Research Focus
Ophthalmology digital health, generative artificial intelligence, multimodal artificial intelligence, and the application of artificial intelligence in clinical practice. Suitable student majors: clinical medicine (especially ophthalmology and medical imaging), biomedical engineering, public health, health informatics, computer science, artificial intelligence, and data science.
Programme Structure and Funding
Direct PhD for undergraduate students: 4 years. Research master’s: 3 years. Taught master’s: 4 years.
Entry Requirements
- Academic background: 1) A first-class honours bachelor’s degree (GPA≥3.6) in computer science, biomedical engineering, robotics or a related discipline, or a master’s degree in a related field (GPA≥3.0). 2) Practical project experience. 3) Conference papers or publications in first-tier journals are preferred.
- Language scores: 1) IELTS≥6.5. 2) TOEFL≥80. 3) A degree obtained in an English-speaking country may exempt the language requirement.
Application Materials
- Academic certificates and transcripts. 2) Personal statement and CV. 3) Research proposal. 4) 2 academic reference letters.
Application Period
Intake: September. Application deadlines for local/non-local students — Round 1: 17 October of the previous year; Round 2: 27 February of the same year. Application process:
- Applicants submit a CV, which will undergo a preliminary assessment.
- Those who pass the initial screening will be invited to a private interview with a potential supervisor.
- After passing the interview, application materials must be formally submitted through the official website.
- Offer of admission received.
Tuition and Living Costs
- Tuition: approximately RMB 11,000 per credit (X48 credits), totalling approximately RMB 540,000.
Career Prospects
- Clinical medicine: serving as a specialist doctor handling complex cases, employed by high-end private hospitals (such as Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital and Hong Kong Adventist Hospital) to focus on high-demand areas such as refractive surgery, cataracts and retinal diseases, with significant income potential. 2. Academic positions: joining ophthalmology research teams at local Hong Kong universities (such as The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and The Chinese University of Hong Kong) as postdoctoral fellows, assistant professors or researchers, leading projects in visual science, gene therapy, AI-assisted diagnosis and related topics. 3. Core roles in pharmaceutical companies: joining multinational pharmaceutical companies (such as Novartis and Roche) or local biotechnology companies as medical advisors or clinical R&D managers, leading clinical trials and registration of new ophthalmic drugs. 4. Government and international organisations: employed by the Department of Health of Hong Kong, the World Health Organization (WHO) or the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), participating in regional eye health policy formulation and disease screening programme planning (such as the prevention and control of diabetic retinopathy).
