Don’t do something because someone else expects you to do it. Find what interests you.
--Dean Davy Cheng
Event Review| MED Students Coffee Chat with Dean Davy Cheng
—— "Dean Cheng, my dream is to become a neurosurgeon. Do you think it will be difficult to achieve this goal?"
—— "The really difficult things are going to Mars, going to the moon and so on. In contrast, being a neurosurgeon is not that difficult and it's actually fun and fulfilling."
——--"Dean Cheng, it often takes more than twenty hours for surgeons to perform surgery, which is physically demanding. In this case, do you think girls would be less suitable?"
——"Don't be limited by gender in any type of work. If you have the interest and the perseverance, you will make it!"
A pleasant coffee talk, on a lovely autumn afternoon. On 4 November, the School of Medicine (MED), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen launched its first session of Dean’s Café, where students had a relaxed and heartfelt exchange with Dean Davy Cheng and other MED faculty members.
The event also featured a sharing of the academic life of MED students and their journey of pursuing medicine.
"In my second year of junior high school, I had a biopsy done at the hospital. It was at that time that I became interested in haematology. In spite of knowing nothing about the immune system, I was determined to become a doctor and bring hope to patients," said one of the excited MED students about why they chose medicine. "Doing animal experiments in high school really scared me. Even so, I was willing to keep challenging myself for the sake of medicine," said another.
In the blink of an eye, the inaugural MED students have joined the University for more than two months. Nothing has impressed them more than their first encounter with the medical profession.
"When I first came across a partial human specimen, I didn't feel fear at all. The only thing I could think of was that the donor had been a living being and it was his selflessness that allowed us to have the valuable learning opportunity," said a student, who then went on to share a story of a medical professor who chose to donate his body after he passed away. The professor had said, "I would rather have a medical student make a thousand cuts on me than one wrong cut on a patient." To the students, people like this professor are their 'silent teachers', and it is their indelible contribution that has allowed medicine to progress further.
After listening to the students' sharing, Dean Cheng reminded everyone that the university environment and coursework are very different from those in high school, and there are times when they inevitably feel uncomfortable. He hoped that freshmen would adapt as soon as possible and overcome the difficulties in their studies and life. Talking about career development, the Dean cautioned that everyone will have a different future, becoming a clinical scientist, clinical educator, clinical teacher, etc., but no matter what, never forget that you are first and foremost a doctor.
"Through the exchange with the Dean, I have gained a deeper understanding of medicine and the mission and significance that medical students are charged with. We still need to put in more effort to become a good doctor."
A cup of coffee can be used as a channel to deepen the understanding between students and teachers, as well as a bridge to foster bonding and communication. This is just the debut of the coffee chat. In the future, MED will organize Dean's Café on a regular monthly basis to give students more opportunities to meet and talk with the Dean.
Note: "Silent Teacher" is the term used in the medical profession for human remains donors. Students of Clinical Medicine are required to study basic medicine and human anatomy is one of the most important parts of this.