". She therefore returned to her home country with her family in July.

The council's chairman, Professor Joseph Lau Wan-yee, said it was not possible to run part-time internships as it would be difficult for the intern to merge with the whole medical team, which often served outside working hours.

The council said any foreign-trained doctor who possessed specialist qualifications could apply to shorten his or her internship by up to six months.

The licensing exam tests candidates' levels in professional knowledge, medical English and handling of clinical problems.

Upon passing all three parts of the exam, doctors must undertake a one-year internship in public hospitals. They are expected to get familiarised with local medical systems and commonly seen diseases during the training.

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