The department recognizes continued medical education as a core element in orthopaedic practice and therefore considerable effort is placed to regularly organize activities for continued medical education and post-graduate training. This encompasses a broad spectrum of activities ranging from the annual orthopedic forum, structured courses and workshops, surgical demonstrations, visiting professorial lectures, tutorials, seminars, and clinical case conferences. These activities target not only the local orthopaedic community but also regionally and internationally. Most of the activities are formally credited by the Hong Kong College of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Through a structured six-year orthopaedic training program and qualification examinations, the department is also one of the top local producers of orthopaedic specialists.

This annually held symposium each April features a comprehensive two day programme. The event has been held five times already and topics covered were the Aging Skeleton (2004), Work related injuries (2005), Pitfalls in Orthopaedic Practice (2006), Musculoskeletal problems in the skeletally immature (2007) and The New Frontiers (2008). Distinguished international experts were invited to share their experience in sub-specialized fields. The audience also included allied health professionals summing up to about 500 participants each year. Associated with a number of atellite programs such as workshops, guest speaker lectures and live surgical demonstrations, this event has gradually developed into a benchmark regional gathering each year.

The Division of Joint Replacement Surgery holds bi-monthly arthroplasty certificate courses in association with allied industrial partners. From 2001 onwards more than 400 participants had benefited from this course.

The three day course comprehensively covers basic concepts, preoperative and postoperative care, saw bone workshops, and live surgical demonstration. The department and the AO Foundation co-organized regular courses covering a wide range of topics. Taking the recent year as example, courses for the complications in spine surgery, severe childhood spinal deformity, upper limb fractures, pelvis, geriatric fractures and ORP courses were held with no less than a hundred participants.

Day workshops ranging from microsurgery, hand fractures, to soft tissue coverage courses where local doctors are invited to participate were also held recently.

Over the years, no less than 100 internationally recognized ‘star’ experts came and contributed in the exchange of scientific knowledge and clinical experience. Their presence in the department not only enlightened the younger generations but was also essential in maintaining the department’s standard at an international level. This is made possible with constant support from particular benefactors and therefore plenary lectures were named after them.

Qualified overseas doctors and researchers are invited to practice full clinical duties, observe or carry out research work in the department in three to six months overseas post-graduate exchange programmes. The programme is highly sub-specialized and focuses on individual development of clinical and research abilities. Clinical fellowship, visiting surgeon, visiting researcher or observership posts are available at the Hand and Foot, Spine, Joint Replacement and Paediatric Orthopaedic Divisions.

Each Wednesday a two-hour conference is chaired by one sub- ivision. Discussion is focused to aparticular topic with in-depth review of scientific evidence and its clinical applications. Trainees are particularly invited to comment on cases. The aim of the meeting is both for trainee development and discussion of optimal clinical care in complicated cases.

Subdivisions hold weekly meetings for trainee education and case discussion. This can be in format of preoperative and postoperative case reviews, grand rounds, seminars or a combination of these.

Regular meetings and conferences are held with radiologists, oncologists, physicians, trauma surgeons, paediatricians and allied health personnel. With specialists of other fields, educational meetings and case reviews also provide ample opportunity for education, ensuring that the clinical practice of our doctors can be holistic and up to date.