Programme Features
Society needs doctors who are forward-thinking, well-informed and above all, capable of delivering humane and ethical medical care with the dedication to serve the community. HKUMed nurtures these qualities in our future doctors, making sure they graduate as life-long learners well-prepared to excel in their future careers and in their journey of life. Many HKUMed graduates have become leaders in the fields of medicine and public health.
Come join our MBBS programme if you aspire to be one of them.
Under the existing MBBS, a new study track titled “MBBS (Distinguished MedScholar)” will be offered from the academic year 2023/24 tailored for high achievers.
Students admitted to MBBS are normally required to complete six years of study. Students admitted to the new study track, MBBS (Distinguished MedScholar), based on outstanding academic achievements plus admission interview results, are eligible to choose either one of the following:
- Complete MBBS and a Master of Research in Medicine (MRes[Med]) in six years. Upon completion of MBBS and MRes[Med] and the one-year internship, students will receive financial support from the Faculty to pursue a PhD at a renowned university and potentially join the Faculty as clinical academics upon completion of PhD;
OR
- Students who choose not to pursue MRes[Med] for Enrichment Year may have the flexibility to undertake other Enrichment Year options such as research attachment/humanitarian services or elective courses locally or overseas
Please see here for MBBS (Distinguished MedScholar) FAQ and Entry Requirements.
HKUMed nurtures competent medical professionals who are prepared to flourish in the fast-changing healthcare environment of the 21st century. Our programme provides you with ample opportunities for personal growth that will carry you well into your future, when you will serve and excel not only in the medical profession but also in the wider community, as conversant practitioners, responsible citizens, and reliable colleagues, teachers and friends.
Affiliated Hospitals
Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) is our major teaching hospital. It is also a tertiary referral centre for complex and advanced medical services for the entire Hong Kong territory. Most of the Faculty’s clinical departments are located at QMH, which offer dedicated teaching and learning activities and professional clinical training for our students.
Apart from QMH, learning also takes place in other public hospitals of the Hospital Authority and private hospitals such as the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong, and the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital across the border. All these hospitals are the key partners of the Faculty in teaching, training and research under the HKU Health System. The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital also provides an invaluable platform for our students to receive clinical training and attain a more in-depth understanding of the systems and practices across the border.
Academic Advising
To cater for the special curriculum structure of the MBBS programme, you will first be taken care of by a Pre-Clinical Academic Adviser in Year 1 and 2 study, followed by an Enrichment Year Mentor in Year 3 and a clinical teacher as Clinical Academic Adviser when proceeding to Year 4 until graduation.
Many of these teachers of our Faculty are graduates of our own MBBS programme and experienced clinicians who are passionate in teaching and mentorship of our students. They are committed to providing a comfortable environment for you to adapt to the distinct challenges of medical school life.
Nurturing Community
A positive and harmonious culture and environment is fundamental to the wellbeing of every member and is co-created by all members in the community. To cultivate such an environment, HKUMed has established the Teaching and Learning Charter, which articulates the essential values and responsibilities that members of HKUMed are expected to honour. By this Charter, teachers and students commit to an agreed list of values, attitudes and behaviours. Students of HKUMed affirm that they will take good care of themselves and the others, being kind, supportive, diligent and responsible; likewise, teachers of HKUMed affirm that they will be professional, respectful and supportive to the others, serving as good role models for students.
“Academic advising is a crucial part of a student-centred approach in medical education. At HKUMed, we firmly believe that our medical students learn best in a productive environment, surrounded by supportive teachers as role models. We are very proud that every one of our academic advisers are teachers who have actively volunteered their time and efforts towards guiding our students’ academic and professional development. In addition to mentorship, our advisers serve as the important link between the students and our faculty wellness and academic resources.
During the first two years we pair our students with dedicated teachers to help our students adjust to the challenges of medical school life. During the clinical years, our students begin to develop specialty interests. At this stage, we allow our students to choose their own academic advisers from among our clinical teaching staff for a more personalised career development. At every step there is something our advisers can offer our students.”
Dr Kendrick Shih
Director of Student Affairs
Six Years, In A Nutshell
The MBBS curriculum runs for normative six years, or 12 semesters. During your studies, you will build on acquired knowledge, starting with pre-clinical education and advancing to clinical clerkships, where you will put your skills and understanding to work. The structure is as follows:
Year 1-2 (Pre-clinical Curriculum: Building the Foundation)
You will acquire health sciences knowledge and basic skills in self-directed learning by studying actual patient cases. You will also have your first exposure to patients through community visits, where you will learn about their care in their social and economic contexts.
The Pre-clinical Curriculum covers the following themes:
- Introduction to Health Sciences
To strengthen your foundation in basic and health sciences. - Professionalism and Clinical Skills
To gain an overview of the processes of diseases and an introduction to the therapeutic strategies for modulating disease processes. - Precision Medicine
To explore the exciting innovations in treating disease at the frontiers of genetics and genomics, artificial intelligence and robotics. - Medical Humanities, Ethics and Law
To learn about the ethical and legal implications of modern medical care, medical humanities and professionalism. - Medicine and Society
To learn about caring for the patient as an individual, and as a member of a family and a community.
“Students are at the centre of all we do as teachers. Active learning is a top priority – having students engaged in innovative ways during lectures and practicals, collaborating during problem-based learning, and actively responding to probing questions with immediate feedback through our e-learning Platforms.”
Professor Julian Tanner Ryan Keung
MBBS Programme Director (Pre-clinical)
“I would describe my first year at HKUMed as both fruitful and rewarding. Apart from studying, I’ve got many more to experience here at HKUMed – being a Student Ambassador, Class rep, taking up society posts – which have all made me grow as a person. Studying medicine is never smooth sailing, but with friends and the whole community here, I am certain that we will all get through the obstacles. I am very proud to be part of HKUMed and I anticipate more to come in my medical Journey!”
Ryan Keung
MBBS II Student
The IASM module under the Pre-clinical Curriculum provides a comprehensive foundation of the biomedical sciences that are critical to the art of medical practice. The IASM module makes up most of your learning during the first semester at HKUMed and is organised under the following modules:
- Molecules of Medicine
- Cells, Tissues & Systems
- Infections and Host Defence
- Drugs in Action
The complexity of human health is reflected in our system-based blocks, where you will acquire an understanding about the workings of the human body during the second semester of Year 1 and the entire Year 2. The six system-based blocks cover:
- Cardiopulmonary and Renal Systems
- Head, Neck and Nervous System
- Gastrointestinal System
- Haematology and Immunology System
- Musculoskeletal System
- Endocrine and Reproductive Systems
- Introduction to the Art and Science of Medicine
- System-based Blocks
Year 3 (Enrichment Year: Broadening Your Horizons)
EY is specially designed to facilitate the enhancement of your total learning experience. You will be able to formulate your EY through three different categories: Service/Humanitarian Work, Research Attachment and Intercalation.
You may take part in a humanitarian relief mission at remote locations, experience medical camps in under-developed countries, or work locally with NGOs via Service/Humanitarian Work. For those with investigative minds, research internship locally at HKU or internationally at world-class laboratories fit perfectly with Research Attachment. Through Intercalation, you are able to take minor or elective courses at HKU, or engage in full-year articulation studies at renowned universities overseas.
Overall, our EY is aligned with HKU’s six undergraduate educational aims to enable you to develop capabilities in pursuit of academic/professional excellence, critical intellectual inquiry, tackling novel situations, critical self-reflection, communication and collaboration, and leadership.
590+ Students went overseas in 45 Countries/regions across 5 continents for Intercalation, Research Attachment and/or Service/Humanitarian Work
50+ Participating local/overseas NGOs such as PathFinders, Salvation Army, and Caritas Hong Kong, Wu Zhi Qiao (Bridge to China) Charitable Foundation, Hong Kong Red Cross and International Care Ministries
230+ Research projects at labs of HKU or renowned institutions such as Yale University, The University of British Columbia, Stanford University and The George Institute for Global Health
300+ Students went on exchange in 26 countries / region
270+ Degrees earned (including intercalated degree and master degree)
120+ Top-notch overseas institutions including University of Cambridge, Harvard Medical School, King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London and The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
- The Enrichment Year (EY) is a credit-bearing component giving each MBBS III student the means to take charge of your learning and tailor activities to your interests and desires.
Year 4-6 (Clinical Curriculum: Readiness for Practice)
This is when you will enter the real-life world of clinical practice and get full exposure to how doctors work on a day-to-day basis. You work alongside doctors and nurses as they treat patients while acquiring the necessary hands-on skills and an in-depth understanding of clinical medicine before you join the ranks as a future health professional.
You will go through three phases:
- Clinical Foundation Block
- Clinical Clerkships
- MBBS Elective
“HKUMed strives to provide a positive clinical learning environment that values learner needs. Our curriculum emphasises on knowledge integration and clinical reasoning, communication and team skills, professionalism and systems practice spanning across disciplines and healthcare settings, enabling learners to get ready for practice, realise their potentials and pursue their career aspirations.”
Dr Pamela Lee
MBBS Programme Director (Clinical)
“The pursuit of medicine requires dedication and perseverance. At HKUMed, we are provided with the essential resources to enhance our academic and clinical skills and promote independent learning, with a particular focus on clinical reasoning and holistic patient-centred care. We are encouraged to seek advice from professors, doctors, seniors and peers when encountering difficulties, and to approach problems with an open mind and the willingness to learn. Through this approach, HKUMed instil in us the capacity for self-directed learning and critical thinking, rather than merely reciting information, to prepare us for the challenges ahead.”
Athene Lam
MBBS VI Student
The 10-week Clinical Foundation Block welcomes you back from the Enrichment Year, and orientates you to the practice of clinical medicine. It is designed to prepare you to “think and act” like a doctor, by consolidating your skills in history taking, physical examination and clinical reasoning.
This is an extensive and exciting period of training, running from mid-Year 4 to the Final Year. You will be directly involved in day-to-day patient care and will be developing skills including diagnosis, investigation and treatment, as well as interpersonal skills when interacting with patients and families.
The Clinical Clerkships consist of two phases: General Clerkship (48 weeks) and Assistant Internship (49 weeks). Through exposure to a variety of clinical contexts in hospital and community settings, we enable students to master the broad range of health and disease conditions in a comprehensive manner, and to gain insights into the full impact of illnesses on patients and their families. Your rotations will be in hospitals as well as clinics offering ambulatory care and community-based primary care. The clerkships will cover: Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Microbiology, Pathology, Public Health, Family Medicine and Primary Care, Accident and Emergency Medicine, Anaesthesiology, Clinical Oncology, Diagnostic Radiology, Ophthalmology, Psychiatry, Geriatrics, Rehabilitation and Palliative Care – all established specialties are unique and fascinating in their own right!
After the Fourth Summative Assessment, you will have a 4-week block where you can explore an area of medicine that interests you either through clinical attachment or laboratory/clinical research.
- Clinical Foundation Block
- Clinical Clerkships
- MBBS Elective
Admissions Information & FAQ
For JUPAS Candidates
b) Attain at least Level 3 in two elective subjects*, one of which must be:
(i) Chemistry or
(ii) Combined Science with Chemistry as component
* Mathematics Extended Part (Module 1 (M1) / Module 2 (M2)) will be recognised as equivalent to a full elective subject.
Other Requirements
A good working knowledge of Cantonese
Scoring Formula for 2024 Entry
The scoring formula considers Category A subjects and M1/M2 only. Best 6 subjects will be considered.
Consideration of Other Factors
- Interview performance
- Additional subjects (in Category A and C)
- Student learning profile
Consideration of HKDSE Combined Results & Penalty for HKDSE Repeaters
- Latest results in HKDSE in the recent three years
- Penalty will be imposed on subjects which were retaken
- 18 & 19 June 2024
- 25 July 2024
For Non-JUPAS Candidates
University Entrance Requirements
(As English Language Requirement and Second Language Requirement are not determined and reviewed by individual Faculties, please contact HKU Admissions Office if further clarifications and assistance are needed.)
Programme Specific Requirements
- Chemistry at high school level
Other Requirements
- A good working knowledge of Cantonese (for both local & non-local students)
- Preference for First Choice
Interview
- 19 & 20 December 2023
- 28 March 2024
- 12 July 2024
- 21 August 2024
Advanced Standing
The following candidates will be granted advanced standing:
- High school candidates with GCEAL, Cambridge Pre-U or IB Diploma qualifications and at least seven years of secondary education at the time of being admitted to the University
- Candidates with degree qualifications
Non-JUPAS MBBS Supporting Documents
All Non-JUPAS MBBS candidates should upload supporting documents to the non-JUPAS application system according to the checklist for each qualification and timeframe outlined below. Failure to provide sufficient documents in a timely manner may delay application processing.
Candidates may also be invited to provide further information and/or supporting documents other than the ones listed below when necessary.
After settling the application fee, candidates can upload supporting documents according to the ‘Document Type’ Headers. Uncategorized supporting documents and additional documents can be uploaded to ‘Other documents’ Header.
MBBS / Doctor of Philosophy
The MBBS/PhD is a full-time combined programme extending over not less than nine years and leading to the award of both MBBS and PhD degrees upon graduation. If you are admitted to this programme, you will pursue full-time research under the supervision of Faculty teachers and undertake coursework prescribed by the Graduate School and the Faculty. You may also attend optional clinical study sessions that are of your interest.
An exciting feature of this programme is that you may receive part of your training at internationally-renowned institutions overseas through the Faculty’s international network for research collaborations.
HKUMed also has joint PhD/joint educational placement for PhD programmes with King’s College London and the University of Toronto.
Starting from 2018-19, the HKSAR government has waived PhD composition fees for all local students. In addition, Croucher Foundation Scholarships are available for a maximum of three outstanding MBBS/PhD students each year to cover the monthly postgraduate studentships, research bench fees and allowances for overseas conference attendance and/or exchange.
Learn more about research postgraduate studies at HKUMed: www.med.hku.hk/rpg.
Current MBBS students who are interested in this programme may contact the Faculty Office at medfac@hku.hk for further details.
Professional Recognition & Career Prospects
Your MBBS is a registrable primary qualification that enables you to apply for registration with the Medical Council of Hong Kong to practise medicine in the region. To obtain full registration, graduates are required to successfully complete a 3-week Enhanced Pre-internship Block followed by a 1-year internship in an accredited hospital. The internship will take you through selected rotations in different specialties and will require you to practise clinically under the supervision of experienced doctors. Completion of this basic training will open the door to a multitude of career options in the medical profession.
If you want to become a specialist, you are then required to undergo more years of postgraduate training and further examinations. Postgraduate and specialist training is administered through the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine and its constituent colleges.
HKUMed graduates are a heterogeneous group of doctors, many of whom are now in leading positions in a variety of fields, not just medicine. Some serve the community as frontline doctors in the public and private sectors, while others have pursued academic careers in Hong Kong or overseas, contributing to the development of the next generations of doctors and advancement of medical treatment. Many of our graduates have become world-renowned clinical experts and scientists. Some have become health administrators involved in policy making and healthcare planning for our community, others have made their mark in non-medical careers, such as law, business, or pharmaceutical development.
Whatever path you wish to take, HKUMed is here to make your dreams come true.