The Medical Curriculum Handbook 2017 (1.9.17)

The Medical Curriculum Handbook 2017
Table of Contents
Background ............................................................................................................................ 1
Teaching Philosophies .......................................................................................................... 3
Aims and Objectives ............................................................................................................. 5
Four Themes of the Curriculum .......................................................................................... 6
Curriculum Outline ............................................................................................................... 9
Curriculum Structure .......................................................................................................... 11
Learning Modes ................................................................................................................... 15
Problem-Based Learning .................................................................................................... 18
Assessment ........................................................................................................................... 21
Student Evaluation of Teaching and Learning (“SETL”) ............................................ 288
Student Affairs and Support .............................................................................................. 29
Other Useful Information ................................................................................................... 31
Contact List........................................................................................................................... 38
Appendix A: Sample of PBL Assessment Form .............................................................. 39
(The Medical Curriculum Handbook should be read in conjunction with the University Full-
Time Undergraduate Handbook.)
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Background
Studying medicine requires hard work and commitment to continuing education

following graduation. Around the world, far reaching changes are taking place in
the science and practice of medicine and a transformation in medical care will be as
far reaching as any scientific revolution in the past.
 The information explosion in medicine will continue, new systems of health care
delivery are needed to keep pace with research and advances in technology and
new skills are required to evaluate and apply this new knowledge.
 People are living longer. The care of chronic and incurable diseases will assume
greater importance.
 There are changes in the nature of disease with the continuing emergence of new
and aggressive forms of antibiotic-resistant infectious diseases.
 Concerns about the costs of health care lead to cutbacks in health care funding
and an increased focus on preventive care and the promotion of health. A much
greater proportion of health care will take place in community settings. There is
an increasing demand for health care professionals with the skills to provide
effective community-based care.
 Patients have a more sophisticated understanding of medicine. They have high
expectations and are prepared to resort to litigation more often.
 Medical advances result in new and even more complex economic and ethical
challenges. Health care rationing, the use of technology to prolong life, terminal
care and euthanasia are just a few of the areas which will provoke continuing
and contentious debate.
How well the doctors of the future will be able to cope with these challenges
depends very much on how well they are prepared during their undergraduate
studies in medical school.
Doctors of the future will have to balance the competing demands of the new
technologies for acute care medicine with the management of disability and loss of
function due to aging. They will need to be much more adaptable, and able to
factor economic and ethical costs into medical decision-making that previously only
involved issues of diagnosis, prognosis and therapy.
At the same time, doctors will need to cope with an ever increasing knowledge base
and keep learning throughout their professional careers. Several decades ago it
might have been possible for medical schools to equip their graduates with the sum
total of the knowledge and skills to carry them through a practice career, but that is
certainly no longer the case. Young physicians must learn how to learn in order to
keep up-to-date in a rapidly changing world.
The HKU Medical Curriculum is system-based and specialty-based, adopting

student-centred and problem-based learning approaches. It aims at producing
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doctors who are competent in coping with these challenges. It is supported by

many areas of strength of the Faculty, in particular the commitment of the staff to
provide the best education for our students, the undoubted research strengths of the
Faculty members, and the wealth of clinical material and expertise that is available.
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Teaching Philosophies
Active, Student-Centred Learning
We recognise that medical schools are able to equip students with all the
information they will need for a lifetime of practice. Rather, the emphasis is on
encouraging students to learn how to learn so that they will be able to continuously
adapt their methods of practice to keep abreast of changing information, diseases,
and conditions of practice.
A major objective of our medical curriculum is to provide an active, student-centred

course that motivates students to take greater responsibility for their own learning.
A variety of learning methods, with small-group discussion as the focal point, are
used to foster the development of students into life-long learners and help them
improve in their communication skills as well as their ability to function effectively
in a team.
Integrated Curriculum
There is much more integration within the medical curriculum. The emphasis is on
the inter-connections rather than the divisions between different fields of
knowledge. A significant part of the curriculum is structured around blocks based
on the different body systems. Developed and delivered by multidisciplinary
planning groups, these “system-based” modules provide students with the
opportunity to learn the essential elements of basic science and clinical practice from
an integrated approach.
Early Clinical Contact
Clinical contact with patients is encouraged from the beginning of the curriculum,
with clinical and clinical interpersonal skills, patient and site visits, and medical
ethics running as consistent threads throughout different years of study.
Students learn how to examine a body system when they are studying the anatomy,
physiology and biochemistry of the system. In this way they will be able to
interpret normal and abnormal findings in the context of the knowledge they are
gaining.
The importance of the doctor-patient relationship and good clinical interpersonal

skills in the provision of effective, economic and humane patient care is strongly
emphasised. Clinical interpersonal skills training is provided throughout the
curriculum.
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Increased Use of Community Resources
A wide variety of community-based teaching is employed to complement the

activities that take place within hospitals. As primary medical care is playing an
increasingly important role in the medical and health care system, it is vital that
students understand the health care needs of the populations that they serve. To
help achieving this, we make more use of the educational experiences that can be
provided by general practitioners, maternal and child health services, hospices,
nursing homes, patient support groups, Chinese medicine clinics and other
community resources.
Use of Information Technology
Medical graduates must be “computer fluent” and understand the principles of

information management, which are not only aids to learning but also part of the
effective management of resources in clinical practice. Students are given
opportunities to develop the necessary critical appraisal and numeric skills that
underpin their learning and practice.
Core and Options Approach
The medical curriculum adopts a “core plus options” approach. The curriculum
consists of enrichment activities which offer extensive range of choices to students
and encourage studies in depth. Students are able to undertake courses/initiate
their own enrichment programmes that match more closely with their own interests
and talents while at the same time learn a core of materials that are the same for
everyone.
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Aims and Objectives
The key aims of the curriculum are to develop students who will be able to:
 apply their understanding to the promotion and maintenance of health as well

as to the prevention, identification and management of illness and disease;
 engage in productive, empathic relationships with patients and display effective
communication skills;
 apply their understanding to the care of families and communities, as well as to
individuals;
 apply principles of critical analysis, economic and ethical appraisal to the
situations they encounter;
 recognise their own limitations and call upon the skills of other health
professionals; and
 take responsibility for their own learning, undertake further training in any
branch of medicine and research, and maintain a commitment to continuing
professional education and development.
In summary, the goal of the medical curriculum is to produce doctors with

demonstrated competence in the understanding and delivery of effective, humane
and ethical medical care who are committed to life-long learning and are ready to
proceed to postgraduate training.
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Four Themes of the Curriculum
It is no longer sufficient for doctors to see themselves just as healthcare providers.

Research from around the world has identified a much broader range of roles that a
modern physician must be capable of filling. These roles are as follows:
 Medical Expert
 Communicator / Educator
 Humanist
 Collaborator
 Health Advocator
 Resource Manager / “Gatekeeper”
 Learner
 Scientist / Scholar
 Individual
In order to better prepare students to fill each of these roles, the content and the
mode of delivery of the MBBS curriculum are designed to manifest the following
four themes of the curriculum:
Theme 1: Human Biology in Health and Disease
Emphasis on the integration of knowledge from physical, biological, behavioural,

social and population sciences and an understanding of the principles and practice
of scientific research.
At graduation, students should demonstrate:
 knowledge of the structure, function, organisation and development of the

human body, and the changes associated with disease, injury and abnormal
development;
 knowledge of the effect of environmental change on human disease and
behaviour;
 ability to understand the principles and practice of scientific research, and their
application in the biology of health and disease; and
 an integration of knowledge from biological, behavioural and social sciences.
Theme 2: Professional Skills: Diagnostic, Problem Solving, Effective Communication and

Clinical Management
Humane patient care requires doctors to be able to communicate effectively with

patients, to appreciate the meaning of illness to individuals, to have good clinical
skills and to work cooperatively within health care teams and to understand the
ethical underpinnings of the doctor-patient relationship.
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 understanding of the importance of the patient’s social and ethnic background;

 respect for the individual patient’s perceptions and beliefs;
 the ability to develop and maintain humane and effective relationships with
patients in order to enhance both patient satisfaction and clinical outcome;
 the ability to take clinical histories and conduct clinical examinations in an
organised manner in a wide variety of clinical situations;
 the ability to keep organised and accurate clinical records, and to communicate
effectively with other health-care professionals;
 the ability to plan and interpret the investigation of patients with common or
chronic conditions;
 the ability, in conjunction with other professionals, to develop management
plans for patients;
 the ability to carry out basic clinical procedures;
 the ability to counsel patients, and to give bad news in a supportive fashion;
 understanding of the importance of the patients’ family and friends in the
management of illness; and
 understanding of a doctor’s ethical and legal obligations.
Theme 3: Population Health, Health Services, Economics and Policy
Modern medical practice requires doctors who understand the influence of social
relationships, community structures and the local health care system on the
provision of health care, and who can incorporate an understanding of population
health and health care economics into their approach to patients.
 knowledge of the pattern of disease and disability in Hong Kong and the
epidemiology and the wider determinants of health, illness and disease;
 knowledge of the structure and function of the health care system in Hong Kong,
together with the range of community services available;
 the ability to formulate plans of investigation and management that take into
account the economic impact of such plans;
 understanding of the role of traditional/ allied health care providers and
community resources;
 the ability to assess the health care needs of particular groups or communities,
and to plan ways of meeting such needs;
 knowledge of the cultural, economic and technological influences on health and
illness and the development of medical understanding and health-care systems
in response to changing social contexts;
 knowledge of the equity, effectiveness and efficiency in health care provision;
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 understanding of the importance of public health care policy in the provision of

appropriate care to communities and to the maintenance of health and the
prevention of diseases; and
 ability to understand the influence of community structures and economy on
health care expectation and delivery.
Theme 4: Medical Ethics, Professional Attitudes and Behaviour
Medical practice requires doctors who are committed to a life-long process of

personal and professional development, who have a solid understanding of the
extent and the limits of their professional responsibilities, and who are able to
develop constructive, continuing and collegial relationships with other doctors and
health professionals.
 the ability and motivation to continue the process of life-long, self-directed

learning;
 the ability to work constructively in group situations and to function as a
member of a team;
 the ability to identify key issues in a problematic health care situation and to
identify, interpret and synthesise the resources necessary to deal with the
problem;
 an understanding of the professional roles and responsibilities of doctors as well
as their ethical and legal obligations;
 a commitment to upholding professional practice through regular self-appraisal
and continuing education;
 concern for the welfare of professional colleagues;
 abilities to teach patients, colleagues and other health professionals;
 the possession of professional attitudes and behaviour to patients, colleagues
and the community; and
 understanding of the need to balance personal and professional activities.
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Curriculum Outline
Year 1
Sep Jan May
Introduction to the Art and Science of Medicine Block (13 weeks) Cardiopulmonary and Renal Systems Block (17 weeks) First Summative
(Formative Examination in December) Examination
Core University English (6 credits) Common Core Course (6 credits)
Semester 1 Semester 2
Year 2
Sep Jan May Jun
System-based Blocks (31 weeks) Second Practical
Gastrointestinal Musculoskeletal Head, Neck and Haematology/ Endocrine and Summative Chinese for
System System Nervous System Immunology System Reproductive Systems Examination MBBS
Students
Common Core Course (6 credits)
(6 credits)
Year 3
Sep Jan Jun
Third
Enrichment Year
Summative
(including Common Core Courses (or equivalent) (24 credits))
Assessment
Year 4
Aug Mid-Oct Jan Mar May
Clinical Foundation Block Junior Clerkship (27 weeks) Year 4 Summative
(10 weeks) Rotation 1 Rotation 2 Rotation 3 Examination
(Formative Assessment at the end
Three rotations to go through the following blocks:
of the Block)
Block A: Medicine-related
English for Clinical Clerkships Block B: Surgery-related
(6 credits) Block C: Multidisciplinary: Cancer, Infection and Other Common Illnesses
Year 5
Jul Jan Jun
Senior Clerkship (24 weeks) Specialty Clerkship (49 weeks)
Rotation 1 Rotation 2 Rotation 3 Rotation 1 Rotation 2 Rotation 3 Rotation 4
Three rotations to go through the following: Seven rotations to go through the following blocks in 49 weeks:
Block A: General Medicine – Medicine
Block B: Surgery and Orthopaedics and Traumatology – Surgery
Block C: Multidisciplinary: Emergency, Palliative Care – Obstetrics and Gynaecology
and Ophthalmology – Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
– Psychiatry
– Family Medicine and Community Care
– Orthopaedics and Traumatology/Emergency Medicine
Year 6
Jul Jan Mid-Feb Mid-Apr Mid-May
Specialty Clerkship Revision Final Summative MBBS Elective Enhanced Pre-
Examination (4 weeks) Internship Block (6
R’ 4 Rotation 5 Rotation 6 Rotation 7 weeks)
Curriculum Structure
Introduction to the Art and Science of Medicine Block
The Introduction to the Art and Science of Medicine Block is offered in Semester 1 of
the first year to provide an introductory overview of the structure and function of
the human body based around a ‘hierarchy of systems’. It serves as a bridge
between secondary school and the University and allows students to become
familiar with the educational methods and philosophy of the medical curriculum.
Students will begin to acquire the basic skills of self-directed learning, critical
thinking and clinical skills.
The main components of this Block include:
 the structure and function of the components of the human being, from
molecules, cells, tissues, organs and major body systems to the patient as an
individual, and as a member of a family and a community;
 the common mechanisms of disease processes that affect the tissues and organs
of the body, that is, the principle on how the physical, chemical and biological
agents act at the tissue to molecular level to produce pathological processes
such as inflammation, degeneration, neoplasia, autoimmunity and gene
malfunction;
 the introduction of therapeutic strategies for modulating disease processes;
 key concepts and terminology in anatomy, physiology, biochemistry,
behavioural science, community medicine, microbiology, pathology,
pharmacology, information management and decision making skills; and
 the role of the doctor, the structure and functions of the health care system in
Hong Kong, and the relevance of medical ethics and economics to the practice
of medicine.
In addition, the Block provides a supportive climate as students begin the process of
professional development. The design is focused on motivating students to learn
basic medical science through the case records of real patients. Lectures, practicals,
clinical skills and visits are built around these cases.
The achievement of these objectives in the Introduction to the Art and Science of
Medicine Block is essential for effective learning in the subsequent system blocks.
System-Based Blocks
The System-based Blocks begin in Semester 2 of the first year and last throughout
the entire second year. The six system-based blocks deal with the structure and
function of the organ systems of the body in the context of the patient as an
individual and as a member of a wider population group. The key characteristic of
the system-based blocks is the integrated approach to biological, behavioural and
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population sciences. Clinical skills and clinical interpersonal skills are taught
throughout the Blocks and linked to the system under study.
During each system block, lectures and practical sessions are offered to give
students an overview of the system, and different health-care problems, which are
designed to allow an integrated understanding of the system, are studied in the
problem-based learning tutorials. There are also other small group teaching
activities such as clinical skills sessions, clinical interpersonal skills sessions and
clinical visits.
The systems are covered in the following sequence:
 Semester 2: Cardiopulmonary and Renal Systems

 Semester 3 and 4: Gastrointestinal System, Musculoskeletal System, Head,
Neck and Nervous System, Haematology/Immunology
System, Endocrine and Reproductive Systems
MBBS Enrichment Year and MBBS Elective
The MBBS Enrichment Year and MBBS Elective form an integral part of the
curriculum. The whole third year is a personalised Enrichment Year. Students will
be required to plan and undertake their individually tailored enrichment activities,
which may include, but not limited to, courses offered by the Faculty and other
Faculties, research internship locally or internationally at world renowned
laboratories, global exchange study, pursuing an intercalated programme for an
additional degree, take part in humanitarian relief missions and/or other forms of
self-initiated/experiential learning activities approved by the Faculty. The 4-week
MBBS Elective is offered after the Final Examination in Year 6. During the period,
students can explore areas of individual interest by means of either clinical
attachment or laboratory/clinical research. Students’ performance during the
Enrichment Year and Elective will be evaluated.
Clinical Foundation Block
The Clinical Foundation Block lasts for 10 weeks during Semester 7 of the fourth year.
The Block is designed to help students consolidate what they have acquired in the
system blocks and translate them into systemic application in clinical scenarios.
Applications of basic sciences and public health principles in clinical medicine will
be emphasised. A coordinated course in bedside clinical skills of history taking and
physical examination will begin in this Block, starting with general approach to the
individual with a clinical problem. Students will also acquire a preliminary
understanding of human sexuality and its relationship to the rest of medicine.
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A “life cycle” approach is adopted, during which students are expected to learn
common clinical problems in a multidisciplinary manner – with contributions from
social sciences, psychology, psychiatry and other clinical disciplines.
Clinical Clerkships
The clinical clerkships begin in the middle of Semester 7 with the phase of Junior
Clerkship and continue through Semesters 8, 9, 10 and 11 as students progress to
the Senior Clerkship and the Specialty Clerkship.
During the clerkships, most of the learning will take place in a clinical setting and
there will be a greater emphasis on the clinical aspects of care. Students are directly
involved in the day to day care of patients. They are expected to understand the
basic concepts that underlie their patients’ problems, and apply the knowledge they
have gained in earlier parts of the curriculum. Students will also learn to apply
their communication and clinical skills in an increasingly sophisticated fashion.
Students undertake rotations in a variety of hospital-based clinical disciplines but

are also exposed to ambulatory care and community-based primary care. The
continued integration of basic and clinical sciences is fostered by the teaching and
revisit of basic science knowledge.
Common Core Curriculum (CCC)
The Common Core Curriculum, a University requirement for undergraduate

students, is an essential part of academic induction to facilitate the transition from
secondary school to university. It is designed to provide key common learning
experience for all HKU students and to broaden their horizons beyond their chosen
disciplinary fields of study. It focuses on issues that have been, and continue to be,
of deeply profound significance to humankind, the core intellectual skills that all
HKU undergraduates should acquire and the core values that they should uphold.
Before the end of the third year of study, MBBS students are required to complete 36
credits of courses in the CCC (or equivalent), comprising at least one and not more
than two courses from each Area of Inquiry with not more than 24 credits of courses
being selected within one academic year except where candidates are required to
make up for failed credits. Students are expected to take one 6-credit Common Core
course in the first year, one in the second year and the remaining four courses (or
equivalent) in the third year.
Language Enhancement
It is a University requirement for graduation that students shall complete 12 credits

in English language enhancement, including 6 credits in Core University English
and 6 credits in an English-in-the-Discipline course, and 6 credits in Chinese
language enhancement throughout their undergraduate studies.
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The “Core University English” course offered by the Centre for Applied English
Studies to all first-year undergraduate students aims to enhance students’ academic
English language proficiency in the university context. It focuses on developing
students’ academic English language skills for the Common Core Curriculum.
MBBS students are required to take the course in the first semester of the first year
of study. The Centre has tailor-made an English-in-the-Discipline course “English
for Clinical Clerkships” for the fourth-year medical students to prepare them to
meet the communicative demands of clinical clerkships.
The School of Chinese has specially designed two 6-credit Chinese language
enhancement courses, namely “Practical Chinese for MBBS Students” and
“Functional Chinese for MBBS Students” (for those who have not attained the
requisite level of competence in the Chinese language to take the former course), to
equip students with the necessary Chinese language skills for their medical career.
Both courses are offered after the Second Summative Examination.
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Learning Modes
Throughout the curriculum, a variety of learning methods are used with an

emphasis on active student learning.
Small Group, Problem-Based Tutorials
Through the PBL tutorials, students study a range of health-care problems which
are designed to trigger learning that will meet the expected objectives. Under the
guidance of the tutor, students set their own learning goals and use a variety of
educational resources to seek out and apply new knowledge.
Lectures
Lectures play an important role in presenting students with overviews, providing

basic content, and helping them to clarify and organise important concepts.
Laboratory Sessions and Demonstrations
Laboratory sessions encourage the application of knowledge in practical settings.

They are usually linked to the system-blocks being studied.
Dissection and Autopsy
Anatomy dissection practicals are introduced starting from the second year of the
curriculum. Autopsy teaching is also arranged to provide students with the
opportunity to relate knowledge of the organ systems and diseases to the
applications in investigating causes of death.
Clinical Skill and Clinical Interpersonal Skills Sessions
These sessions allow students to develop clinical and clinical interpersonal skills
and are linked to the health-care problems with which students are dealing.
Skills are acquired step by step, with a gradual increase in the mastery of the skills
and in the complexity of the situations under study.
A Clinical Skills E-platform is specially designed to transform the classroom-

oriented clinical skills learning into a collaborative and interactive teaching and
learning opportunity between teachers and students that can be conducted in
anywhere at anytime. Students can access the e-platform via the link
https://skills.med.hku.hk.
In the junior years, students practise clinical skills on models and with their
fellow schoolmates at the Clinical Skills Training Centre where they act as
“surrogate patients” for each other in order to practise the physical examination
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skills of certain body systems before using them on patients. In the senior years,
clinical skills are mostly taught at bedside and with the support of sophisticated
equipment such as human patient simulators.
When surrogate patients are needed for clinical skills practice, the following
procedures are adopted:
 Only boys are asked to volunteer for conditions that require “exposure”, e.g.
examination of chest and abdomen.
 In a small group of about ten students, at least two volunteers are required so
as not to “tire out” the surrogates.
 If there is no volunteer in the group, it may be necessary to resort to “drawing
lots” for identifying such surrogates.
Students must make the point clearly during the clinical skills learning sessions if
he/she refuses to be surrogate patients. However, students are reminded that the
group may have to forgo the opportunity of learning if there is no volunteer
serving as surrogates in the group.
Community-based Teaching
Students are offered the opportunities to see patients in a range of community

settings early in the pre-clinical years through the Professionalism in Practice
Programme and the Patient Care Projects.
The aims of the community-based component of the curriculum are to enable

students to:
 see the roles of doctors and other health care professionals in a social context;
 understand how patients make decisions about seeking health care;
 understand how patients and their families cope with medical problems;
 illustrate the long term nature of many health care problems;
 illustrate the contribution of a wide range of formal and informal health care
settings and personnel to the care of patients; and
 help interrelate the social, political and economic factors that contribute to ill
health.
Medical Ethics, Law and Humanities Teaching
Students are expected not only to be competent in clinical knowledge and skills
but also be humane and ethical in their medical practice. The elements of medical
ethics, law and humanities are spread throughout the 6-year curriculum in order
to enable students to:
 discuss the ethical principles and values which underpin the practice of good
medicine;
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 think critically about ethical issues in medicine;

 recognise the main professional and legal obligations of doctors in Hong Kong;
 examine the values underpinning what is meant by being human, humanistic
and humanitarian as a doctor and as a member of the human race;
 demonstrate skills of reflective thought and critical analysis in dealing with ill
defined problems and situations in illness and healing;
 articulate the many dimensions and contexts of human experience in health
and illness;
 discuss the role of culture, traditions, ethical and spiritual concerns in health
and illness; and
 demonstrate professional competencies and humanitarian values in the relief
of suffering and the betterment of mankind and society.
Bedside Teaching and other Modes of Learning
Most of the learning takes place at the bedside in the senior years. Students also
attend activities such as out-patient sessions, operations, ward rounds etc, and
engage in learning in the clinical settings of hospitals and community clinics.
Many other sessions, mainly small group in nature, are organised to enhance
learning through close interaction with the teachers, such as interactive tutorials,
theme case study and teaching clinics.
Self-Learning
Consistent with the educational approach of the medical curriculum, time is

reserved for students to follow up on the learning goals established in the small-
group sessions. The Yu Chun Keung Medical Library provides an important
resource for self-learning.
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Problem-Based Learning
(Please also read the “Student Survival Guide to PBL”.)
Deep learning is best achieved when students are motivated to take control of
their own learning, through:
 solving problems, not just learning facts;

 setting their own learning objectives;
 setting their own pace;
 using what they learn soon after learning it; and
 getting regular feedback on how they are doing.
In the traditional “teacher-centred” curriculum, the teacher determines what is to

be taught, when, in what dose, and in what way. The student’s role is to act as a
passive recipient of information and the emphasis is on teaching rather than
learning. By contrast, the “student-centred” approach to curriculum design puts
much more emphasis on learning by students, rather than teaching. Students are
encouraged to build on their previous knowledge, to identify their own learning
needs and to plan and evaluate their own learning.
Small-Group Learning
Small-group tutorials usually consist of 10 to 11 students working together as a

group leader under the guidance of a tutor. This approach encourages students to
work in a collaborative fashion, to exchange ideas and experiences, and to pool
their knowledge as they work through problems. Each student benefits from the
participation of other group members and in turn contributes to the group
activities. Working in small groups fosters collaboration, team-work and good
communication - all essential skills for doctors of the future. It is also an effective
way to develop knowledge and understanding.
The tutor’s role is to help the small group to work effectively, rather than to
provide information. The tutor will encourage the group to explore health-care
problems and formulate learning objectives, help keep the group “on track” and
make sure that communication within the group is working well. Tutors cannot
be experts in all fields and will not be expected to know everything about the
health-care problems the students will be exploring. Small-group tutors act as
“facilitators” rather than “teachers” and their primary task is to encourage active
learning on the part of the students. No spoon-feeding is allowed!
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Problem-Based Learning
One educational method that achieves the aim of “student-centred” activities is

Problem-Based Learning (PBL).
In PBL, learning takes place in the context of a problem or a dilemma - in

medicine, it is often a clinical or health-care situation. Students, working in small
groups with the help of a tutor, analyse the problem and use their prior
knowledge to explore the dimensions of the problem and to help them decide
what they need to know. The gaps in their knowledge then become learning
objectives, which direct their search for additional information and knowledge.
After a period of independent learning, students return to reapply their new-
found understanding to the problem, and to evaluate the learning that has taken
place.
There are a number of steps in the PBL process, and it is important not to miss one
out!
 Working as a group, explore the problem, clarify any terms that you do not
understand, and generate ideas about the important aspects of the problem.
 Think about what you already know that may contribute to your
understanding of the problem.
 Identify what you do not know, and need to find out about.
 Set learning goals and objectives in order of priority, identify resources that
may be needed, and share tasks out between the group members.
 Self-study, and preparation for the next tutorial.
 In the next tutorial, share your new knowledge, and apply it to the problem.
 Think about how effective your learning has been, and individually and as a
group to decide if you need to make any changes.
PBL encourages self-directed learning skills, as students “learn how to learn”.

Learning is enhanced when students are actively involved in constructing and
interpreting information, rather than being passive recipients. While programme
planners need to make clear the objectives of a particular course, students need to
be able to set their personal learning objectives, to select learning materials and
methods that best suit their individual style, and to set a pace that allows them to
achieve their objectives. In their professional careers, they will then be able to
apply these skills to their individual continuing education needs.
There is now a good body of evidence that a PBL approach encourages “deep
learning”, and that information learned in context in this way is retained far
longer, and can be recalled and applied much more effectively than information
taught in a traditional curriculum. Students who learn in this way are more
flexible and can readily incorporate new ideas into their management of patients.
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To begin with, PBL may appear threatening to both students and teachers,
especially if they are more used to the traditional “spoon-feeding” approach to
education. However, students quickly get used to it, and find that it is motivating
and fun to explore “real” problems so early in their careers.
20
Assessment
Basic Principles
In the medical curriculum, assessment is based on a number of basic principles:
 There should be both formative and summative elements of assessment.

 Assessment methods used should reflect the learning objectives for each part
of the curriculum.
 Assessment should be comprehensive and cover each of the four themes.
 Assessment of core activities should be based on achievement of competence
whenever possible.
 Assessment activities should be transparent.
 Self-assessment is used to gauge the progress.
 Assessment should be integrated across disciplines and application of
information should be encouraged, rather than just the recall of facts.
 Assessment methods must, as far as possible, be valid, reliable, and realistic.
 Assessment methods used will be cumulative and provide a developmental
profile of a student’s progress.
 Assessment should be layered, each requiring sequentially increasing depth
and complexity which builds on preceding assessments.
A major concern in a self-directed learning programme is knowing how much

course material to study and what standard of knowledge is required for a subject.
In the medical curriculum, there are defined learning topics and subject areas for
each block/ clerkship. The formative assessment serves to illustrate the standard
of knowledge required, with the following aims:
 illustration of standards required for competence in a particular field of study;

 feedback on knowledge and performance at each stage of the course;
 identification of problem areas or gaps in knowledge that require further
work; and
 familiarisation with techniques and instruments used for later summative
assessments.
The use of a standard-referenced assessment system, with definition of what

constitutes satisfactory or unsatisfactory performance, allows students to discover
whether or not their knowledge in a particular area is adequate.
Summative assessment is required at defined points of the curriculum in order to

determine whether or not the level of mastery of the subject needed for
progression to the next stage of the studies or for final graduation has been
achieved.
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Scope of Assessment
 Knowledge and skills required for the practice of medicine: these require
formative assessment throughout different courses of study and summative
assessment at defined time points to determine progression within the
curriculum.
 Qualities and attitudes that shape an individual’s approach to medical
practice: these are not readily assessable in a summative manner, but their
development should be fostered by appropriate continuous assessment.
Assessment in Year 1
1. Formative Assessment
After the Introduction to the Art and Science of Medicine Block (i.e. Semester
1), a formative assessment will be undertaken and the results will be made
available to students. The assessment will measure students’ level of
knowledge and expertise and reflect to them how they have adapted to the
learning.
The formative assessment in Year 1 consists of two parts:
 Assessment of PBL Tutorial Performance
The following qualities of students will be assessed:
 Participation
 Communication
 Preparation
 Critical thinking
 Group skills
By its nature, formative assessment is best carried out by individuals in

close contact with students, i.e. the PBL tutors. Each PBL group reviews
its performance in the middle of the Introduction to the Art and Science of
Medicine Block. Assessment is based on the students’ overall
performance at the tutorials. Tutors would expect students to be
inexperienced to begin with but to show improvement as they become
more familiar with PBL. A form is used as a template to provide
constructive feedback to each individual student by the tutor (a sample is
attached at Appendix A). The tutor will indicate on the form areas which
need attention or further work by the student. The purpose of this is to
provide students with a record which they can use to monitor their
performance and progress in PBL.
22
 Practice of Summative Assessment
Students are also given the opportunity to practise the form of assessment
that will be used summatively in the year-end examination. However, the
practice assessment is not of the same length as the summative
examination but consists of a smaller, yet representative sample, of the
assessment materials. The format of the formative examination includes:
 Test of application of knowledge-
 Paper I: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and Extended

Matching Questions (EMQ)
 Paper II: Structured Answer Questions (SAQ) and Minicases (will
be given to students as self-assessment exercise)
2. Summative Assessment (MBBS First Assessment)
The formats are similar to those of the formative assessment but extended in
scale comprising the following:
 Continuous Assessment
 PBL Tutorial Performance Assessment:

The PBL tutorial performance of a candidate is assessed once in the
second semester. Each candidate is assessed in the five aspects of
participation, communication, preparation, critical thinking and group
skills as set out in the assessment form. Tutors are encouraged to
discuss with the students about their progress throughout the period.
 Medical Humanities (MH) and Professionalism in Practice (PIP)
Modules:
Students are required to produce assignments and/or reports for the
MH and PIP modules. Assessment will be based on in-class
participation and performance and quality of assignments/reports
produced.
 Knowledge-based Assessment
 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ – one best answer)

 Extended Matching Questions (EMQ)
 Structured Answer Questions (SAQ)
 Minicases
 Objective Structured Clinical Assessment
 “live” stations using surrogate patients/manikins (e.g. taking

peripheral pulses, limb reflexes)
23
1. Self-assessment
At regular intervals in the Second Year, normally after the completion of two
system-based blocks, questions on the systems studied are given to students
for self-assessment purpose.
2. Summative Assessment (MBBS Second Assessment)
The formats of the Summative Assessment in Year 2 are as follows:
 PBL Tutorial Performance Assessment:

The PBL tutorial performance of a student is assessed five times, i.e.
once at the completion of each system block.
 Medical Humanities (MH), Professionalism in Practice (PIP) Modules,
Health Research Project (HRP) and Patient Care (Feel-Link) Project
(PCFLP):
Students are required to produce assignments and/or reports for the
MH and PIP modules, HRP and PCFLP. Assessment will be based on
in-class participation and performance and quality of
assignments/reports produced.
 Knowledge-based Examination
 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ – one best answer)

 Extended Matching Questions (EMQ)
 Structured Answer Questions (SAQ)
 Minicases
 Objective Structured Clinical Assessment
 “Live” stations
1. Summative Assessment (MBBS Third Assessment)
At the end of the third year, students will be assessed as to whether they have
completed satisfactorily the learning activities as set out in their own enrichment
programme approved by the Faculty.
24
1. Formative Assessment
A formative assessment in the form of self-assessment will be given at the end

of the Clinical Foundation Block.
2. Summative Assessment (MBBS Fourth Assessment)
Continuous assessment is given throughout the year on the PBL/

interactive tutorial performance and clinical skills learning of students.
End-of-block clinical tests are also given for the Junior Clerkship. The
purpose of continuous assessment is to identify students who need help as
soon as possible and those whose performance is excellent. Students who
fail in the continuous assessment are required to attend the year-end
Clinical Examination in May. Outstanding students will be invited to
attend a distinction viva.
 Written Examination
The written examination is held at the end of the year in May. It

comprises three papers, namely MCQ & EMQ, SAQ and minicases.
Students must pass both the continuous assessment and the written
examination in order to proceed to Year 5.
Assessment in Years 5 and 6
1. Continuous Assessment
Students’ performance in Years 5 and 6 is continuously assessed using

logbooks and their performance, including the result of the Health Research
Project, will count towards the overall result of the MBBS Final Assessment.
There will also be end-of-rotation tests in the Senior Clerkship.
2. Clinical Competency Test
At the end of each rotation during the Specialty Clerkship, a clinical

competency test is given and the result will count towards the overall result of
the MBBS Final Assessment. Students must pass all the clinical competency
tests in order to pass the MBBS Final Assessment.
25
3. MBBS Final Examination
The Final Examination comprising written examinations and/or OSCE is held

in February/March of Year 6.
Students are also required to achieve satisfactory performance in the last

Elective (done after the Final Examination) in order to qualify for graduation.
After the completion of all the assessments, Honours will be awarded on the
basis of students’ achievements throughout the curriculum.
Remedial/Re-examination
Students must pass all components of the summative assessment in order to

proceed to the subsequent year. In the case of unsatisfactory performance in the
MBBS First, Second and Fourth Assessments, students may be required to
undertake re-examination in July/August of the same year, following completion
of remedial work prescribed by the Board of Examiners and supervised by
appropriate Faculty members.
Students who fail in the MBBS Third Assessment are required to undertake
remedial work and be re-assessed; and/or to repeat the relevant part until a
satisfactory standard is reached to satisfy the Board of Examiners.
Students who fail in the MBBS Final Assessment are required to undertake
remedial work and may be permitted to sit for re-examination to be held in June
or November/December of the same year.
In normal circumstances, a candidate who fails in the re-examination shall be

required to repeat the year and re-sit the assessment in the subsequent year.
However, candidates with very poor performance in the re-examination or in the

repeat year may be required to discontinue from studies.
Students who have performed poorly during the Enhanced Pre-Internship Block
may be required to undergo remedial attachment which may delay their
graduation and subsequent registration as doctors.
Absence from Examination
Students who are unable to attend any paper in the examination must, within 14
days of the absence, write to the Examinations Secretary at the Registry giving
reasons to account for the absence.
26
If students are unable because of illness to be present for any paper in the
examination or if one believes that his/her state of health either immediately
before or during the examination has significantly affected the performance,
he/she should complete Part I of the Form of Medical Certificate (available at:
http://www.exam.hku.hk/pdf/24-1014.pdf) and then give or send this form to
the attending doctor with a request that Part II of the form be completed by the
said doctor within 2 days of the date of the examination concerned. The
completed form should be sent by the said doctor direct to the Director,
University Health Service (UHS) and must reach the Director of UHS not later
than 14 days after the examination.
A supplementary examination may be granted for a student who is unable to

attend a scheduled examination of any course on medical grounds, subject to the
approval of the Board of Examiners (BoE). If the student is absent from the
supplementary examination, further rescheduling of the examination shall not
normally be granted unless under exceptional circumstances approved by the BoE.
The student will deem to have failed the course concerned and be required to
make up for the course as stipulated in the curriculum regulations.
Board of Examiners
The Board of Examiners shall meet after the summative assessments to determine
the results for each student and on that basis, decide whether the student may
progress to the following year of the course. In addition, the Board may at any
time, review the academic progress of a student and decide:
 whether a student be allowed to progress without conditions to the following

year of the curriculum;
 whether a student be allowed to progress following a period of remedial
provided that prescribed re-examinations or re-assessments have been passed
before the following academic year; or failure to pass this re-examination, the
Board may require the student to repeat the year or discontinue from studies;
 whether a student be required to repeat the entire year’s work, or in
exceptional circumstances any part of that work prescribed by the Board,
before being reconsidered for progression;
 whether to recommend to the Faculty Board discontinuation of a student if
he/she fails the remedial work and the subsequent summative assessment in
the same year having already repeated the year;
 whether to refer to the Faculty Review Committee cases of repeat and
discontinuation of studies.
For details about the Assessment Procedures and Grade Descriptors, please visit
the Curriculum Structures of the Faculty website:
https://www.med.hku.hk/students/curriculum-structures
27
Student Evaluation of Teaching and Learning (“SETL”)
The objective of the SETL is to collect feedback from students with a view to fine-
tuning the curriculum and to evaluate the effectiveness of the learning
pedagogies. The Quality Assurance Sub-committee has been formed to design,
coordinate and execute the evaluation and monitoring scheme for the curriculum
in an on-going manner.
Feedback from students on teaching and courses and on individual teachers is

collected through questionnaire surveys and staff-student consultative meetings.
Questionnaire Surveys
Students are required to complete questionnaires on various components of the

medical curriculum and on the quality of instruction of individual teachers. Such
surveys are conducted on a regular basis. Students are obliged to be cooperative
and provide feedback. The evaluation results/ findings are reported back to the
Quality Assurance Sub-committee, the programme planners and individual
teachers. The information is extremely important for maintaining the
effectiveness of the educational programme and facilitating the professional
development of our teachers.
Staff-student Consultative Meetings
Staff-student consultative meetings are conducted at regular intervals, either in

the middle of system block/ clerkship or near the end of the teaching block.
During the meetings, the system block/ clerkship coordinators will collect direct
and immediate feedback from students (i.e. class representatives and group
representatives) so that rectification could be made to improve the teaching
programmes and in the subsequent blocks. The staff-student consultative
meetings enable a more interactive communication between the system block/
clerkship coordinators and the students.
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Student Affairs and Support
 Academic Advising
Starting from the academic year 2011/2012, the Faculty has set up the
academic advising system in accordance with the recommendations put forth
by the Senate. The academic advising system of the Faculty consists of a
Committee led by the Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) and
curriculum advisers, who collectively oversee and co-ordinate academic
advising for full-time undergraduate students in the Faculty, to ensure that
up-to-date curricular information and effective advising services are available.
The Faculty has appointed teachers as academic advisers for each first-year
undergraduate student. Students are required to meet with their Academic
Adviser once every semester in their first year of study to discuss their
progress and/or other academic issues.
For more details regarding academic advising, please visit the Academic
Advising Office (AAO) website http://aao.hku.hk/.
 Well-being Committee
A Well-being Committee is formed by teachers of the Faculty to provide

student support in a timely and proactively manner. The service is available
on a one-on-one basis throughout the year to deal with problems such as
ineffective study habits, inadequate educational experience, distraction due to
non-academic activities, unsatisfactory student-teacher relationships,
underlying medical conditions and emotional difficulties. The aim is to
effectively identify the causes of individual student’s problems and rectify
them promptly.
Students who wish to meet with a Well-being Committee member may

contact Ms Joe Wong of the Faculty Office via email wchoyee@hku.hk or
telephone at 3917-9342 to make appointment.
 CEDARS-CoPE
The Counselling and Person Enrichment (CoPE) section of the Centre of

Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS) provides free
counselling and psychological services to all full-time and part-time
undergraduate and postgraduate students of the University. The opening
hours and location of the Centre are as follows:
29
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday: 9:00 am – 5:45 pm

Friday: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Address: Room 301-323, 3/F, Main Building, HKU Main Campus
Students can make use of the counselling and psychological services

regarding any personal issues, including but not limited to emotional distress,
study stress, relationship distress, family problems, personal understanding
or mental health issues. All information will be kept confidential and will
not be disclosed to your family, friends and University staff without your
permission.
For queries, please contact colleagues of CEDARS-CoPE via email cedars-

cope@hku.hk or by phone 3917-8388.
30
Other Useful Information
Code of Conduct
(I) Student’s Rights and Responsibilities
All students shall have the rights to enjoy a safe learning environment;
express their own opinions and feelings; use and access school facilities,
services and resources; establish and join student societies; and acquire
knowledge and skills leading to award of a degree if the required standard
is reached.
During the studies, students have the responsibilities to be punctual and

attend school activities; to participate fully in the learning process; to
complete assignments and comply with the timeline; to reach the academic
standards required for the programme; to use proper language and observe
dress code; to work and co-operate with peers and staff members (including
office staff, healthcare staff); to refrain from aggressive and intimidating
behaviour; and to treat patients’ information in confidentiality.
According to the University Statutes XXXI, section 2 (1)(L), a student can be

asked to appear before a Disciplinary Committee by “refusal or failure to
comply with any order of any officer or teacher prohibiting conduct which
he is reasonably satisfied is disrupting teaching, study, research or the
administration of the University; or is obstructing any officer or employee of
the University in the performance of his duties”.
(II) Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct includes the following:

 cheating in examination;
 plagiarism;
 misrepresentation of data on research projects;
 allowing another student to represent your work as his/her own;
 forgery or alternation of official records or documents including
attendance records or “doctor/nurse” status; and
 manifest attitude or behaviour which is detrimental or illegal,
involving people in the direct context of teaching/learning activities,
i.e. patients.
31
Copyright
Students should be warned that notes taken in lectures and course materials
supplied to them by the Faculty/ departments/ individual teachers are to be
used by them only for the purposes of research or private study. The
materials are for teaching purposes and are not meant for circulation
without prior approval from the Faculty/ departments/ individual teachers.
All teachers of the Faculty are encouraged to submit to the Faculty Office 7
to 10 days before the delivery of their lectures either soft copy of their lecture
notes and/or presentation slides for putting on the web. The copyright of
each lecture delivered in the Faculty is vested in the lecturer delivering it.
Photographing, recording and video-taping of lectures and/or practical
sessions and downloading of presentation files are strictly forbidden, unless
prior approval has been obtained from the teachers concerned. Failure to
heed this warning may result in an infringement of the copyright laws.
Any unauthorised recording and/or downloading of teaching materials

would constitute a disciplinary case, which may result in disciplinary
actions. Teachers and Faculty/ Departmental staff will stop any
unauthorised recording and/or downloading of files spotted in class and
will report the cases to the Faculty Office immediately.
Any copying of materials by students on self-service copiers within the

University must be kept within the scope of fair dealing for the purposes of
research or private study under the copyright legislation currently in force in
Hong Kong. In addition to printed forms of work (e.g. a journal paper or
lecture handouts), work in electronic form such as a website, or an audio-
visual production is also bound by copyright protection.
Plagiarism
Any unacknowledged use, as one’s own, of the thoughts, writing, inventions
or work of another person, whether or not such work has been published,
will be an act of plagiarism and is also a serious misconduct, which may
result in disciplinary actions. More information about plagiarism can be
retrieved online via http://www.hku.hk/plagiarism.
Attendance and Absence

Students should attend lectures, laboratory classes, tutorials, seminars,
practicals and all other learning sessions, as are prescribed in the timetable
and sign the attendance sheet for each lesson (if any). Students should be
warned that signing attendance for another person is considered forgery and
it is a serious misconduct which may result in disciplinary actions. If
students cannot attend a class because of illness, they should inform the
Dean via the Faculty Office in writing at the earliest opportunity. The
Faculty may, if necessary, require them to provide a medical certificate
and/or other supporting documents for their absence from classes. When
longer absence is necessary, they should submit in writing an application for
32
leave of absence to the Dean via the Faculty Office together with a certificate
signed by a registered medical practitioner. If absence for non-medical
reasons is required, they should also apply to the Dean via the Faculty Office
in writing at the earliest opportunity, stating the reasons for taking the leave
of absence. Permission for such leave shall be granted only in exceptional
circumstances and shall not be granted by reason only that they have
already made arrangements to be absent.
(III) Non-Academic Misconduct
Non-academic misconduct includes the following:

 manifest attitude or behaviour which is illegal or detrimental to people
in the general context;
 verbal/ physical abuses: endangers or threatens the health or safety of
university members;
 harassment;
 disrupt/ obstruct university activities or services;
 thievery;
 unauthorised conduct: unauthorised entry to and/or presence at,
possession of, use of any university facilities/ resources; and
 causing damage/ destruction to university property.
Non-academic misconduct may result in disciplinary actions, e.g. severe

reprimand and termination of student status.
(IV) Professional Attitude and Behaviour of a Medical Student
Professional Attitude
Students should demonstrate honesty and integrity; be prepared to admit
deficiencies in knowledge, understanding or skills; be aware of their own’s
strengths and weaknesses; seek help, guidance, support or advice to
overcome difficulties; face mistakes or failings positively; be ready to accept
fair and reliable criticism or evaluation from teachers, fellow schoolmates
and/or patients; accept responsibilities and consequences for their own
decisions and actions; treat all other students, teachers, and staff members
with respect and dignity; speak and listen and respect the rights of others;
show tolerance and acceptance of all genders, ethnics, races, religions; show
respect towards school property and resources; and respect for the “patient”,
whether dead or alive, organ or whole, physical or mental issue.
Attire
Students should dress neatly and decently when attending classes, whether
they are held in wards or not. Appropriate attire can inspire confidence of
the patients in you as a healthcare professional, and also avoid being the
vehicle of transmission infection (cleanliness).
33
Use of Cell Phone

Students should keep their cell phones turned off or in “silent mode” during
class. They should NOT talk on cell phone or send messages or surf the net
during class; send or receive test/exam materials; or take or distribute
inappropriate digital photos.
Eating and Drinking in Class

Students are reminded that eating or drinking (except water) is NOT
allowed in any classroom, unless with prior approval from the Faculty
Office.
Behaviour in Wards/Clinics
Students are expected to show courtesy and consideration for everybody
(including patients, doctors, nurses, fellow students, and other staff) in the
ward. They should consult the tutors/ ward managers/ nurses on duty in
wards for advice before performing patient clerking. Students should follow
the infection control guidelines of the Faculty/ teaching hospitals concerned.
They are reminded NOT to engage in excessive “social” activities in patient
care setting.
Patient Contact
Patients have the right to decide what happens to their own bodies. Students
should note that valid consent should be obtained before starting any
clinical enquiry or examination, and patients have a right to refuse. They
should conduct history taking or examination with due care to the patient’s
dignity and comfort. After completing the learning process, they should
thank the patient; restore the clothing or positioning of the patient to his/her
original or desirable status; and put back the files/ records properly.
Chaperone Policy for Physical Examination

Clinical chaperone is a person who has a role to witness and safeguard both
doctor (student) and patient during physical examination. A female
chaperone is required to be present for physical examination of female
patients by male students. Students should provide clear explanation and
seek the consent from the patient concerned before physical examination.
The chaperone should have the knowledge to assess the appropriateness of
the examination / procedure as well as the way in which they are done.
Adequate “screening” during physical examination requires patient body
exposure. The chaperone should be in the sight of the patient.
Patient Confidentiality
Students are prohibited from taking patient records away from the
wards/clinics or photocopying the records even for learning purpose. They
are NOT allowed to disclose, in various means of oral or written format, by
telephone or fax, or electronically, any medical information in connection
with the management of a patient. Students are reminded NOT to release
34
any private information that they may have obtained during the course of
their studies.
Fitness-to-Practice Mechanism
Upon recommendation from the Medical Council of Hong Kong, the Fitness-to-
Practice (FTP) procedures are established in the Faculty to address concerns
relating to students with professional conduct and/ or health issues which render
them potentially unfit to practise medicine. Medical students have duties and
responsibilities which are unique to their profession. They are obliged to attain
certain standards of professional behaviour. The FTP Enquiry Committee serves
as an internal and mediating mechanism within the Medical Faculty to triage
issues and grievances against the FTP of a student. The formation of the FTP
Enquiry Committee is on a case-by-case basis in order objectively and thoroughly
to assess, based on facts and evidence available on the case concerned, the FTP of
the student.
Upon careful review and substantiation, the FTP Enquiry Committee may, upon
consultation and discretion of the Faculty Dean, recommend remedial actions for
the student whose FTP becomes a matter of concern. For graduates and interns,
the FTP Enquiry Committee may report to the Medical Council of Hong Kong if
they are regarded as potentially unfit to practise medicine.
For more details about the FTP mechanism, please visit the Information for
Undergraduate Students of the Faculty website:
https://www.med.hku.hk/students/information-for-undergraduate-
students/fitness-to-practice-mechanism.
Withdrawal of Studies
Students who wish to withdraw from their studies must complete the
“Withdrawal of Study” form (available at:
http://www.ase.hku.hk/doc/withdrawal_1.pdf) and return the completed form,
together with their Student Registration Card and locker key, to the Faculty Office.
Students should note that they are liable to pay the annual composition fee
despite their withdrawal from studies at any time during the academic year.
Insurance Coverage
All students who pay a composition fee are allowed to use the services available
in the University Health Service (UHS) according to their entitlements.
Students should note that the University does not insure any personal case or
property of students situated either in the University or in their living quarters. If
35
insurance cover is required, it is entirely up to the student concerned to arrange

this personally.
Since the outbreak of SARS, the Hospital Authority has been very concerned
about the insurance coverage of medical students who have to undertake training
in hospitals from time to time. In order to clear the uncertainty, group life
insurance has been arranged. It is compulsory for all medical students, who will
have clinical exposure in their learning, to join the scheme, which covers ALL
causes of death (no exclusion) and is valid all the time throughout the insured
period worldwide (no matter it is during term time or not, inside or outside HK).
The insurance premium is not included in the composition fee and will be
collected annually before the beginning of each academic year.
Financial Assistance
The Faculty administers an Emergency Loan Fund which is made available to

students of the Faculty only. Please contact Miss Sherman Leung of the Faculty
Office at 3917-9348 for application details.
Arrangements During Bad Weather
When Tropical Storm Warning Signal No. 8 (or a higher number) or the Black
Rainstorm Warning Signal is hoisted, the following arrangements will apply:
 For classes and examinations not yet started

If either of the warnings All morning classes and examinations
is hoisted or in force at or commencing before 2:00 pm will be cancelled
after 6:00 am automatically
If either of the warnings All afternoon classes and examinations
is hoisted or in force at or commencing at any time from 2:00 pm and
after 11:00 am before 6:00 pm will be cancelled automatically
If either of the warnings All evening classes and examinations
is hoisted or in force at or commencing from 6:00 pm onward will be
after 3:00 pm cancelled automatically
 For classes and examinations already started

When Tropical Storm All classes will be suspended immediately; All
Warning Signal No. 8 or examinations to continue until the end of that
above is hoisted examination session.
When Black Rainstorm All classes and examinations, except those held
Warning Signal is outdoors, would continue; for outdoor classes
hoisted and examinations, the responsible staff
members on the spot should suspend the
activities immediately, ensure that all students
are taken to a safe place, and remain there until
36
it is safe for them to return home
When Tropical Storm Warning Signal No. 3 or Red Rainstorm Warning Signal is
in force, it should be assumed that all classes and examinations will be held as
scheduled unless an announcement to the contrary has been made by the
University.
Moodle Platform
Please visit the MBBS curriculum page in the Moodle system for downloading the
Student Handbook and learning materials via the following link:
http://moodle.hku.hk/login/index.php
(UID = your HKU Portal account name; PIN= your corresponding account
password)
Students are also encouraged to make use of the Q&A forum under each course
module to raise questions relating to the teaching activities given in the
System/Block. The questions posted will be forwarded to the teachers concerned
for response. Students may keep themselves anonymous when raising questions
in the Q&A forum by “adding an anonymous new discussion topic”. Please
indicate in the subject line the following:
(a) Block Code

(b) Name of the teaching activity
(c) Name of the teacher
(d) Topic of your question
and put the details of your question in the message. Students are reminded NOT
to upload or post any materials that contain patient information.
Please subscribe to the Q&A forum of a System/Block if you wish to receive

copies of posts to that forum.
For any technical problems regarding access to the MBBS curriculum page, please
contact Mr Albert Au of the Faculty Office at medfac@ hku.hk.
Personalised Student e-Timetable
This new e-timetable will include all scheduled teaching and learning activities
organised by the Faculty. Students should login to HKU Portal
(https://hkuportal.hku.hk > MyFaculty > Education > Personalised Student e-
Timetable) to access their own personalised e-timetable. A user guide can also be
downloaded on HKU Portal for your reference. This personalised timetable will
be updated by the Faculty Office as deemed necessary. Students are strongly
reminded to check the latest schedule on HKU Portal.
37
Contact List
Associate Dean
Professor CS Lau Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning)
Assistant Deans
Professor TP Lam Assistant Dean (Pedagogy)

Professor IFN Hung Assistant Dean (Clinical Curriculum & Assessment)
Professor GKK Leung Assistant Dean (Admissions)
Dr GL Tipoe Assistant Dean (Biomedical Sciences & Health
Professional Curricula & Assessment)
Dr GTC Wong Assistant Dean (Student and Trainee Affairs)
Students who wish to make appointment to see any of the teachers for assistance
may contact the following administrators by email:
Faculty Administrative Staff (Education)
Ms Maggie Cheuk Assistant Registrar msmcheuk@hku.hk

Ms Minnie Ma Administrative Assistant myma@hku.hk
Ms Carey Poon Administrative Assistant careyp@hku.hk
Ms Joe Wong Administrative Assistant wchoyee@hku.hk
Susanna Chow Executive Officer spmchow@hku.hk
Ms Stefani Lau Executive Officer stefl@hku.hk
Ms Helen Li Executive Officer helenli3@hku.hk
Mr Alfred Pang Executive Officer alfredpang@hku.hk
Helpline Number
Please call the following should you need any assistance:

Ms Rosana Mo 3917-6845
Ms Sherman Leung 3917-9348
Ms Yiu Wing Yan 3917-9083
Faculty Office’s reception counter 3917-9346
Further Information
Please refer to the Undergraduate Handbook for all other University regulations
and procedures. If you require additional information or are in doubt about any
matter affecting you as a student of the University, you should consult the Faculty
administrators for advice.
38
M.112/805
Appendix A: Sample of PBL Assessment THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
Form LI KA SHING FACULTY OF MEDICINE
Assessment of Individual Student’s Performance at PBL Tutorials
Name of Student: _________________________________________ Group No: __________________________________
Tutor: __________________________________________________ System / Block: Introduction to the Art and Science of Medicine Block
(Please write all tutors’ names if assessed by more than one tutor)
Section I
Please circle your rating of the student in each of the following 5 categories:
A. Participation
Poor Unsatisfactory Average Above Average Excellent
Little evidence of participation or Occasionally participates but usually Makes some contributions, and Good participation, and usually shows a Frequent and constructive participation.
interest. at a superficial level. Shows limited sometimes suggests learning goals. deep understanding of the topic. Often Always shows a deep understanding.
interest. Shows some interest. suggests hypotheses and learning goals. Interested and enthusiastic.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Observation/ Comment:
B. Communication
Poor communication skills. Is unable Limited skills. Can express simple Appropriate communication skills, but Good skills. Can express complicated Excellent skills. Always able to explain
to express simple ideas concrete ideas. has some difficulty with abstract ideas using simple language. points and views clearly and precisely.
concepts. Tends to read directly from
text.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
C. Preparation
Little evidence of preparation for Some preparation, but usually limited Sometimes prepares well and uses Usually well prepared. Uses different Always well prepared, with deep
tutorials. to single source, e.g. textbook or more than one source, but synthesis sources and shows ability to synthesise understanding of material from multiple
lecture notes. sometimes uneven. different perspectives. and locally relevant sources.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
D. Critical Thinking
Does not question or challenge others. Occasionally questions or challenges Sometimes willing both to challenge Often raises questions that display Can always discuss controversies with
Does not recognise any errors nor others. Shows a limited recognition of others, and to respond to challenges. reflective thinking. Often points out reasoning and data. Frequently asks
raise any controversies. errors or controversial issues. problems or controversies during questions that help promote a deeper
discussion and pursues further understanding of the subject.
understanding.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
E. Group Skills
No apparent idea of group process. Passive, with limited group skills. Adequate skills. Sometimes a passive Good group skills, and contributes Excellent group skills. Always attentive
Uninvolved. Defensive and resistant when member, but responds to prompting. actively to group activities. Sometimes and encourages participation by others,
prompted. helps others. but does not dominate the discussion.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Section II
Please give your overall comments on the student in the space provided below. If you have given any rating below 6 or above 9 in any of the 5 categories, please elaborate
on your assessment.
Note: For cases of absence without any reason or justification, a progressive mark deduction system on the assessment will be imposed, e.g. 10% of the overall marks
will be deducted for absence from one tutorial, 20% mark deduction for absence from two sessions, and so on and no mark will be given in case of absence from
more than 50% of the tutorials. Upon receipt of this completed assessment form, the Faculty Office will, taking into account of the attendance record, finalise the
marks for each individual student.
SIGNED by: (Tutor) Date:

August 2005

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The Medical Curriculum Handbook 2017

Teaching Philosophies .......................................................................................................... 3

Aims and Objectives ............................................................................................................. 5

Four Themes of the Curriculum .......................................................................................... 6

Curriculum Outline ............................................................................................................... 9

Curriculum Structure .......................................................................................................... 11

Learning Modes ................................................................................................................... 15

Problem-Based Learning .................................................................................................... 18

Student Evaluation of Teaching and Learning (“SETL”) ............................................ 288

Student Affairs and Support .............................................................................................. 29

Other Useful Information ................................................................................................... 31

Appendix A: Sample of PBL Assessment Form .............................................................. 39

Studying medicine requires hard work and commitment to continuing education

The HKU Medical Curriculum is system-based and specialty-based, adopting

doctors who are competent in coping with these challenges. It is supported by

Active, Student-Centred Learning

A major objective of our medical curriculum is to provide an active, student-centred

Early Clinical Contact

The importance of the doctor-patient relationship and good clinical interpersonal

Increased Use of Community Resources

A wide variety of community-based teaching is employed to complement the

Use of Information Technology

Medical graduates must be “computer fluent” and understand the principles of

Core and Options Approach

Aims and Objectives

 apply their understanding to the promotion and maintenance of health as well

In summary, the goal of the medical curriculum is to produce doctors with

Four Themes of the Curriculum

It is no longer sufficient for doctors to see themselves just as healthcare providers.

Theme 1: Human Biology in Health and Disease

Emphasis on the integration of knowledge from physical, biological, behavioural,

At graduation, students should demonstrate:

 knowledge of the structure, function, organisation and development of the

Theme 2: Professional Skills: Diagnostic, Problem Solving, Effective Communication and

Humane patient care requires doctors to be able to communicate effectively with

At graduation, students should demonstrate:

 understanding of the importance of the patient’s social and ethnic background;

Theme 3: Population Health, Health Services, Economics and Policy

At graduation, students should demonstrate:

 understanding of the importance of public health care policy in the provision of

Theme 4: Medical Ethics, Professional Attitudes and Behaviour

Medical practice requires doctors who are committed to a life-long process of

At graduation, students should demonstrate:

 the ability and motivation to continue the process of life-long, self-directed

Introduction to the Art and Science of Medicine Block

The main components of this Block include:

The systems are covered in the following sequence:

 Semester 2: Cardiopulmonary and Renal Systems

MBBS Enrichment Year and MBBS Elective

Clinical Foundation Block

Students undertake rotations in a variety of hospital-based clinical disciplines but

Common Core Curriculum (CCC)

The Common Core Curriculum, a University requirement for undergraduate

It is a University requirement for graduation that students shall complete 12 credits

Throughout the curriculum, a variety of learning methods are used with an

Small Group, Problem-Based Tutorials

Lectures play an important role in presenting students with overviews, providing

Laboratory Sessions and Demonstrations

Laboratory sessions encourage the application of knowledge in practical settings.

Dissection and Autopsy

Clinical Skill and Clinical Interpersonal Skills Sessions

A Clinical Skills E-platform is specially designed to transform the classroom-

Students are offered the opportunities to see patients in a range of community

The aims of the community-based component of the curriculum are to enable