BACHELOR OF MEDICINE AND BACHELOR OF SURGERY (MBBS)1
(See also General Regulations, pp. 1 to 16)
Bachelor of Medicine and
Bachelor of
Surgery (MBBS) (Part 1)
Bachelor of
Medicine and
Bachelor of
Surgery (MBBS) (Part 2)
Bachelor of Nursing (Part-time) (BNurs)
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences (BSc[BiomedSc])
M 2 To be eligible for admission to the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, a candidate shall
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comply with the General Regulations; and |
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complete the curriculum and satisfy the examiners in the First, Second, Third and Fourth Examinations. |
M 3 The curriculum shall extend over ten academic semesters and such intervening vacations as may be prescribed, and shall include four examinations, the First, Second, Third and Fourth Examinations, each held annually, and other class tests as prescribed in the regulations set out below.
M 4 To complete the first year of the curriculum, a candidate shall
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follow instruction in the Foundation course, the mechanisms of disease module and the integrated systems based courses covering the cardiovascular and respiratory systems; and |
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satisfy the examiners at the First Examination, by producing evidence of satisfactory participation and performance in tutorials and clinical/communication skills sessions, and by satisfactory completion of a written and practical examination comprising the themes of biological, behavioural, population and clinical sciences. The First Examination shall be held annually in May of the first year and repeated in July. |
M 5 To complete the second year of the curriculum, a candidate shall
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follow instruction in six units of the integrated systems based course covering the gastro -intestinal, renal, genito-urinary, endocrine, haematology and immunological and musculoskeletal systems; and |
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satisfy the examiners at the Second Examination, by producing evidence of satisfactory participation and performance in tutorials and clinical/communication skills sessions, and by satisfactory completion of a written and practical examination comprising the themes of biological, behavioural, population and clinical sciences. The Second Examination shall be held annually in May of the second year of the curriculum and repeated in July. |
M 6 To complete the third year of the curriculum, a candidate shall
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follow instruction in the nervous system and the 'life-cycle' unit exploring health care problems in Hong Kong, and the introductory clinical course; and | |
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satisfy the examiners at the Third Examination, by producing evidence of satisfactory participation and performance in tutorials and clinical/communication skills sessions, and by satisfactory completion of a written and practical examination comprising the themes of biological, behavioural, population and clinical sciences. The Third Examination shall be held annually in May of the third year of the curriculum and repeated in July. | |
| 1 | These regulations apply to students admitted to first year of study for the degrees of MBBS in and after the 1997-98 academic year. |
M 7 To complete the fourth and fifth years of the curriculum, a candidate shall
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follow instruction in a range of clinical disciplines and electives, both hospital-based and ambulatory; and |
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complete in a satisfactory manner such class tests as may be prescribed by departments or units contributing to the teaching included in the curriculum, and satisfy the examiners at the Fourth Examination, by producing evidence of satisfactory participation and performance in tutorials and clinical/communication skills sessions, and by satisfactory completion of a written and practical examination comprising the themes of biological, behavioural, population and clinical sciences. The Fourth Examination shall be held in May in the final year of the curriculum and repeated in December. |
M 8 A candidate who is unable because of illness to be present for any paper or papers of any subject or subjects of an examination other than the Fourth Examination may apply for permission to present himself at the next subsequent examination in the appropriate paper or papers. Any such application shall be made on the form prescribed within two weeks of the first day of the candidate's absence from any examination.
M 9
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Before he may present himself for examination, a candidate shall complete the courses of study and instruction leading to the examination and shall achieve a satisfactory standard in the tutorials and class work prescribed in the syllabuses. |
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If a candidate fails to satisfy the examiners at the First, Second or Third Examination, the Board of Examiners will determine the need for, and the nature of, a four week remedial period followed by re-examination. In certain circumstances, the Board may recommend repeat of the year or discontinuation of studies. |
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If the candidate fails re-examination after a remedial period, the Board of Examiners may recommend repeat of the year or discontinuation of studies. |
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If, after repeating a year, the candidate fails to satisfy the Examiners, the Board of Examiners may, recommend discontinuation of studies. |
M 10 The examiners may take into consideration written or practical work required of candidates during the course of study and practice, participation in tutorials and the results of class tests.
M 11 Before being admitted to the Fourth Examination, a candidate shall
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undertake such clinical clerk appointments as are prescribed from time to time by the Board of the Faculty of Medicine; |
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reside, while undertaking clerkship appointments, at the Residence for Medical Students or in a designated teaching hospital, for such periods as are specified from time to time by the Board of the Faculty of Medicine; and |
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bring evidence that he will have completed his twenty-first year of age by June 30 of the calendar year in which he presents himself for the Fourth Examination. |
M 12 The degrees of MBBS may be awarded with Honours but a candidate shall not be eligible for Honours if he has presented himself more than once in any part of the Fourth Examination.
SYLLABUSES FOR THE
DEGREES OF
BACHELOR OF MEDICINE AND BACHELOR OF SURGERY
FIRST AND SECOND YEAR
During the first and second years of the course there will be an integrated curriculum which will cover anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, health, behaviour and medical care, an introduction to biostatistics, pharmacology, principles of microbiology and applied microbiology, principles of immunology, pathology and systemic pathology and an introduction to medicine and surgery. The first semester of the first year, or Foundation Course will comprise a period of 12 weeks. The second semester of the first year will be based on separate organ systems and comprise a period of 20 weeks. The systems based teaching will continue for the first and second semesters of the second year.
Attendance at tutorials is required and participation in tutorial sessions will form part of the assessment in the first and second years of the course. A satisfactory standard of performance must be attained in tutorials, class tests and coursework generally for admission to the degree examinations.
Students will be required to attend a 4 week special study unit or module at the end of the second semester related to aspects of basic science, community or hospital based health care, or undertake remedial study following assessment at the end of the second semester. During this module the student will be expected to undertake literature reviews, plan and conduct simple research studies, and develop skills in writing and presentation.
Course Content of First and Second Year
The first and second years of the medical curriculum will comprise small group sessions, lectures, laboratory sessions and demonstrations, communication and clinical skill sessions, community and hospital visits and rostered sessions for computer assisted learning and information technology. The small group sessions, communication and clinical skill sessions and clinical visits will be conducted on a faculty based programme, whilst lectures and laboratory sessions will be conducted by the relevant disciplines.
The first semester, or Foundation course is designed to provide an introductory overview of the structure and function of the human body, based around a theme of a 'hierarchy of systems'. The students will be expected to understand the hierarchy of systems from molecules, cells, tissues, organs and major body systems to the patient as an individual, and as a member of a family and community.
The second semester of the first year and the two semesters of the second year will be a systems-based course, concerned with the structure and function of the organ systems of the body, in the context of the patient as an individual and as a member of a wider population group. The student will be expected to acquire a fundamental understanding of body systems in health and disease. The organ systems covered during these three semesters will be respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, renal, genito -urinary, endocrine, haematology/immunology, musculoskeletal and central/peripheral nervous system.
During the first and second years the student will be expected to cover the following material:
Anatomy
The student will be expected to understand the foundations of gross anatomy, microanatomy, cell biology, and embryology necessary for medical practice. The systems based course will cover gross anatomy from a topographical, radiological and living anatomy perspective, and this will be dealt with in lectures, practicals and problem based tutorials. Lectures and practicals on microanatomy and embryology will also be conducted.
Biochemistry
Lectures and practicals will cover basic principles underlying an understanding of the structure, function and assembly of biologically important molecules, enzymology, control of metabolism in health and disease, and nutrition. In addition many areas at the forefront of modern biochemistry and molecular biology will be covered with particular emphasis on their impact of Medicine. These topics include molecular embryology, molecular cell biology, cellular signalling and human genetics.
Physiology
The student will be expected to have a basic understanding of the normal function of the organ systems in order that this understanding may be applied rationally to clinical problems in the diagnosis and treatment of disease states. Aspects of cellular and tissue physiology will be covered on a systems related basis in conjunction with the clinical cases presented in the systems based problem based cases.
Pharmacology
The lectures and practicals in this course are designed to establish a sound theoretical and experimental grounding in the principles of drug action, and to form the basis for the study of drug effects on organ systems on a systems based approach. The student is expected to understand the basic principles of drug action and a basic knowledge of drugs used in the treatment of cardiac and vascular disorders, drugs acting on the central nervous system, drugs used in psychiatric disorders, drug induced disorders, drugs used in infectious diseases, drugs used in neoplastic and haematopoietic disorders, and drugs used in the treatment of respiratory, gastrointestinal, renal, urological, joint and connective tissue disorders.
Community medicine
In the Foundation course and the systems based course students will be expected to understand aspects of public health, health services, epidemiology, health economics, health psychology, medical sociology and medical biostatistics. The epidemiology and control of disease in Hong Kong, organization, delivery and evaluation of health services in Hong Kong will also be introduced. The material will be covered both in tutorials, lectures and seminars.
Pathology and immunology
In the first two years of the curriculum the student will be expected to cover both the principles of immunology and pathology as well as systemic pathology. The subject matter of the principles of pathology will include the study of pathological processes as exemplified in inflammation, cellular responses to injury, disorders of circulation, tissue deposits, infections, disorders of growth, general characteristics of neoplasia, and genetic and metabolic disorders. The principles of immunology will cover the structure of the immune system, ontogeny, structure and function of the immunoglobulins, antigen presentation and processing, cell interactions and cytokines, cellular and humoral effector mechanisms, immune mechanisms of inflammation and control of the immune response. During the systems-based teaching the pathology of organ systems and aspects of the immunology of these systems will be covered.
Microbiology
The principles of microbiology will be covered in lectures, practicals and tutorials. Fundamental aspects of medical bacteriology, virology and parasitology are covered with emphasis on the interactions between the microorganism and the host. There will also be teaching on applied microbiology and infection with respect to each of the organ systems studied in the second semester of the first year and the first and second semesters of the second year.
Clinical and communication skills
In the first and second years of the curriculum the students will be expected to develop basic clinical and communication skills appropriate to the organ system studied as well as the patient as an individual. The student will be expected to develop these skills in a clinical laboratory setting in the foundation course and the second semester of the first year, and then in the later part of the second semester will be expected to apply these skills in a clinical setting. The student will be expected to attend clinical sessions in community and hospital visits, and to apply the skills developed in the laboratory setting to the management of patients.
Examinations and class tests
Assessment of students will be centralized and will comprise formative as well as summative elements. A formative assessment will be held at the end of the first semester of the first year, but the results will not contribute to the First Examination which will be held at the end of the second semester of the first year. The summative assessment will comprise a written paper and a clinical examination at the end of the first year. The written paper will include material from the anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, community medicine, pathology, microbiology, and clinical disciplines. Failure to achieve a satisfactory standard will require the student to complete remedial study during the special study modules at the end of the first year or discontinuation. Assessment in second year will follow the same format as for that in the first year.
Distinction may be awarded on the basis of performance and participation in the special study modules during the first and second years.
THIRD YEAR
The third year will comprise two semesters, during which an integrated programme will continue. The first semester will cover a period of 12 weeks and will reinforce the principles learnt in the first two years of the curriculum. A 'life cycle' approach will be undertaken, during which students will be expected to understand in depth health care problems of particular importance to Hong Kong.
During the second semester, the course emphasis will shift to the clinical care of patients. Students will undertake introductory clerkships in clinical disciplines, with the aim of linking their understanding of normal and abnormal structure and function with the clinical presentation of the patient. Teaching will include small group tutorials, lectures, clinical demonstrations and bedside teaching sessions.
Examinations and class tests
A formative assessment will be carried out at the end of the first semester of the third year. Performance in the small group teaching which takes place in the first semester of the third year will be taken into account for progression to the fourth year. At the end of the second semester of the third year there will be a written paper and clinical examination in which material covered in the first three years of the curriculum will be examined. A satisfactory standard of performance must be attained in the class tests, clinical examination and tutorials for progression to the next year of the course.
FOURTH AND FINAL YEARS
During the fourth and fifth years of the course, students will undertake clinical experience in medicine, surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry, community medicine, clinical pharmacology, orthopaedic surgery, general practice, radiation oncology, diagnostic radiology, accident and emergency, sexually transmitted diseases and ophthalmology, and diseases of the ears, nose and throat.
There will be opportunities for elective studies during the fourth and fifth years, when students undertake studies in greater depth in a range of clinical disciplines.
Integration of basic and clinical sciences will continue in the form of lectures and practical classes.
Attendance at the basic clinical sciences practicals, seminars, tutorials, and ward and clinical sessions is required. A satisfactory standard of performance must be attained in coursework generally for progression to subsequent years.
Senior students will be required to reside in the Residence for Medical Students. They will learn the finer details of clinical care by participating in the day to day management of patients.
Course Content
Health behaviour and medical care
In co-ordination and co-operation with clinical departments medico-social problems are identified and discussed on the basis of case studies of paediatric patients. Within the context of the teaching of the management and control of tuberculosis and control of tuberculosis, senior students will observe and discuss the involvement of auxiliary workers.
Medical jurisprudence and ethics
The course covers legal medicine (principles of medical ethics and legal aspects of medical practice), clinical forensic medicine, forensic pathology and toxicology, the principles of medical ethics, the functions of the Hong Kong Medical Council, professional conduct, and the ethical responsibilities of the medical profession in patient care, clinical investigation, research and the development of new therapeutic procedures.
Instructions on legal medicine, including the statutory obligations of medical practitioners, abortion and the provisions of the law, medico-legal aspects of wounds and injuries, professional misconduct, certification of death and criteria to be applied in transplantation of organs will be given. Conferences and discussions on various aspects of the subject, such as the legal aspects of patient management, child abuse and abortion, will take place during the fourth and final years of the curriculum.
Human sexuality
Students will acquire a preliminary understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of the study of sex and its relationship to the rest of medicine. There will be contributions from psychiatry, social sciences, medicine, psychology and other fields.
Clinical pathology and microbiology
During the fourth and fifth years instruction will be given on the utilization of the clinical laboratory and interpretation of results, including histopathology, cytology, haematology, blood banking, immunology, clinical microbiology and clinical biochemistry.
Medicine
Teaching in medicine will cover the principles and practice of General Medicine and its subspecialties, including also general practice. Students will learn, through lectures, bedside teaching, case demonstration, outpatient clinics teaching and other modes of instructions and practical work, the basic knowledge and skills in the prevention, diagnosis and management of common medical illnesses.
The course will include clinical rotations at Queen Mary Hospital and other hospitals and outpatient clinics. There is also a compulsory residential Medical Specialty Clerkship during which senior medical students will receive instructions on the diagnosis and management of acute medical problems and emergencies, and the medical care of patients from admission to discharge from hospital, including the use of drugs and procedures.
Surgery
The course includes instruction in general surgery and clinical rotation between Queen Mary Hospital and other networked hospitals. Teaching of ear, nose and throat (ENT) in the form of clinical demonstrations and tutorials is undertaken at Tung Wah Hospital and Sai Ying Pun Clinic. Students also attend orthopaedic seminars and ophthalmology lectures.
Senior students will be involved in surgical ward and out-patient teaching, tutorials, surgical pathology demonstrations and lectures in the various general surgical specialities.
Paediatrics
Paediatric teaching will cover the physical, mental and emotional development of the normal child, developmental screening and assessment, immunization, abnormalities and disease affecting the child from conception to adolescence, the handicapped child, and the social and environmental factors which affect child health. Clinical instruction and practical experience are obtained in the wards of the teaching hospitals and in various places related to child health in the community, and in the out-patients' department. Clinical instruction in the care of the newborn infant, healthy or sick, is also given during the student's clerkship on obstetrics at Tsan Yuk Hospital.
Students accompanied by senior members of staff visit the homes of children after their discharge from hospital. These visits are followed by medico-social case conferences.
Obstetrics and gynaecology
Students will learn the principles and practice of obstetrics and gynaecology, with clinical instruction in obstetrics (including the care of the newborn) and gynaecology. During the compulsory residential obstetric clerkship in Tsan Yuk Hospital, students are required to attend at least ten deliveries under supervision.
Psychiatry
The course covers basic notions in psychiatry, the principles of diagnosis and management of the main psychiatric disorders, care of the terminally ill and the psychological phenomena that permeates the whole of medical practice including factors influencing patient and doctor relationship. Clinical instruction in the setting of a large mental hospital is also provided.
Orthopaedic surgery
During the rotation in orthopaedic surgery, students will learn the care of acute injuries of the limbs and spine, treatment of degenerative diseases of the musculo-skeletal system, children's orthopaedics, reconstructive methods including plastic and microvascular surgery, and principles of rehabilitation, especially applied to neuromuscular diseases and after trauma. Apart from teaching in the wards, students will be exposed to operating theatre techniques, visits to special orthopaedic centres, rehabilitation centres, as well as units of prosthetics and orthotics.
Anaesthesiology and accident and emergency medicine
The course will cover clinical measurement, monitoring resuscitation and other techniques in the management of the critically ill, including the apparatus commonly employed in these situations. The management of painful conditions, both acute and chronic, and the concept and implications of brain death will also be explored.
Diagnostic radiology
The course covers the principles and applications of diagnostic and interventional radiology in clinical practice. Students will learn through lectures, small-group tutorials and visits to the Department the essentials of clinical radiology.
Ophthalmology, sexually transmitted diseases.
Outpatient clinics for ophthalmology and sexually transmitted diseases will be conducted.
Radiation oncology
The course will cover the basic principles in oncology including carcinogenesis, genetic susceptibility and environmental factors, epidemiology, basic tumour biology, the diagnosis of cancer, determination of disease extent and staging, principles of cancer therapy including basic principles of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and the multi-modality treatment of cancer, and oncologic emergencies. In the clinical attachment sessions, the students will have opportunity to visit radiotherapy department to observe the administration of external radiotherapy and brachytherapy, practice history taking from cancer patients with emphasis on the importance of early diagnosis, and attend cancer follow-up clinics.
General practice
The course covers the content and process of general practice in Hong Kong with emphasis on family medicine concepts and principles including doctor-patient communication. Primary care aspects of problem solving, preventive medicine, infectious diseases and health education are among other topics covered. There is also a short one-to-one attachment to general practitioners in the community.
Examinations and Class Tests
Formative assessment during the fourth and fifth years will take place at the end of each period of clinical rotation. This assessment will include an assessment of performance in tutorial sessions, log books, clinical examinations, written tests and an assessment of clinical competence (including communication and clinical skills).
The results of the formative assessments will determine the eligibility of students to proceed to the fifth year of study, or their eligibility for the final summative assessment.
At the end of the fifth year, a final summative assessment will be held and will include assessment of tutorial performance, log books, written tests, and tests of communication and clinical skills, and clinical competence.
Performance during the clinical electives in the fourth and fifth years will contribute to the awards of Merit or Honours.
