Over the past 5 years, 3 trainee doctors performed poorly and failed to complete their internship. Lo Chung-mau: The case ratio is low.

Earlier, intern doctor and KOL Angel was exposed for inappropriate conduct during her internship, and she and her boyfriend—who had been entrusted by her to perform anorectal endoscopy examinations on patients—were both dismissed. Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau today, in response to a question at a Legislative Council meeting, disclosed that in the past 5 years, a total of 3 intern doctors failed to complete their internships due to poor work performance, improper conduct, or involvement in criminal offences, and therefore were unable to register as doctors. He emphasized that, during the same period, 4,200 intern doctors received training; the proportion of cases that failed to complete the internship was low, and all those who completed their internships could be formally registered as doctors.

Ho King-kang of the New People’s Party raised an oral question, focusing on the number of people who completed their internships over the past 5 years but were not awarded an experience certificate or were not registered as doctors, as well as the number of complaints or reports received by the Hospital Authority involving cases where intern doctors or doctors stationed at hospitals violated professional conduct.

Lo Chung-mau said that between the 2021/22 and 2025/26 academic years, each year recorded 12 to 35 disciplinary cases involving intern doctors and resident doctors being disciplined for poor work performance or violations of professional conduct. During the same period, three intern doctors failed to complete their internships due to poor work performance, improper conduct, or criminal offences, and thus were unable to register as doctors. In addition, 10 intern doctors resigned for personal reasons such as health reasons, and they also could not complete their internships and register.

Ho King-kang was concerned that dismissed doctors stationed at hospitals could still practise privately, and that the Medical Council’s disciplinary hearings take time; he asked how the authorities would ensure that members of the public would not become victims of “public hospital runaways.” Lo Chung-mau said that if an Hospital Authority employee is dismissed due to their conduct and the case involves professional conduct, the Hospital Authority would refer the matter to the Medical Council to handle issues relating to practising qualifications.

Chan Kai-yin of the Election Committee Sector mentioned that most of those dismissed were newly qualified personnel, and urged a review of whether the supervisory-level personnel involved had joint responsibility for linked management. Lo Chung-mau said that intern doctors work for the Hospital Authority, and each rotation lasts only three months; if their work is not satisfactory, the doctors responsible for training would reflect this in their assessments. In individual cases, the contract may be terminated early, or even the doctors may be dismissed. He believed that senior doctors had fulfilled their responsibilities and they should not be punished.