Chinese medicineBaptist University offers new courseBy Sally Tse Baptist University is going to commence a new 5-year undergraduate degree course in Chinese medicine in the 1998-1999 academic year. In the first year, 30 students will be selected from the Joint University Programmes Admission System as Chinese medicine students. The executive officer of the Chinese Medicine Program, Miss Margaret C. H. Pang, described the course as “comprehensive”. “The course emphasises both theory and practice. Students will learn the basic principles and structures of Chinese medicine, the Chinese medical environment, the position and value of the subject. Acupuncture and massage will be taught, too,” she said.
Chinese herbs in one of many such shops in Hong Kong.Miss Pang said there were two objectives. “We have two aims in carrying out the program. Firstly, we hope to raise the position of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong,” she said. “We want to remove the misperception of Chinese medicine as being old-fashioned and not being recognized. So we are offering this course to regain people’s confidence in Chinese medicine. “Secondly, there is a great pool of knowledge and ethics worth learning in Chinese medicine. Students can broaden their horizons by studying it deeply,” said Miss Pang. The details of the course are still confidential at the moment, as it is not yet totally developed. More details are expected to be unveiled this month. Although the course outline is not yet confirmed, it is being designed by an internal committee of the Science Faculty of Baptist University. The committee is composed of experts in Chinese medical studies, representatives from the Hospital Authority, the Science Faculty and qualified Chinese medical doctors.
Photo by Sally TseAn attribute of the course is teaching students both Chinese and Western medicine. However, it is not supported by at least one experienced Chinese medical doctor. Mr. Mui Leung Ming, 64, who has been a Chinese medical doctor more than 25 years, is glad to know that here will be an undergraduate course on Chinese medicine. But he thinks the students may pick up a distorted view of Chinese medical principles and ideas. He explained, “In fact, Chinese and Western approaches are different and in conflict sometimes. For instance, Chinese medicine stresses regulating the body and keeping it away from outside invaders. But Western medicine emphasizes destroying the invaders. “So, teaching Chinese medicine from a Western perspective may be useless and ridiculous, since the students may not understand the fundamentals of Chinese medical practice.” He suggested Chinese principles should be taught in the first 2 years of the course, while Western ideas and modern scientific curing methods should taught from the third year onwards. Students then could grasp the principles of Chinese medicine first and know how to relate Western approaches to it. Actually, students are concerned about the prospects of studying Chinese medicine most. Miss Pang said that the undergraduate students can further their knowledge by doing a postgraduate course or simply starting their careers and becoming a Chinese medical doctor. About professional recognition, the SAR Government will confirm the license issuing policy for Chinese medical doctors at the end of 1998 or the beginning of 1999. People either with a practical experience over 10 years or relevant academic qualification will be given a license and professional recognition. Meanwhile, the Chinese medicine graduates from Baptist University can get a license to be a Chinese medical doctor as well. |
