HA sponsors new round of overseas podiatry training

The Hospital Authority (HA) is launching a new round of its overseas training sponsorship programme, fully subsidising eligible participants to earn a bachelor's degree in podiatry at the University of Northampton in the UK. The scheme to send people abroad for training on foot treatment was first introduced in 2005 due to the lack of recognised programmes among local tertiary institutions. Stanley Wan, who works as a resident podiatrist at Yan Chai Hospital, participated in the programme in 2014 and joined the HA in 2017. He had graduated with an engineering degree, but decided to switch to a new career. “In terms of my profile, I think I'm not really as good as other competitors, which could possibly already have a degree related to chemistry or bio-engineering,” he said. “But I think I showed the interviewer that I have great determination of preparing myself. I applied for the course of physiology, trying to learn something that I probably [did not] know before. "Also I participated in my church activities, which mainly serve the elderly.” Two or three places are on offer each year, and successful applicants must commit to working for the HA for at least five years upon graduation. Priscilla Poon, the HA's chief manager of allied health, said applicants actually find the requirement attractive because Hong Kong doesn't have its own podiatry registration process. “I think it's a kind of encouragement to them… For those graduates who have graduated in the UK – despite the fact that they are able to register in the UK – [but because] there’s no registration in Hong Kong, there won't be any guarantee of job opportunities,” she said. “But if we ask them to serve in HA at least for five years, I think that will be a very positive message for them… they're still able to get a very good pay and a very good job opportunity in HA.” Poon said the HA currently employs 54 podiatrists, but lost about 5 percent of staff each year in recent years due to retirement or resignations. She added that while the current staff level is sufficient, Hong Kong's ageing population is expected to increase the demand for podiatrists further.