For one graduate, passion comes first and a job second
Katherine Leung Chau-yung always wanted to practise medicine. The 22-year-old will realise her goal next year when she stands among the third class to graduate in Chinese medicine at Baptist University. But her choice of what kind of medicine she wanted to practise was not always clear.
'I was torn between choosing western medicine and Chinese medicine when I entered university,' she says.
'But back then, even though Chinese medicine was a relatively new subject the prospect was very promising. I thought it held a better prospect than western medicine because Hong Kong already had so many practitioners of western medicine.'
However, Ms Leung says that while almost all past graduates of her faculty are employed, the road to practising Chinese medicine in Hong Kong has become rockier.
'A few years ago the government promised to turn Hong Kong into a Chinese medicine hub. But then things died down and opportunities have become fewer. It will be quite hard to practise Chinese medicine in the next few years after I graduate.'
But she has no regrets.
'I am very interested in it and I think I can overcome the difficulties ahead. I believe that anyone who wants to study Chinese medicine in the university should bear in mind that you need to show a great amount of interest in it because you are going to spend five years studying the subject.'
