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Government statement on FHB's meeting with major stakeholders of medical groups
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     Regarding the Food and Health Bureau's meeting with major stakeholders of medical groups held yesterday (April 25), a spokesman for the Government said today (April 26), "The relevant proposal for relaxing the internship requirement for non-locally trained doctors was discussed at the meeting. Attendees agreed in principle that the internship requirement for non-locally trained doctors who have passed the Licensing Examination (LE) and worked in the public healthcare system under limited registration for a certain period could be relaxed.
 
     "At the meeting, the representative from the Hong Kong Medical Association (HKMA) proposed the latest option which suggests exempting non-locally trained doctors, who work either in the Hospital Authority, the Department of Health or the Faculty of Medicine of the two universities, from internship if they have engaged in clinical work for 18 months upon passing the LE. The attendees welcomed the latest option to standardise the period of required internship to be exempted in various public health authorities. However, some attendees had reservations over excluding services other than clinical work in public hospitals (e.g. services in the Department of Health as well as teaching and scientific research work in the Faculty of Medicine of the two universities) from the definition of 'clinical work'. Meanwhile, the attendees also held different views on the method of calculating the duration of clinical work. Some also indicated that they need to better understand the details of the option for further discussion and consideration. Consensus on the relevant details had not been reached yet at yesterday's meeting.
 
     "The Government hopes that the medical sector will continue to discuss different options in a rational way and that the Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK) will come up with a positive decision with no discrimination for relaxation of internship requirements at its meeting to be held next month,” the spokesman stressed.
 
     The stakeholders attending yesterday's meeting included representatives from the MCHK, the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, the HKMA, the Faculty of Medicine of the two universities, the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority.
 
Ends/Friday, April 26, 2019
Issued at HKT 18:00
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