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The city's leading liver surgeon, Fan Sheung-tat, is tipped to be the new head of surgery at the University of Hong Kong, sources said.
Professor Fan, known as the 'father of liver transplants' in Hong Kong, refused to comment yesterday when asked whether he was interested in the post.
'I cannot comment right now ... It is not a matter of someone wanting to run for the post or not ... the department staff have to nominate one to three candidates and make a consensus about it,' Professor Fan said.
The medical faculty has to appoint a new head of surgery after John Wong decided to step down last month  from the post he had held for 25 years.
The appointment of the new head could be made in a week or two.
Professor Fan - who tendered his resignation from the department in October 2006 saying his workload was too heavy - is among five people put forward to succeed Professor Wong. Professor Fan, 55, said earlier that he would stay at the department until his retirement.
The other four candidates are  Paul Tam Kwong-hang, William Wei, Lo Chung-mau and Stephen Cheng Wing-keung.
Professor Wei, a chair professor in surgery, confirmed yesterday that the department had officially started the process of choosing a new head on Tuesday after the dean of medicine, Raymond Liang Hin-suen, met department staff and briefed them on the procedures.
'It is not an election, we will choose a new head through consensus, we think it is still a very democratic process,' Professor Wei said, adding that the new head would be chosen in 'a week or two'.
Professor Wei said he was not interested in the post.
'I am too busy in my clinical work. I worry that I could not do the  [department head's] job well,' he said.
Several medical sources close to the department said Professor Fan's chance of taking the top post was better than that of the other candidates. 'He is well reputed both locally and internationally, and most staff members respect him,' one source said.
Professor Wong, 66, said earlier that his decision to step down had nothing to do with the series of controversies that had erupted around him, including repeated accusations that he was to blame for poor morale in the department.
Professor Wong previously said his repeated reappointments to the post had been well supported and subject to consultation among his colleagues.
He said his resignation would give him more time to care for his 94-year-old father. He will remain a full-time professor of surgery.
Professor Lo, another chair professor, said yesterday  the department did not want to 'vote' for the new head.
'We want to do it through consensus. Voting for several candidates may damage the unity of the department,' he said.



'Father of liver transplants' tipped to become  head of surgery at University of Hong Kong