Hong Kong medical body's licensing exam for overseas doctors slammed as 'too broad' as city's specialist shortage grows
As Medical Council awaits money for reforms, including its licensing exam, some overseas professionals call existing model 'traumatising'
The government's delay in giving new funding to a doctors' licensing body is holding up a revamp of a qualification exam for overseas practitioners who are being sought to shore up a severe manpower shortage in the city.
The delay came as those who took the exam told the it had been a "traumatising" and dispiriting experience for them.
Medical Council chairman Professor Joseph Lau Wan-yee said the body would set up an online platform updated with books, lecture notes and mock exam questions used by local medical students to help overseas practitioners pass Hong Kong's qualification exam once funding was granted.
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It was part of a proposal to reform the statutory watchdog, including an increase in the number of panel members to speed up hearings after criticism that disciplinary actions took too long and that local doctors were excessively protected.
But Lau stressed the exam's rigour would not be compromised as it had to stay on par with the exam taken by local students.
One doctor from North America, who attempted the examination twice in the city, described the experience as traumatising and turned to employment in Singapore instead.
"It was very hard to prepare and there were no specific books," the general practitioner said. She sat for the exam in 2010 and 2011, but failed both times.
Other countries would have offered preparatory courses for candidates, she said, but the Hong Kong exam was too "in-depth and specialised" despite her training in different specialities during medical school.
