Bulletin Spring‧Summer 1999

“traditional” research. We constantly questioned i f what had been done was correct and whether there were better ways of doing it.' Major research breakthroughs include the use of oral medication to treat gastrointestinal ulcer an d the replacement of traditiona l surgery by endoscopic therapy. Cancer research has over the years also become one of their strengths and their Institute of Cancer Research has been the first to be identified by the Hospital Authority as a research centre of excellence. Increased Contact with the Mainland and Taiwan Contact with mainland China began way back in the early 1980s. Prof. Lee had first met faculty members of the Department of Pathology of Peking Medical University in the US . ' I n 1982 I pa id a v i s it to that department to discuss plans for academi c exchange. In the years f o l l ow i ng, similar contacts were established with other medica l institutions on the mainland and in Taiwan.' Such contacts eventually snowballed into the Medical Education Association for China Ma i n l and, Taiwan, and the Hong Ko ng Region in September 1997. Initiated by the CUH K medical faculty and the medical schools of Peking University and Yang Mi ng University, the association has a membership of 24 medical institutions from the thre e areas and aims at formulating the best medical education system for the Chinese in the 21s t century, based on an understanding of the traditional Chinese medical system and experience gathered from modern medical education. Prof. Lee speaking at the second Medical Education Conference organized by the Medical Education Association for China Mainland, Taiwan, and the Hong Kong Region Future Direction: Amalgamation of Eastern and Western Cultures Prof. Lee is 'satisfied' with the faculty's development and achievements so far and is most proud of its strong sense of team spirit. As for the students, he believes that though they perform well academically, they need to improve on their communication skills. He also believes that in the future the faculty canno t rely solely on governmen t grants for its development. Othe r sources of funding such as donations, business ventures, and technology transfer w i ll have to be explored. Prof. Lee would also like to see changes in the cultural aspect of medicine for the individual physician. 'As physicians practising in Hong Kong, we are very westernized and not knowledgeable enough of Chinese culture. Th e Department of Medicine has produced a book called Medicine for Asia directed towards the local population. Mor e should be done along that line. Many medica l terms such as Hodgkin's Disease, Housemaid's Knee, and Saint Vitus's Dance are rooted in Western culture . Perhaps we can coin more cu l t u r a l ly pertinent medical terms and descriptions to improve communication with our patients.' This indeed is what Prof . Lee hopes the Faculty of Medicine w i l l devote greater attention to in the new century. Chinese University Bulletin Spring • Summer 1999 4