Life At HKUMed
Medical education has been at the heart of The University of Hong Kong’s history since our inception and HKUMed has been a leader in medical education and research throughout our 130+ years of history. Today we look forward to nurturing the next generation of healthcare professionals and leaders.
There are many support systems in place at HKUMed – financial, facilities, advice and networks – to help students join various local and overseas learning programmes, including clinical attachments, exchanges, service trips and study tours, in addition to the MBBS Enrichment Year. We strongly believe this well-rounded experience is essential to the personal and professional development of our students.
Student Wellness
HKUMed is determined to support student growth and whole-person development. A team of professional counsellors, clinical psychologists and psychiatrists are available on the Medical Campus to provide confidential, convenient and free clinical services to all HKUMed students.
These include individual counselling, consultation, crisis intervention, diagnostic assessment, group therapy, psychoeducational programmes, and brief psychotherapy. The Student Wellness Team also strives to help students thrive in the academic environment through its Peer Supporter Programme, as well as outreach activities and workshops designed to raise mental health awareness and strengthen resilience.
Academic Advising
Under the University-wide Academic Advising System, all HKUMed undergraduate students are paired with an Academic Adviser. This one-on-one adviser-advisee relationship lasts for the entire period of study, aiming to provide students with support in the pursuit of their academic, career and life goals. Through the process, our students are empowered to think critically, explore available options, evaluate the progress towards their own goals, and take personal responsibility for decision-making with the guidance of teachers and academic advisers.
Accommodation
You can apply to stay in one of the residential halls or colleges, which are situated on the Main Campus, Pokfulam Road, Lung Wah Street and Sassoon Road. These residences vary in style and character. Most of the study-bedrooms are shared by two students, but there are also single rooms. Two residences are under the Faculty’s management: the Madam S H Ho Residence for Medical Students (RMS), which accommodates 163 students in single rooms, and the Patrick Manson Student Residence (PMR), which accommodates 124 students in shared bedrooms. Senior medical students undergoing clinical training at Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) are required to stay at RMS or PMR during specific specialty clerkships. These residences allow more medical and nursing students to be close to QMH for their clinical training.
Student Organisations
The vast variety of student-run organisations at HKUMed offer opportunities for you to extend the academic experience beyond the classroom. These societies are open for all students within the Medical Faculty and respective programmes to foster a spirit of comradeship and professional unity in the field of medical education and among future healthcare professionals. You can also join other interest groups and student societies to engage with your fellows, volunteer in healthcare-related activities, or simply just to have fun!
Our students are equally active beyond HKUMed. By participating in joint-university societies, they are exposed to various opportunities to interact with medical students and professionals from other institutions in the region, cultivate knowledge and serve the community.
“As future healthcare professionals and leaders, it is our responsibility to never shy away from the complexities of social awareness and health advocacy. As the IFMSA Regional Director for Asia-Pacific, I was an active catalyst in shaping the global health agenda with the UN, the WHO and other non-state actors. Taking on this position has convinced me to have the courage to believe that young persons can also offer perceptive insights to contemporary dialogues via meaningful youth engagement. I hope that we can further realise the untapped potential medical students have in shaping each other and the world around us.”
Matthew Chow
MBBS Year VI
Former Regional Director for Asia-Pacific at the International Federation of Medical Students Association
Scholarships and Prizes
Scholarships and prizes are awarded to students as a reward for outstanding academic achievement, providing students with financial aid for covering cost of tuition, accommodation, enrichment activity and/or other expenses in university life. Students with financial difficulties are supported to pursue their studies and expand their ambitions.
All of this is made possible with the generous support from a large number of patrons and distinguished graduates.
Entrance Scholarships
Upon admission to HKUMed, a wide range of Entrance Scholarships are offered to students with outstanding results in open examinations and to degree holders with excellent academic performance. To promote equal learning opportunities, underprivileged students could be supported by Springboard Scholarships schemes. These schemes are often renewable annually within the normative study period, subject to satisfactory academic performance.
Enrichment Scholarships
Enrichment Scholarships aim to support students’ participation in service and humanitarian work, research attachments, exchange programmes or experiential learning activities. The value of scholarship is based on a student’s academic merit and financial need. The learning value, duration, location of the activity and other factors will also be taken into account.
Prizes
Every year, a number of prizes are offered to students at HKUMed, in recognition of their academic excellence and community engagement. Prizes are often awarded based on students’ exceptional performance in course assignments, essay writings, assessments, competitions, etc.
Financial Aid
Students in need of financial assistance to help cover the costs of their university education will find a number of options available to them. The University offers loans and bursaries for needy students supplemental to the Government Loans and Grants, while HKUMed provides emergency loans to students under special circumstances.
“The Scholarship means so much to me, both physically and mentally. Through this award, my academic merits, financial needs and heart for serving the community are registered and acknowledged.”
LI Yan Kiu – MBBS
S.K. Yee Medical Foundation David Todd Memorial Enrichment Scholarship
“This Scholarship lightens the financial burden of my family, and is a recognition of my work as a medical student in the past academic year. It encourages me to embrace current and future challenges and makes me believe that I will eventually succeed.”
LEE Wing Yiu (right) – MBBS
Leong Che-Hung Medical and Research Enrichment Scholarship
“I can feel the warmth and support from the society. The Scholarship helps me, an anonymous student, in repaying my loan and strengthening my heart of helping others with all my mighty.”
WEI Qi (second row from right) – MBBS
Loke Yew Medical Springboard Scholarship
“For the past 18 years, my parents have worked tirelessly to provide me with the best opportunities possible for my future endeavours and ambitions. I recognize that has been a great burden on them, and as such, I am so thankful that this Scholarship now allows me to relieve some of the burden that my family has taken on.”
Cherry BUT (second row from right) – BASc(GHD)
Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Global Health and Development Entrance Scholarship
“This scholarship plays a big role in helping me get closer to my goal as it allows me access to numerous learning opportunities provided by the university, including but not limited to exchange and service programmes, from which I can become an all-rounded student.”
Pavneet KAUR (first row second from left) – BNurs
Academic Elite Scholarship in Nursing
“I am utterly grateful that the Foundation recognises my enthusiasm in research through this essay and is empowering the idea that medical students can produce promising research outputs which change science.”
FONG Chun Wah (second from left) – MBBS
Sun Chieh Yeh Heart Foundation Best Paper Prize
“Hall education provides a platform for us to step out of our comfort zone. This Residential Scholarship allows me to experience a fruitful and fulfilling hall life and gave me an opportunity to meet new friends in the University.”
LEE Kwan Ho (left) – MBBS
Leung Tong Leung Au Sue Har Residential Scholarship