Multi-doctor household is full of happiness

Both couples met while studying at the University of Hong Kong. They all agree that the support and satisfaction provided by their relationships has played an important part in helping them handle the pressures of medical training and practice.

Interviewing the two generations of double-doctor pairings in Dr Michael Sham's family calls to mind the popular movie ‘You Are the Apple of My Eye'. Dr Sham senior and his son, Dr Philip Sham, both met their wives at university. The two couples are also similar in that from their days as students until now, their relationships have been an important source of support, stability and, equally importantly, fun. Unlike in the film however, the two Dr Shams have clearly found their ideal partners!

Michael is Consultant-in-charge at the Palliative Medical Unit at Grantham Hospital. His wife Dr Amy Wu is a Consultant of Anaesthesiology & Operating Theatre Services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Their son Philip is a Resident in the Department of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine at Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) and was recently married to Dr Winnie Tam who is also a Resident at TMH in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology.

Dr Michael Sham and his wife pose for a photo at Penfold Park with a nine-month-old Philip.

With the four doctors all working for the Hospital Authority, is there ever any embarrassment, disagreement or tension? “Perhaps it's because we specialise in different areas, but we haven't had any problems in that regard,” says Winnie. “In fact, if I encounter a challenging situation at work I sometimes seek advice from my father-in-law or mother-in-law and this has helped bring us closer together.”

Philip adds: “Couples who work in the same field understand the demands and pressures of their partner's career. I spend two nights a week attending classes and two nights on 36-hour call which means I need two more nights to rest. That leaves only one night a week for quality family time. If Winnie wasn't a doctor she might find this difficult to accept, but she faces the same reality and knows it goes with the job.”

Many people would consider four doctors in one family a rare case, but among Michael and Amy's circle of friends and acquaintances multi-doctor households are relatively common. “Long hours and unusual shift patterns during medical training and practice means you end up socialising primarily with your classmates and colleagues,” Michael explains. “And when both parents are medical professionals there's arguably a higher chance that their children will settle on the same career.” However, he stresses that he and his wife never put

any pressure on children to follow in their footsteps. “We trusted our children to choose a profession that suits their personality. Our second son had no interest in becoming a doctor but loves his job as a lawyer.”

Looking for the formula for the perfectly happy life? The Sham family believes they might have found it.

Although they have the same profession, the four doctors try to maintain a good work-life balance and rarely discuss job-related issues at home.

Philip and Winnie were married last December. Philip laughs: “I love children – I want to have as many as I can as soon as I can!”

Twins share identical outlook on HA career

Sarah (right) says, they enjoy growing up together which can share the ups and downs during the life.

Amy and Sarah Yim are twins – biologically and in their choice of career! Amy, the 'older' sister by 10 minutes, is an occupational therapist at Tseung Kwan O Hospital. Younger sister Sarah holds the same position at United Christian Hospital. They also share religious faith that serves as the foundation of their desire to assist people in need by using their professional expertise to help patients become self-sufficient and enjoy rich and fulfilling lives.

Although the twins pursued the same degree at university and trained together, they decided to work in separate hospitals to avoid inconveniencing or confusing their colleagues and patients. But even with the best of intentions, things don't always go according to plan. The women recall one incident in which Sarah's supervisor saw Amy in an MTR station. Mistaking Amy for Sarah, the supervisor was surprised and a little annoyed when the older twin failed to say “hello” to him!

The sisters share a simple way to tell them apart – Amy has silver-coloured spectacle frames while Sarah's are red. Let's hope this helps prevent embarrassing situations in the future!

Common career in nursing helps bridge generation gap

Young people and their parents often complain of the lack of understanding created by the generation gap. But Lau Sau-chun and her daughter Angel Ma appear to have found a solution. With a shared career in nursing, they have a common language and area of interest that has helped them bridge the divide. Sau-chun jokes: “I often know what my daughter is saying from just a few words!”

Nursing Officer Sau-chun has already clocked up 30 years in her chosen profession and is currently working in the Department of Medicine at Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital. Angel, who is

a Registered Nurse in the Department of Medicine at Prince of Wales Hospital, has been working

forthe Hospital Authority for 18 months.

Working in the same profession has helped the pair grow closer in all aspects of their lives.

Angel admits that her career choice was influenced by her mother. “I am the kind of person who needs a sense of security in knowing what to expect. My mother often shared the ups and downs of her job with me, so I was familiar with the rewards and challenges of nursing from an early age. Witnessing the selflessness and dedication of healthcare staff during the SARS outbreak further convinced me that becoming a nurse was the right choice.”

“I hope I can work with my mother before her retirement,” says Angel. “It would be a very special experience.”

Angel says: “My aim is to be as good as my mother – perhaps one day I can even surpass her!”

With the tiring responsibilities of shift work, HASLink was curious to know how both women manage to keep so fresh-faced. Angel discloses her mother's secret: “She will have facials at the beauty salon!” Sau-chun responds: “I only do it when I have time! The most important things are to go to sleep early and always be happy.”

“If I am on night shift, I will keep moisturising cream with me,” says Angel. “I also do regular exercise – sweating is good for your health – including your skin!”

A band of medical brothers

The brothers met Professor Sophia Chan, Under-Secretary for Food and Health (left) after the interview. Second from the left is Dr Nancy Tung, Cluster Chief Executive of Kowloon West Cluster.

The Yu family often jokes that they have enough doctors to start their own practice! Brothers Sing-joe, Hip-cho and Wai-cho joined the Medical and Health Department in 1977, 1978 and 1982 respectively. Why did they make the same career choice?

Sing-joe, the eldest of the three siblings, was a consultant at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) and the Chief of Service of the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology at PMH and Yan Chai Hospital before his retirement. Hip-cho works as a part-time consultant in the Ear, Nose and Throat Department at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and in private practice. Wai-cho is a full-time consultant (Medicine & Geriatrics) at PMH.

Was Wai-cho's decision to become a doctor influenced by his two elder brothers? “I even didn't ask their opinion on the subject! I just followed what my heart and my instincts,” he explains. Sing-joe adds: “My brothers are smart men. They were very clear on planning their own futures.”

The Yu brothers have two other siblings. This photo, taken at Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens in Central, shows the brothers and sisters lined up in order of age. Sing-joe, the eldest, stands on the far left.

While the brothers are happy to talk about their careers, when the discussion shifts to family matters, especially their mother, they become much more animated. “We grew up as part of a working-class family. We really appreciated the financial and emotional support our parents gave us,” says Sing-joe. “When I was in junior high school, my mother once spared an entire afternoon to take me to Central to buy a porcelain dog that cost one dollar to reward me for my good exam results.”

“I remember that too,” says Wai-cho with a smile on his face. “It motivated me to try to do better than him!” However, Hip-cho emphasises that they never argued or felt envious of each other.
After all, they can now all be proud of their many personal achievements – proof that the efforts of their parents all those years ago led to life-long excellent results!