Hong Kong Launches Dual-Track Plan to Boost Medical Talent

• New system lets doctors split time between hospitals and universities.
• Program supports roles in clinical care, research, and teaching.
• First five selected; focus areas include cancer, ICU, and neonatal care.

Hong Kong has implemented a new dual-track career system to assist doctors who integrate clinical practice with research and teaching.

The initiative, led by the Health Bureau (HHB) alongside the Hospital Authority (HA) and the two medical schools in the city—the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) seeks to cultivate talent and enhance the healthcare sector.

Under this scheme, physicians will occupy roles at both HA hospitals and universities, enabling them to allocate their time flexibly among patient care, instruction, and research.

The pathway features tailored work setups, chances for career advancement, and academic positions such as university professorships.

Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau emphasized the significance of merging clinical practice with research and education. “Clinical experience fuels medical research, while cutting-edge research improves patient care—they go hand in hand,” he said. “This pathway helps doctors pursue their passions while advancing Hong Kong’s medical innovation.”

The program is a component of wider healthcare changes, featuring proposals for a Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation, an International Clinical Trial Institute in the Greater Bay Area, and the establishment of the third medical school.

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The government anticipates that the new pathway will also draw in international doctors focused on research and innovation.

To date, five physicians have been chosen for the program. Four individuals from Hong Kong Children’s Hospital, designated by HKU, will concentrate on pediatric cancers, stem cell transplants, and neonatal care, whereas a New Territories East Cluster intensive care specialist, appointed by CUHK, will focus on pain management and critical care research. Additional doctors are anticipated to join later this year.