HKU Bulletin May 2005 (Vol. 6 No. 3)

Patients are Human Too! M edical students are to be encouraged to brush up on their bedside manner and learn new skills as part of a new curriculum to be unveiled this summer. The leadership programme aims to groom our medical students for leadership and policy-making in the future, according to Dean and Chair Professor of Medicine, Lam Shiu Kum. I t wi l l also prov ide them wi th suppor t f or ‘whole person’ development and will initially be offered on a voluntary basis before becoming a compulsory part of the curriculum in the next academic year. Then each student will be required to take at least a one half- module on leadership development throughout the five years of their undergraduate training. “It will be built into the curriculum and will be a conscious effort,” said Professor Lam. He added that although young doctors tend to be technology-savvy they sometimes tend to neglect the more human side of patient treatment. “There is a huge medical-technological explosion and young people tend to like this so the humanity side, the leadership side and the ‘whole-person’ side also needs to be taken care of,” he added. “Hong Kong has become an advanced city and many future leaders will come from this University. We think it is almost our duty to provide this training to our graduates.” 1 NEWS ROUND-UP CONTENTS Editor The Registrar Editorial Board Sheila Stimpson, Dora Yue Writers Kathy Griffin, Allison Jones Photography Richard Jones, sinopix photo agency Graphic Designer trinity & co. Printer G & P Production & Printing Co. Items for Publication Items for publication in The University of Hong Kong Bulletin or suggestions for subjects which might be included should be addressed to the editorial board, Knowles Building, telephone number: 2859 2229, fax nu mber: 2559 9459 or e-mail: bulletin@hku.hk . Items should include the author’s name and University contact details. If you have any comments or suggestions to make regarding the content or format of The University of Hong Kong Bulletin , please direct them to the editor for consideration by the editorial board. Printed on recycled paper. Mega-donation T he University’s development as a leading international institution received a major boost with the donation of a generous $1 billion from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, in May. The gift is the highest sum ever donated to a university in Hong Kong. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lap-Chee Tsui said he was ‘delighted’ at the news and thanked Mr Li Ka Shing, Chairman of Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd and Hutchison Whampoa Ltd, for his generosity. In a message to staff he said: “This unprecedented gift not only represents a strong endorsement of our excellence but also sets a milestone for philanthropy. The benefaction will propel the University to new heights.” In recognition of his philanthropic support the University Council, in another unprecedented move, agreed to propose to Mr Li that the Faculty of Medicine bear his name. “It is the wish of the Li Ka Shing Foundation to support the general development of the University and research and academic activities in the broad area of biomedical education,” said the Vice-Chancellor. “The naming of the Faculty of Medicine is recognition not only of the generosity of Mr Li and the Foundation but also of the achievements and contributions of the Medical Faculty in the past and its commitment to its future endeavours. “This will indeed be a strategic partnership of excellence between a premier institution and an outstanding philanthropist,” he added. The Li Ka Shing Foundation was established in 1980 to co-ordinate donations towards medical, educational, cultural and other community welfare projects. Together with other private charitable foundations established by Mr Li it has made donations of approximately $7.6 billion to date. NEWS ROUND-UP 1 " Mega-donation " Patients are Human Too! 2 " Asian Tsunami # Helping Victims to Rebuild # Hydrologists Provide Clean Water # Wave of Interest in Department’s Work 4 " A Primer on Hong Kong’s Ecology 5 " Safety First RESEARCH 6 " The Economic Fall-out of Smoking 7 " A Magnetic Combination 8 " The Language of Music (cover story) 10 " Non-Invasive Detection of Down’s Syndrome 11 " Can Nationality be Taught? TEACHING AND LEARNING 12 " The Importance of Family PEOPLE 13 " Law Scholar in Top Ten STUDENTS 14 " Solar Campus 15 " The Key to Successful Leadership ARTS 16 " Becoming a Writer 17 " Taking the Tram