Volume 33, Issue 2 (click here to download the full pdf version)

I am happy to report that following the return of normalcy in Hong Kong, we have resumed connections with overseas colleagues via face-to-face meetings during overseas visits.

Together with representatives from the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine and the sister Colleges, I attended the 57th Singapore-Malaysia Congress of Medicine on 19 – 21 July 2024. This 3-day event offered a valuable platform for medical professionals from Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia to exchange ideas. It also provided an opportunity to reconnect with old friends I met at the International Liaison of Pathology Presidents (ILPP) 2023 Annual Meeting, as well as to make new connections.

Additionally, I represented the College at the 36th European Congress of Pathology on 7 – 11 September 2024, in Florence, Italy. I joined the European Society of Pathology (ESP) Advisory Board meeting to enhance cooperation with our European counterparts. Most importantly, the College signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in Anatomical Pathology with the ESP, paving the way for future educational collaborations. This year, Professor Peter Schirmacher, the President of the ESP, and Dr Raed Al Dieri, the Chief Executive Officer of the ESP, joined our College Conferment Ceremony. Their visit underscores the cooperation between ESP and HKCPath. Professor Schirmacher delivered a webinar on “Liver Neoplasms and Mimickers” on 15 November 2024, and a T.B. Teoh Foundation Lecture on the topic “Third Generation Molecular Pathology – From Research to Diagnostic Implementation” on 16 November 2024. Many of us gave positive feedback on these events.

My last college overseas visit in 2024 concluded with the International Liaison of Pathology Presidents (ILPP) 2024. I attended the ILPP 2024 Annual Meeting, which was organized in London, U.K. Similar to last year’s ILPP, which was hosted in Hong Kong, this one-and-a-half-day business meeting offered an excellent platform for discussing various challenges in Pathology. It was not surprising to learn that we have been facing similar challenges worldwide. Our discussion yielded insightful ideas and potential solutions to the current challenges, particularly concerning the adoption of artificial intelligence in image analysis and “big data” analysis.

As mentioned in the President’s speech at the 2024 Conferment Ceremony, the College Council shall set a number of key priorities. The College Council has endorsed and published guidelines on “Implementation of Digital Pathology and Adoption of Artificial Intelligence” for our members’ reference. Aligning with the Academy’s initiatives for faculty development will be our College's primary focus in the coming few years. A proactive approach to Green Pathology will also be initiated.

Dr MAK Siu Ming

President

2 December 2024

Volume 33, Issue 1 (click here to download the full pdf version)

Message from the President

It is my great pleasure to write my first message in the College newsletter. Following the Annual General Meeting held on 25 November 2023, I have assumed the position of College President. That evening, I had the privilege of sharing a memorable and enjoyable dinner, a long-awaited one after the COVID era, with our esteemed past Presidents, including Dr MAK Wai Ping, Dr LEE Kam Cheong, Prof CHEUNG Nga Yin, Annie, Dr CHAN Ho Ming and Dr CHAN Chak Lam, Alexander. Through these interactions, I gained a deeper understanding of the immense responsibilities that come with being a President, and I am committed to upholding the legacy of our predecessors.

As mentioned in the President’s Speech at the Conferment Ceremony, I outlined a number of key priorities for the College. Moving forward, we will focus on the faculty development initiatives aligned with the Academy’s vision, and on the implementation of the revised Regulations on Postgraduate Training and Examinations, which shall be led by Dr LEUNG Yuk Yan, Rock, one of our College Vice-Presidents, in the coming days. I am pleased that a successful forum was organized in late April, which was attended by trainers and trainees from various disciplines. The forum provided an invaluable opportunity for us to discuss the changes in the new Regulations and to address questions from the audience. I am grateful to all who contributed to the success of this event, and I believe it further strengthens our commitment to transparency and collaboration.

As we step into 2024, a year filled with both challenges and opportunities, we are confronted with a significant workforce challenge that has persisted over the past decade. This issue is not limited to Hong Kong or Asia but is a global phenomenon. I had the privilege of joining the International Liaison of Pathology Presidents (ILPP) 2023, where I learned about the strategies from around the world aimed at alleviating the manpower gap. Despite various efforts, significant improvements have been elusive. It is time for us to think outside the box and consider innovative approaches. I firmly believe that advocating for the adoption of digital pathology and artificial intelligence can be a potential solution, paving the way for enhanced efficiency and accuracy in patient care.

In addition to addressing the workforce challenge, our Council remains dedicated to enhancing the College’s reputation and image, while upholding the standard of practice and fostering collaboration with overseas and local organizations. We will continue our efforts to promote Pathology through International Pathology Day and our College’s International Pathology Day Workshop, which usually takes place in early December each year. The International Pathology Day Workshop has already become a flagship program for our younger generation to learn about and engage with Pathology. It is satisfying to witness the enthusiasm and eagerness of our Young Fellows in leading the workshop and promoting our specialty within the society. I am delighted to share that some participants of our previous workshops have chosen Pathology as their career path, a testament to the impact we are making.

Personally, I will continue to fulfil my responsibilities as President, which include working closely with our College Fellows, Members and trainees. I will align our efforts with the Academy’s direction, particularly in light of the Position Statement "Position Paper on Postgraduate Medical Education 2023" released earlier in 2023. I aim to foster synergy with the sister Colleges in Hong Kong and maintain strong connections with our overseas counterparts.

Dr MAK Siu Ming

President

May 2024

Screening of DPD Deficiency before Fluoropyrimidine Chemotherapy

Dr Felix Wong

Consultant Chemical Pathologist, Queen Mary Hospital

Volume 19, Issue 1, Jan 2024  (download full article in pdf)

Editorial note:

Screening of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) deficiency before systemic fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy can improve safety and prevent the occurrence of the associated toxicity. Both genotyping and phenotyping approaches have been advocated. In this review, Dr Felix Wong compares and contrasts both approaches and explains the upcoming situation in Hong Kong in the near future. We welcome any feedback or suggestions. Please direct them to Dr Esther Hung of Education Committee, the Hong Kong College of Pathologists. Opinions expressed are those of the authors or named individuals, and are not necessarily those of the Hong Kong College of Pathologists.

Good afternoon, Prof. Gilberto Leung, Dr. the Honorable David Lam, Dr. Teresa Li, Dr. Law Chun Bon, Presidents and representatives from Sister Colleges, Fellows, Members, ladies and gentlemen,

Welcome you all to the conferment ceremony of our College this afternoon.

Congratulations:

Today is a very special day for our new Fellows. This is a very important milestone, and it signifies the beginning of the next phase of your career. May I take this opportunity to congratulate you, and on your behalf, thank your family, including your parents, your significant others and your children, for their unfailing support and encouragement; also thank your mentors, trainers and colleagues for their guidance; and thank the patients you have helped to manage, who have provided you with the training opportunity.

Chinese: 我代表香港病理學專科學院新院士多謝屋企人多年來嘅支持和包容，令他們現在可以成為香港病理學專科的新生力軍，為香港市民服務。希望你們在未來可以繼續支持他們，因為香港醫療界正面對許多的挑戰。

For those Members in the audience who have already passed our intermediate exam, I am sure it will be your turn very soon to come up here for your Fellowship conferment.

CME/CPD reminder and Genetic and Genomic Pathology:

To our new Fellows: Your future practice requires you to be competent in your field of practice. CME/CPD, continuing medical education/continuous professional development, is essential for your career development, and I believe Prof. Leung from the Academy will remind you again later.

Artificial Intelligence:

I am sure you have all heard a lot about Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) in the news recently, especially regarding the recent appointment of the CEO of OpenAI. A.I. has been a hot topic for some time, and its development has been remarkable, particularly in the field of medicine, including pathology. While this topic can easily fill an entire week of seminars and lectures, I will just highlight a few key points here:

The Academy and the College have released a policy on using Large Language Models (LLM) such as ChatGPT in written assignments of specialist trainees. I would like to emphasize that our College policy on Large Language Models does not impede their use. On the contrary, we believe it is crucial for our trainees to understand the advantages and limitations of these applications and the importance of proper declaration of their usage. By the way, to ensure the originality, I have chosen not to utilize ChatGPT to draft this speech.

A number of my friends have expressed concerns about the impact of A.I. on the field of pathology. However, as a pathologist, I believe that A.I. should be seen as an opportunity rather than a challenge. I draw a parallel to the discussions we had about the impact of genetic and genomic pathology in the past. Initially, there was a perception that molecular diagnosis could replace a significant portion of our work. But over time, we realized the pivotal role pathologists play in this field, especially in the era of personalized medicine. The College has now integrated Genetic and Genomic Pathology into various training programmes. Similarly, A.I. can enhance our efficiency and efficacy as pathologists, streamlining our diagnostic processes. It is therefore crucial for us to embrace this technology and update our knowledge on its utilization. A.I. will be a promising tool in the future.

Faculty Development and Position Paper:

Speaking of the future, I had the honour of participating in the Tripartite Medical Education Conference and the Strategic Planning Retreat on Education and Training 2023, organized by the Academy earlier this year. The purpose of these events was to formulate actions for the future of postgraduate medical education. The Academy has published a position paper that clearly outlines the recommendations made in various areas, including Faculty Development, training based on competency-based medical education, and the implementation of train-the-trainers and train-the-examiners programs.

In line with the Academy’s directions, our College has recently revised our > and the logbooks to incorporate the new concept of workplace-based assessment. This marks our College’s initial step towards implementing competency-based medical education, aligning with Academy’s future direction. Our College is also actively planning to contribute to the development of training programmes for the Shenzhen-HK Medical Specialist Training Centre, giving full support for the Academy’s effort to strengthen our collaboration with the Shenzhen medical profession.

International Liaison of Pathology Presidents (ILPP) 2023:

I would also like to highlight the International Liaison of Pathology Presidents (ILPP) meeting that our College hosted last month. ILPP is a platform for interaction and exchange of ideas among various overseas Pathology Presidents from around the world, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe, Australia, Malaysia, United States, Canada and a representative from the World Health Organisation. During the two-day ILPP event, topics such as manpower shortage, professionalism and ethics, competency-based training, the adoption of digital pathology, the role of scientific officers and medical technologists, and so on, were all discussed. This ILPP has reaffirmed our unwavering commitment to maintaining international collaboration to advance the field of pathology, foster global sharing of ideas and knowledge, and collectively address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Young Fellows Chapter, Facebook and other Social Medias:

May I also take this opportunity to mention the Academy Young Fellows Chapter (YFC) and our College's active participation in it. I am honoured to have served as the first College representative in the Academy Young Fellows Chapter and as the inaugural Chairman of my College’s Young Fellows Chapter. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Prof. Gilberto Leung and Prof. Lau Chak Sing for establishing the Academy YFC, which provides an excellent platform for Fellows from various sister Colleges to work and collaborate together.

To further engage our young fellows, we actively update our Facebook page. I invite you to come visit us on Facebook, give us “likes” and leave some comments. I have also created my personal Facebook and Instagram accounts, where you can learn more about my College responsibilities in the days to come.

About dinner:

This year, our College is finally able to host our Annual Dinner after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, due to a sister College hosting her AGM and Conferment Ceremony on the same day, some of our guests may not be able to attend. We encourage our College Fellows, Members and Associates to stay for the T.B. Teoh Foundation Lecture on “Everything Immunology, from diagnosis to treatment” by Prof. Lau Chak Sing, followed by the Annual Dinner. Let's enjoy this long-awaited event after its cancellation in the past few years due to COVID-19.

Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to all those who have contributed to the preparation of this event. It has been a lot of hard work, as always. I wish everyone the best in the days to come.

Dr MAK Siu Ming

President

25 November 2023

Results of College Examination 2023 (Council Meeting 12 October 2023)

Click here for PDF file

Results of College Examination 2023 (Council Meeting 28 September 2023)

Click here for PDF file

Results of College Written Examination 2023 (Council Meeting 19 July 2023)

Click here for PDF file

Melioidosis: an urban outbreak in Hong Kong

Dr. Kristine LUK, Dr. May LEE and Dr. Wing Kin TO

Consultant Microbiologists, Department of Pathology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hospital Authority

Volume 18, Issue 2, July 2023  (download full article in pdf)

Editorial note:

There was a significant upsurge of cases of melioidosis in Hong Kong in 2022, especially in the Kowloon region, raising public awareness to the condition. In this issue of the Topical Update, Drs. Kristine Luk, May Lee and WK To share their experience in investigating and managing the cases. We welcome any feedback or suggestion. Please direct them to Dr. Janice Lo (e-mail: janicelo@dh.gov.hk), Education Committee, The Hong Kong College of Pathologists. Opinions expressed are those of the authors or named individuals, and are not necessarily those of the Hong Kong College of Pathologists.

Volume 32, Issue 2 (click here to download the full pdf version)

Message from the President

It is with great pleasure that our College can finally host our Annual Dinner once again in 2023, following the return to normalcy in Hong Kong. I look forward to meeting all of you in the coming Annual General Meeting and the Conferment Ceremony. This year, we have offered the option of vegetarian dinner, and we have planned to introduce on-site download of event photos. We hope you will appreciate our new initiatives, and we shall review their popularity afterwards.

On top of organizing the regular College activities taking place each year, our College is particularly busy this year because of two special events.

The International Liaison of Pathology Presidents (ILPP) annual meeting was hosted by our College in Hong Kong on 30-31 October 2023. The last time the meeting was held in Hong Kong was back in 2010. Although it is demanding to be the host organization, it has provided us with an opportunity to introduce Hong Kong to the Presidents or representatives of other Pathology Colleges or organizations in the world.

Other than preparing for the meeting and the related social activities, we have also coordinated with the International Academy of Pathology, Hong Kong Division, to co-host an ILPP session during their Fall Scientific Meeting on 29 October 2023. The session was well received, and it covered hot topics such as artificial intelligence, digital pathology and globalization.

During the ILPP meeting, members shared the challenges and practice of their localities. It was a fruitful meeting for information sharing and network building. Hosting it in Hong Kong has also provided a precious opportunity for some of the younger Fellows to meet these international leaders in Pathology.

We were very lucky that the event went smoothly, and the weather has been on our side. I believe all of you will know how uncommon it is to see Victoria Harbour with a clear blue sky! The guests enjoyed the meeting and our hospitality, and I am very proud of our team in making this meeting a success. A big thank you to all those who have contributed to this exceptional event.

In addition to organizing the ILPP meeting, the other major task which our College has embarked on this year is the revision of the Regulations on Postgraduate Training and Examinations and the related logbooks. This labour-intensive task involves various Specialty Boards and the Training & Examinations Committee (TEC). The new version will be rolled out soon after endorsement of the regulations by the Education Committee of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine. Detailed information will be promulgated by TEC in due course.

This year marks the end of my College Presidency. After nearly two decades in the College Council, I am happy to see many young and energetic successors ready to take up the future challenges of the College. These past few years have been exceptionally difficult for the medical profession and our College. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all Council members, College Secretariat and all those who have contributed to the College in many different ways.

Dr. CHAN Chak Lam, Alexander
President

November 2023

Volume 32, Issue 1 (click here to download the full pdf version)

Message from the President

Wish you all a Happy New Year of the Rabbit.

Our College hosted our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the Conferment Ceremony successfully in 2022 despite the COVID-19 outbreak. Congratulations once again to all the new Members and Fellows. We are very fortunate that Dr. Michael BUCKLEY, our Honorary Fellow and the speaker of the TB Teoh Foundation Lecture, has attended the event in person despite the restriction related to the outbreak. Dr. Buckley’s enlightening lecture, “Exomes and Genomes: from Bedside to Bench-top", was very well received.

The 18th Trainee Presentation Session was also held on the same day of AGM. All the trainees who have participated in the session have done a great job, and congratulations to the winner Dr. Aden CHAN of Anatomical Pathology for his study “Combinations of Single Gene Biomarkers can Precisely Stratify 1,028 Adult Gliomas for Prognostication”. Thanks to Dr. Derek YAU, Dr. Christopher LAI and to all the judges for making the session a success.

The continuing medical education/continuous professional development (CME/CPD) 3-year cycle 2020-22 has just ended, and a new 3-year cycle (2023-25) has started. On behalf of the Education Committee, may I remind our new Fellows that CME/CPD is important in your career development and future practice. Failed compliance may result in suspension of your Academy’s Fellowship and your specialist registration status.

The coming year is a busy year for Training and Examinations Committee (TEC). TEC is currently engaging various Specialty Boards in the review of our training programmes. We are grateful for the advice we have received from our Academy’s Educationist, Dr. SO Hing Yu. Concurrent with the training programme review exercise, our College is also planning to contribute to the development of training programmes for the SZ-HK Medical Specialist Training Centre. This is in support of the Academy’s initiative to strengthen our collaboration with the Shenzhen medical profession.

These few years have been challenging times for all of us. Other than taking care of our patients, we also need to take good care of ourselves and those around us. Academy has taken various initiatives to promote the well being of doctors. Helpful material is available in the Academy’s website, and peer supporters (with some from our College) are ready to help. Our younger generation is encountering lots of challenges and uncertainties in life. As trainers and seniors, we should be supportive. On the other hand, I hope our younger members can also understand that the trainers are likewise facing unprecedented stress, but you should not hesitate to approach your seniors, colleagues or Academy’s peer supporters in case of need.

The multifactorial manpower shortage issue has great impact on our specialty and other medical professions. Our College will work closely with the Academy, the Hospital Authority, and the government, on exploring various options to tackle the matter. Meanwhile, we hope all new Fellows can stay longer in the public sector, to contribute to the training of our next generation of Pathologists.

Regarding government’s plan to explore empowering Chinese medicine practitioners (CMPs) to prescribe diagnostic imaging and laboratory tests for their patients, our College is working closely with our sister Colleges and the Academy to deliberate with the government and relevant parties. The Academy had a meeting with the Hong Kong Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners Association on 16 January 2023, exploring the view of some CMPs.

Our College wishes to engage more young Fellows in College activity. After the establishment of the Academy‘s Young Fellows Chapter (YFC), we have set up our College’s own YFC. Some of our young Fellows are currently members of our College Council and some College committees. We treasure their input and contribution, and it is essential for succession planning. Our current YFC Chairman, Dr. Ivy CHENG, is also in charge of our College Facebook page. We hope to use this platform more often to share information, and your comment is most welcome. ( https://www.facebook.com/hkcpath/ )

The Academy’s Conferment Ceremony was held on 16 December 2022. Congratulations to our new Academy Fellows and to Dr. Lois CHOY, our College trainee in Chemical Pathology who won the gold medal of the Academy’s 2022 Best Original Research by Trainees (BORT) on that day.

International Pathology Day Workshop 2022 was held successfully on 17 December 2022. Dr. Rock LEUNG and his team have done an excellent job introducing our profession to over 200 secondary school students.

I represented our College to attend the Opening Ceremony of the New Territories (Shatin) Forensic Medicine Centre on 29 December 2022. The establishment of this new state-of-the-art facility is an important milestone for Forensic Pathology.

The year 2023 marks the 30th Anniversary of the Academy. The Tripartite Medical Education Conference on 14 January 2023 is the first of a series of celebration events, and Dr. MAK Siu Ming (Chairman of Training & Examinations Committee), Dr. Christopher LAI (Chairman of Education Committee) and I have attended the conference. Dr. MAK and I have also joined the Academy’s Strategic Planning Retreat on Education and Training on 4 March 2023, and it was a precious opportunity for experience-sharing amongst all Colleges and the Academy.

The next Academy’s anniversary celebration event will be Health for All, Move Forward Together on 19 March 2023. Our College has formed a competition team for the run, and some College members have also registered for the event.

The Academy has resumed the annual gathering with the media this year. I attended the HKAM Media Spring Tea Reception held on 3 February 2023. It was a good opportunity for the Academy to highlight the latest development of the Academy and promulgate the Academy’s view on some healthcare related policies and initiatives.

The next annual International Liaison of Pathology Presidents (ILPP) meeting has been planned to take place in Hong Kong in October 2023. Hong Kong was the hosting city in 2010. We look forward to hosting it once again after more than one decade.

With return to normalcy, I expect we shall be able to organise the long-overdue College annual dinner in 2023. I look forward to seeing you all.

Dr. CHAN Chak Lam, Alexander
President

March 2023