First batch of veterinary medicine graduates ready to spread wings
Top News | Stacy Shi 26 Sep 2023
The first batch of 11 locally trained veterinary graduates from City University will be able to register and practice as surgeons after its six-year bachelor program obtained accreditation from regulatory bodies in the United Kingdom and Australasia.
The Veterinary Surgeon Board of Hong Kong will include the program as a recognized qualification for the purpose of registering as a veterinary surgeon, said board chairman Ching Pak-chung.
The dual accreditation from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in the UK and the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council marks the first bachelor of veterinary medicine program in Asia to be accredited by two major regulatory bodies.
"Dual international accreditation is a testament to the high standards and quality of our veterinary program," said CityU council chairman Lester Garson Huang.
CityU collaborated with Cornell University in the United States to launch Hong Kong's first-ever veterinary program.
The first batch of students was admitted in 2017 and will graduate next month.
"Our freshly trained veterinarians can now go out into the world and pursue their careers, serving as ambassadors for the whole university," said CityU president Freddy Boey.
Huang said the university's Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences has been planning to launch advanced courses.
College dean Vanessa Barrs said some graduates will work in general practice with organizations such as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and some will pursue specialist positions in livestock industries.
"With the increasing emergence of zoonotic diseases, such as Covid, the program also equips future veterinarians with the skills and knowledge to effectively address global health challenges," she said.
Barrs added that they will pursue US accreditation in the near future and may adjust the intake quota, which is set at 30 local and six international students, based on demand.
Graduate Gabrielle Ho Yick-hei, who plans to work for an animal clinic, said they were notified they might not be able to register yet, but welcomed the delay. She added: "We have been doing internships or studying since we finished exams in May, and what we've gained during these months will be even more helpful," Ho said.
Registered Hong Kong veterinary graduates who are Chinese nationals can practice in the mainland after passing the Chinese National Veterinary Licensing Examination, although there is no accreditation body in China.
