Page 5 - CUHK MEDICAL ALUMNI Newsletter Issue 1 Vol 5 2017

FEATURES
04

PSYCHIATRIST TURNS PASSION FOR

MOTORSPORTS INTO WARM,

CARING ATTITUDE FOR PATIENTS

r David Lau Ying-kit is a well-known
Dpsychiatrist among his peers - he
is a fellow of the Hong Kong College “The happiness, the calm and peace that racing
of Psychiatrists and a specialist in brings me have positively affected my work.”
psychiatry of the Medical Council of
Hong Kong. He is also the Chairman - Dr David Lau Ying-kit
of the Mental Health Foundation and
honorary consultant at the Special （劉英傑醫生, MBChB 1994）
Medical Clinic (HIV service)
of Princess Margaret
Hospital.
But what many He has been an avid fan of the Macau in many other
do not know is Grand Prix and Formula One races since professional races in
Dr Lau is into young, citing former World Champion, Hong Kong, China and
extreme sports Michael Schumacher, and the late Ayrton Asia and won several
- motorcar Senna, as his racing idols. c aps to show for
racing. But Dr Lau’s dream of becoming a them.
race car driver only materialised in later
years. “I obtained a driver’s licence
in 1994 when I was a houseman. I
didn't have much money then to
receive any proper race training.”
So after completing his medical
training, he tried his hand at
motor racing.

“A friend took me to the Zhuhai
International Circuit in 1997. Way
back then, I didn't know how to
properly drive a car on a circuit. Dr Lau says his time as
a medical student with The Chinese
“After a few rounds, I swerved onto University of Hong Kong has taught
the gravel and while trying to get back him to be an “all-rounder.” And while
on the circuit, the car rolled over.” there, he picked up the slogan, “Work
“I like the Dr Lau found himself stuck in his seat hard, play hard.”
speed and thrill upside down, shocked but not injured.
that it gives me,” Dr Lau says. “To me, That experience made him realise that That is why after firmly establishing his
career, he pursued his boyhood dream
motorsports is really safe and is totally he needed to learn to drive a racing
different from driving fast on public car in a more "professional" way. head-on. “Being a psychiatrist and a
roads, provided you have the proper race car driver is mutually beneficial.
training, observe all the regulations and “At one point, I went to a karting The happiness, the calm and peace
have all the safety equipment with you.” circuit for more driving practise,” that racing brings me have positively
Dr Lau says. In 2000, after obtaining affected my work. I am able to share
Dr Lau’s passion for motor racing his membership with the Royal the importance of being happy with
stems partly from his upbringing. “My College of Psychiatrists in the UK, as a my patients.”
dad was the owner of a small mini bus reward for himself, he enrolled at the
company. When I was a kid I enjoyed famous racing school in Silverstone. Dr Lau is advising medical students
riding with him when he drove along to start pursuing their dreams,
Castle Peak Road which is as tortuous Since then, Dr Lau has taken part in career goals or hobbies while they
as the Macau Guia Circuit.” the Macau Grand Prix and driven are still young.