One of the many education outcomes among medical graduates is to prepare their readiness to serve the public or to embark on specialist training. Clinical training would be essential to achieve these objectives. Apart from the two university-affiliated teaching hospitals (Prince of Wales Hospital and Queen Mary Hospital), clinical training of medical students in Hong Kong relies heavily on exposure in various HA hospitals. However, with the increasing number of medical students, teaching and learning in the congested ward setting have become more difficult.
Many medical educators maintain the view that real patients with real pathologies are essential for clinical training, but the availability of training opportunities or accessibility to real patients presents a real challenge. The ever-changing service demand and development of specialties have imposed significant pressure on the already-packed curriculum. Technological and information technology advancement has revolutionised the care model but if our future healthcare professionals are not ready, our patients will suffer.
The use of innovative education pedagogies such as simulation training is expected to lessen the need for real patients. Ethical practice should be enhanced through training in professionalism and bioethics. Also through dedicated training in crew resource management, human factors or non-technical skills, we can prepare our future healthcare professionals to work in healthcare teams where quality and safety in clinical practice can be ensured.
Medical schools cannot do all these alone. We need to partner with all the major stakeholders including healthcare providers such as the Hospital Authority and our local regulator. Active participation in the education processes won’t benefit only our future healthcare professionals, it could be a powerful change agent to the current staff and the service units and will bring mutual benefit. Through synergizing our effort, we can produce safe and competent doctors to serve our patients in the community.
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