The Distinguished MedScholar track, or DMS, is also growing in popularity and attracting very high calibre students who have shown that they not only possess great intellect and excellent grades, but a genuine desire to make a difference. On the intellect side, some have been invited to prestigious programmes, such as the International Student Programme in Research Experience in Australia and the Summer Global Health Immersion Programme in the Philippines. On the impact side, DMS students have also put themselves out in the community to inspire positive change. Recently, I was contacted by the Chief Executive and Medical Director of the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, who told me that when our DMS students helped out in blood drives, the number of donor registrations and donations increased by 30 per cent. That is a big impact and evidence of the sincerity of our students’ commitment to helping others. The Enrichment Year (EY) is another area where HKUMed students demonstrate both intellectual heft and compassion – this includes our graduating MBBS students here today. Since 2018, EY students have published more than 250 research papers, won nearly 50 prizes, been awarded grants and scholarships, and participated in over 220 conferences. These impressive achievements help to attract new partners to the Faculty for things like intercalated degrees and research attachments. 4
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