Page 9 - CUHK MEDICAL ALUMNI Newsletter Issue 1 Vol 3 2016

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
08

able to appreciate and learn a lot Two CUHK medical students, She also learnt about how important
from my experience and activities at Erica Chan (Medicine Year 3) and history-taking was to a doctor.
the clinic,” Dr Cheung said. Winter Fung (Medicine Year 3) have “Without the medical history of the
already experienced internship at
Then he had a “light bulb” moment Dr Cheung’s New York clinic and patients, we would have no idea of
when a friend of his - a lawyer they have nothing but praise and the risk factors they face and what
specialising in patent rights - gratitude for Dr Cheung. to do with them.”
recruited four students each year Winter says the internship provided
for his office, also in New York. Erica was an intern there in 2014
for nearly eight weeks and she her with a vision of how to become
“He got these students to help do says she learnt a lot about how a good doctor as well as equipping
scientific research, publish patent a clinic operated, how a family her with basic clinical knowledge.
rights papers or help write patent doctor consulted patients, gave
rights laws,” Dr Cheung said. Both Erica and Winter are encouraging
diagnosis and treatment, but more medical undergraduates who want to
“And this gave me lots of inspiration,” importantly she discovered how experience and learn what they had
he added, “I was thinking if he could the medical system in the US was under Dr Cheung’s tutelage to apply
do that, how come I can’t bring significantly different from the one for the scholarship.
medical students to my office each in HK.
summer? So that gave me the idea “Medical insurance plays a crucial The so-named William Cheung
of starting my own scholarship and part in the whole system,” Erica Scholarship Endowment Fund will
bringing more medical students to my said. “From the moment you enter offer two awards to support MBChB
office to have hands-on experience.” undergraduates to pursue overseas
the clinic, the staff will begin to deal elective studies during the summer
Dr Cheung says any medical student with the insurance.” at his affiliated medical centres in
can apply for his scholarship but he “They would ask the patient if they the US.
reminded potential applicants that have any insurance plan as the plan Dr Cheung says he set up the
his clinic setting is not for academic would affect the drugs prescribed
or institutionalised patient care. by the doctor, and the staff needed scholarship not to gain fame or
“We are in the community…it’s like to fill in all the claim forms after recognition.
dealing with your private doctor or each consultation.” “This sharing of experience with
family doctor.” younger people is a very fulfilling
Erica says her experience in New experience. It’s like the pleasure
“From this experience, the student York was a valuable lesson on how
should understand how to interact medical insurance may work in the one feels when receiving a gift.”
with patients and also what’s private sector. “The fact that you can be part of their
involved from a doctor's perspective, growing up…it’s a wonderful feeling.”
not from the patients’ perspective.” Winter did her summer internship
last year and she remembers how Dr Cheung says his donation of
Dr Cheung pointed that students she was able to get first hand HKD1 million dollars should last a
can experience the workings of the experience such as checking the vital decade or, hopefully, longer.
private health insurance system signs of patients and administering
in the US. Most of Hong Kong’s injection for the influenza vaccine.
experience of private care is limited
to internal medicine like cough, “Dr Cheung not only teaches but
fever or children’s common colds. asks you to do research online and
present the findings to him. This
But in New York City, the private kind of learning skills is exactly
setting is more sophisticated and what a medical student
more advanced because needs,” Winter says.
of the private insurance
payment system. This
forces a lot of patients
to receive different
types of medical care
in the private sector.
Dr Cheung hopes his
interns will have an idea
on what is happening
outside and one day
become part of the
engine for change of
Hong Kong’s future medical
healthcare delivery system.

Dr Cheung with Erica Chan (middle) and Winter Fung