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My name is Vincent. Protecting the health of community has always been my greatest wish and aspiration. I have been trying very hard to equip myself with healthcare related knowledge and skills, with a view to serving the public. In 2018, I obtained my nursing degree, and then I worked as a registered nurse in a public hospital in Hong Kong till now. Currently, I am taking the MPH program as a part-time student in the HEPM concentration. After working for two years, I could really feel that our healthcare system is overloaded. High bed occupancy, long service waiting time, healthcare staff shortage and high patient-to-nurse ratio are commonly seen among public hospitals, and they are threatening the quality and safety of the healthcare services our citizens are receiving. As a healthcare professional, I really want to do something about it and I know the root causes underneath the overloaded healthcare system are very complex. Therefore, I wish to acquire myself with more public health knowledge, particularly regarding the healthcare system, so that in the future I could contribute in shaping a better healthcare system, so as to promote the health of the community. I feel really grateful for being granted the UCG fellowship. Without the fellowship, I could probably not take the MPH program. So far, I do enjoy studying MPH in HKU, and it is a wonderful learning experience. I have come across classmates from diverse backgrounds (physicians, nurses, engineer, dietitians and etc.) and we share and learn from each other’s expertise, and it makes my learning journey more fruitful. Frankly speaking, I have not decided what to do next upon graduating from the MPH, but I am pretty sure I would like to make some contribution in the field of public health in the future. Once again, I would like express my gratitude to HKU and UGC for granting me the fellowship.

Hey all! I’m Manson, a HKU Med graduate and now an emergency room doctor by profession. It was a busy night shift which provoked me to learn more about MPH. As the gatekeeper of hospital, dashing around in a hectic environment is not uncommon. There exist multiple clinical problems to be dealt with, yet behind the scene is the bigger issue which carries much more impact – our healthcare system. This drives me to get out of the scope of clinical practice and explore what’s actually happening around us. The interaction between different domains of public health fascinates me. The diversified knowledge in public health echoes well with my career which emphasises on breadth. I’m more than honored to have received the UGC fellowships. It acknowledges the importance of public health in the complicated world nowadays and encourages me to pursue something new yet highly related in my career. You will definitely meet great people in MPH. Sharing from renowned academic staff bring us a high level of personal development. Groupmates from all walks of life can enlighten you and give you lots of insights and perspectives. I believe MPH will pave me the way in achieving the goal of a competent public health leader. As a stakeholder in the healthcare system, it is always my obligation to effectively practice public health, protect and promote health of all with ambition, drive and empathy. Dr Manson Chu MPH HEPM (Part-time, Year 1) Awardee of UGC Targeted TPg Programme Fellowships 2020/21

We are delighted to have Mr Matt Friedman sharing with us the journey and experiences spanning his career at the Coffee and Careers session on 27 Nov 2020. Matt is an international human trafficking expert with more than 30 years’ experience in international public health work with USAID and United Nations in more than 40 countries. He is currently the CEO of The Mekong Club, an organization of Hong Kong’s leading businesses that have joined forces to help end all forms of modern slavery. Mr. Friedman offers technical advice to numerous governments, banks, and corporations working to eliminate all forms of modern slavery and is the author of twelve books. Please click below and watch the video of Matt's sharing.

We are delighted to have Dr Alexander Ng sharing with us his career journey at the Coffee and Careers session on 5 January 2021. Dr. Alex Ng, Vice President of Tencent Healthcare. Alex is currently leading Tencent’s healthcare business. Tencent has already developed multiple products such as the wechat mini-app “Tencent Healthcare”, electronic health insurance and healthcare card, AIMIS (AI enabled clinical decision support system for medical images), Oncology Assistant (AI enabled triaging system to better match cancer patients to oncologists). Alex first started his career as a medical doctor where he was the chief resident at Middlemore Hospital in Auckland, New Zealand. He then moved to the US to become a strategy consultant with McKinsey & Company after completing the Master of Public Health at Harvard. After 9 years at McKinsey between US and China, where he co-led the Greater China Healthcare Practice, he joined the Gates Foundation as the deputy director of the China Country Office, responsible for the health and innovation portfolio. He is also serving as an advisor to WHO’s Digital Health Technical Advisory Group, and an honorary associate professor at University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Medicine. Please click below and watch the video of Alex's sharing.

We are delighted to announce that 3 of our own MPH graduates are among Honours recipients for the 2020 Honours List and JP Appointment by the Government: Dr NG Wing-yiu, George (MPH, 2005) awarded the Chief Executive's Commendation for Community Service De CHAN Kam-hoi (MPH, 2011) awarded the Chief Executive's Commendation for Community Service Dr LEUNG Yiu-hong (MPH, 2005) awarded the Chief Executive's Commendation for Government/Public Service We are proud of our graduates for their dedication to public and community service in Hong Kong. Congratulations to our awardees, and all the best in your continued endeavours!

In light of the current coronavirus outbreak, HKU Master of Public Health Information Session (Mar), originally scheduled for 28 March, will be postponed to 18:00-19:30, 1 April (Wednesday) and be hosted online as webinar. There will be time reserved for answering questions from webinar attendees. Please register in advance for this webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. For enquiries, please contact us at mphsph@hku.hk or 3917 6802. We look forward to seeing you.

A Coffee + Discussion Series for students in Public Health and Global Health Join us on Zoom for the first in a series of discussions exploring Public Health and Global Health careers! About this series : We will invite professionals across different public health and global health employment fields to share their real life experience from time to time. It will give you an exclusive chance to interact with the professionals, and also allow you to get the first-hand career information in the field. In this session we will chat with Ms Katherine Weatherburn , Founder of Safetyknot , an NGO dedicated to promoting safety and preventing injuries in low and middle income countries. Katherine has extensive experience working in the NGO sector and will share her experience working in and setting up her own NGO in LMICs. This is an interactive discussion so you will have the chance to ask Katherine any questions you have about careers in this field. Date: March 27th 2020 Time: 2:30pm HKT Medium: Zoom Meeting Please register at : https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=69428 Registration closes: March 26th 2020 12pm Zoom Meeting ID reminder will be sent to registrants

Join us on Zoom for our second discussions exploring Public Health and Global Health careers! In this session we will chat with Dr Lincoln Lau, Director of Research at International Care Ministries (ICM) . He will share his personal career journey and experience working with ICM. Dr Lau will also discuss how ICM is dealing with COVID-19 and how the pandemic is impacting vulnerable communities in the Philippines. This is an interactive discussion where you will have the opportunity to ask Dr Lau any questions you have about careers in this field. Date: April 17th 2020 Time: 10:00am HKT Please register at: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=69551 Registration closes April 16th 2020, 12 noon Zoom Meeting ID reminder will be sent to registrants About this series : We will invite professionals across different public health and global health employment fields to share their real life experience from time to time. It will give you an exclusive chance to interact with the professionals, and also allow you to get the first-hand career information in the field. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dr Polly Wong by email at pollywong@hku.hk

1. MPH concentration and expected graduation year Health Economics, Policy & Management, 2018 2. Job title and Community Outreach Works Board Director of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Hong Kong Founder of HIV prevention ‘PrEP & PEP Malaysia’ Co-founder of ‘South East Asia Refugees Support Network’ Medical Coordinator of ‘Impian Malaysia’ Advocate for human rights and health needs of LGBT, injecting substance users, sex workers, homeless folks and refugees (Seksualiti Merdeka, PT Foundation, Malaysian AIDS Council, Pertiwi Soup Kitchen and Health Mobile Services) Sexual Health Physician Part time lecturer (International Medical University, Malaysia) Freelance writer 3. Tell us your story! How did you become interested in public health, and how does public health relate to your current line of work? I often find myself to be wanting more in anything that I do. Whether it is for personal growth, interests, or passion, there is always a burning desire to learn. Whether it is for defending human rights and access to health needs, there is also an unquenchable thirst to see social justice is met. My line of work deals mainly with planning, organising, coordinating, negotiating and executing a wide variety of activities crucial to the delivery of health services / programmes for our underserved populations. No doubt, I have accumulated learned experiences from many trials and mistakes along the way, somehow I still feel inadequate. I believe a solid foundation in the field of public health; in particular health economics, policy and management; would enrich my knowledge immensely. I can then apply this knowledge and execute my work more effectively and efficiently. I also enjoy sharing knowledge, training, and imparting wisdom to our younger generations as means to build up their capacity. To sum up simply, the personal quest to be a holistic clinician, well-rounded humanitarian, and efficient Board director in addition to leaving a meaningful legacy behind one day has therefore brought me here. 4. How have you applied what you have learned within the MPH program to your line of work? Prior to coming HK, I have informed the local HIV AIDS Concern organisation that I’d wished to volunteer and build up the capacity of its frontline staff while studying full time in HK. I also have responsibility serving as a Board director and involved in various committees or working groups serving different dossiers for our MSFHK office and the wider international MSF movement. I have been privileged to be able to apply the many things that I have learned thus far (health policy, leadership and management, economics, financial management, behavioural theories, health needs assessment, organisational theory and change, communication and human resource strategies) and executing them in my capacity. 5. What advice would you give to current MPH students who will be entering the workplace for the first time? Observe and learn from everyone in the workplace regardless if the person happens to be the office cleaner or CEO. Be mindful and practise ‘respond and not react’ to whatever situations you find yourself in. The moment you are reacting, you let your emotions override whatever rationality you may have. That sudden emotional reaction could be more damaging both to your colleagues and yourself. Stay calm and come back with a civil constructive response instead. Be respectful, courteous, culturally sensitive and stay humble. Humility, patience, persistence, teamwork spirit, desire to learn and improve, receptive to constructive criticisms, high EQ, and be appreciative of your colleagues are all virtues to cultivate, to have, and to last for a lifetime. 6. Any other wisdom to share with the readers? If you are able to enjoy your work as a passion, it won’t come across as a job. That is a major key to staying motivated in whatever you are doing. And for me personally, the more I give, the more I get in return, unexpectedly in abundance. My happy mantra, ‘Good life – assume nothing, do more, need less, smile often, dream big, laugh a lot, and be grateful.’ Know a fellow HKU SPH student or alumni with an interesting story? Let us know! Email Ms Shereen Ayub (sayub1@hku.hk) to nominate your MPH peer for the next 'Meet Our Students and Alumni' blog series.

1. MPH concentration and expected graduation year Health Economics, Policy & Management, 2018 2. Job title and Community Outreach Works Manager of Jack-of-all-trades (joking!) Responsible for optimizing my company’s healthcare service business in Asia Pacific Volunteer for IMC Sunday School since 2011 Best Volunteer Award from the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association 3. Tell us your story! How did you become interested in public health, and how does public health relate to your current line of work? My company is in the renal industry. Our patients are towards the end of the NCD chain, meaning most already have diabetes and/or hypertension that led to gradual deterioration of the kidneys. Renal replacement therapy is extremely costly for both patients and governments. For example, in Taiwan, 0.3% of the population has chronic kidney disease that utilizes >7% of total healthcare expenditure. I understand, first hand, how detrimental NCD is to any health system. Although I work for a for-profit company, we are involved in supporting governments, especially in developing countries, to provide the necessary services to meet rising demand. Recently, I have been involved in discussions with the public sector regarding reimbursement and healthcare infrastructure in my line of work. This type of work sparked my interests in how a government organizes and supplies healthcare services. Then I realize there is actually an entire degree dedicated to it. 4. How have you applied what you have learned within the MPH program to your line of work? MPH has broadened my view of health systems (actually of the world in general). I now have a better understanding of how my line of work fits into the intricate patchwork of public health and not just in delivery of healthcare. Biostatistics and epidemiology have certainly helped in the clinical area of my work. The management and policy type of classes are very useful in the operation and business side. 5. What advice would you give to current MPH students who will be entering the workplace for the first time? No task is ever too small or trivial for you. You can always gain something out of any type of work that you do if you look hard enough. Be humble and work very hard, as in give 200% into everything that you do. Learn to really listen and empathize with everyone that you work with. Wisdom does not only come from intelligence but also life experiences through compassion and self-awareness. Opportunities will always come to those most prepared for them. 6. Any other wisdom to share with the readers? Never stop learning! Know a fellow HKU SPH student or alumni with an interesting story? Let us know! Email Ms Shereen Ayub (sayub1@hku.hk) to nominate your MPH peer for the next 'Meet Our Students and Alumni' blog series.

1. MPH concentration and expected graduation year Concentration: Public Health Practice Expected graduation year: 2019 2. Job title and Community Outreach Works Job: Manager, iDendron, Technology Transfer Office, The University of Hong Kong Responsible for running iDendron, HKU Innovation & Entrepreneurship Hub, to incubate HKU students and alumni early stage startups and promote innovation & entrepreneurship culture on campus Senior Resident Tutor, University Hall, The University of Hong Kong Taking care of the welfare and discipline of the residence and providing guidance to students Community Work/social service: Member, Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee, Hong Kong SAR Government Member, Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education, Hong Kong SAR Government 3. Tell us your story! How did you become interested in public health, and how does public health relate to your current line of work? I studied Politics, Public Administration and Social Policy in my undergraduate as I have been passionate about public affairs and policies to improve well-being (that is also why I took up the position of Students’ Union President of HKU few years ago!). From my work, I learn about medical technologies which brought impact on human evolution. I find that improving one’s health is the most direct way to improve well-being. That’s why I picked public health: it’s a combination of public policies, healthcare and medical knowledge. Some of the start-ups under my purview are medical technology start-ups, gadgets or solving some unmet healthcare needs. 4. How have you applied what you have learned within the MPH program to your line of work? The MPH program covers a wide range of topics, related to policy making, politics, medical science, statistics, research etc. The entire training is intensive and comprehensive. My work is about innovation, entrepreneurship and technology, which are not directly related to healthcare or public health sector. However, one of the core objectives of my work is to make use of technology to create innovative solution to solve problems or fulfil unmet needs in the world. We all know that there are many bottlenecks and unmet needs in healthcare setting. The program provides my perspectives and new problem settings to let me rethink what kind of technology and innovations could help improve our well-being. Meanwhile, the research and science training sharpen my understanding towards the emerging technologies in the world, which requires continuous learning and reading science journals. 5. What advice would you give to current MPH students who will be entering the workplace for the first time? There is no straight path to where you are going. So be open and humble. The knowledge we have learnt from college becomes obsolete easily when the world changes so fast. Try to find a way to say yes to things. Say yes to invitations to a new country, say yes to meet new friends, say yes to a new challenge or task, say yes to learning something new. When you look back, you can connect the dots. 6. Any other wisdom to share with the readers? Bruce Lee inspired me a lot and would like to share his quote below –  “Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless, like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friends.” Learn to adapt to any situation. Don’t be constrained by any one system or doctrine. Know a fellow HKU SPH student or alumni with an interesting story? Let us know! Email Ms Shereen Ayub (sayub1@hku.hk) to nominate your MPH peer for the next 'Meet Our Students and Alumni' blog series.

1. MPH concentration and expected graduation year Health Economics, Policy and Management, 2018 2. Job title and/or community outreach work involved in Publication Committee, Mental Health Association of Hong Kong Committee Member, Hong Kong Psychogeriatric Association Director, Hong Kong Brain Foundation Senior Manager (Redevelopment Project and Executive Support), Kwong Wah Hospital 3. Tell us your story! How did you become interested in public health, and how does public health relate to your current line of work? I am a psychiatrist by profession. I spent the first five years of my career on mastering psychiatry as a science, and the second five years on understanding psychiatry as a clinical service. Then I became intensely interested in knowing how the entire health care system can be best organized. I hope I may spur improvement in the health care system of Hong Kong by blending my clinical experience with the public health knowledge. 4. How have you applied what you have learned within the MPH program to your line of work? Do not expect the MPH program will give you a lecture on how the entire health care system can be best organized. However, the MPH program taught me ways to gather the right evidence and develop my own answer. Our health care system definitely needs a diversity of novel and unique ideas from different public health professionals to become a better system. 5. What advice would you give to current MPH students who will be entering the workplace for the first time? Apply the principles of public health always so that what you have learned can truly become your own views. Be brave to speak up. Point out the problems and propose your solutions. Your pair of fresh eyes will be more valuable to your workplace than you would ever expect. 6. Any other words of wisdom to share? “Learning is an experience. Everything else is just information.” -Albert Einstein Know a fellow HKU SPH student or alumni with an interesting story? Let us know! Email Ms Shereen Ayub (sayub1@hku.hk) to nominate your MPH peer for the next 'Meet Our Students and Alumni' blog series.