Hong Kong’s third medical school has recruited about 300 teachers and expects its annual student intake to eventually rise from 50 to more than 200, its dean has revealed.
Professor King Li King-chuen, founding dean of medicine at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, also said on Saturday that the medical school had identified a teaching hospital for internships and clinical training, with details expected to be announced within weeks.
Li, who assumed the role at the new medical school last month, said the teaching faculty of about 300 consisted of retired professors and doctors from the city’s other two medical schools and the Hospital Authority, as well as recruits from overseas. Only one professor was hired from a local medical school, he added.
“There may be professors from the other two universities who apply to us in the future, and we will see if there is a chance to hire a few of them, but most of our recruits will be retired professors and those from other disciplines hired from abroad,” he said on a television programme.
“We only have 50 students in the first cohort and we have 300 professors, so we should actually be very well staffed to teach the students.”
The school will offer a four-year degree for graduates beginning in 2028, with the first batch of students starting their hospital internships in 2032.