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At the end of last month, a delegate from RACGP visited Hong Kong. They had attended meetings in Beijing and Shenzhen and had specially directed to Hong Kong for a meeting with me and Dr. David Chao. We had a detailed discussion on the future arrangement of Conjoint Examination and the new nomenclature of the fellowship granted by RACGP. The College is still waiting for the final written confirmation of the details mentioned in the meeting. However, I can relate some important messages to our members and especially the vocational trainees. For basic trainees first enrolled in Year 2018, they will still obtain the qualification FRACGP by the time they sit the Conjoint Examination in 2022. These trainees must attempt and pass the full examination before 2026 to benefit from this quotable qualification. For basic trainees who enroll from 2019 onwards, by the time they are eligible to sit the Conjoint Examination, RACGP will award them with the certificate of International Conjoint FRACGP (ICFRACGP). Holders of ICFRACGP will hold advanced standing towards RACGP fellowship which will then be available to those candidates who satisfy further prerequisites, |
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for example Rural Medicine as determined by the RACGP. College will apply to the Medical Council of Hong Kong once the ICFRACGP is awarded for its quotability in Hong Kong. Dr. Mark Miller, Censor in Chief of RACGP has repeatedly stressed the high standard set by the Conjoint Examination will not be altered. Dr. Miller always has a giant heart for Hong Kong!
The WONCA World Conference will stage at Seoul, Korea from 17 to 21 October 2018. This year we will witness the inauguration of our past President, Dr. Donald Li as WONCA President and there will be more than 50 College members attending this memorable event. College will also arrange a cocktail reception for our members to meet with WONCA Executives of the World and Regional Councils.
A workshop will be organized by HKCFP at the World Conference on “Promoting Family Medicine – Novel Ideas”. The session will be chaired by College representatives actively involved in public education and health promotion. Although there are more people realizing the concept of Family Medicine recently, a survey revealed that not many people have a regular family doctor in Hong Kong. Our College has taken an active role in the promotion of Family Medicine in the community over the last 40 years. The aim is not only to raise the professional status among other medical specialties, but also to get more recognition by the general public. HKCFP has regularly involved in health promotion in mass media like participation in radio and television programmes, arrangement of public health talks and contributing a weekly column in local newspaper. These programmes are not only led by our senior family doctors but have also motivated our young doctors to participate in Family Medicine promotion. After the introduction about the current situation in Hong Kong and sharing on some of the initiatives conducted, small group discussions will be carried out to allow attendees to share their own local experiences of Family Medicine promotion and brainstorm innovative solutions to increase public awareness and acceptance of Family Medicine. It is never too late to join us at Seoul!
Dr. Angus MW CHAN
President