HKU Teacher Wins Asia’s Most Innovative Teacher Award 2025 by Times Higher Education
Mr. Ki Sum Samson Wong, an Assistant Lecturer in the Medical Ethics and Humanities Unit of the School of Clinical Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has been recognized as the “Most Innovative Teacher of the Year” in Asia for 2025 by Times Higher Education (THE). This accolade is notable as Wong is the first recipient of a standalone award at the THE Awards Asia.
Innovative Teaching Methodology
Wong’s teaching methodology incorporates the video game *That Dragon, Cancer* into his medical training curriculum. Developed by bereaved parents, the game serves as a powerful resource for medical students to comprehend the nuances of anticipatory grief experienced by caregivers of terminally ill patients. Since 2022, Wong has integrated this immersive tool into his medical humanities courses targeted at second-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students, fostering empathy regarding the emotional difficulties faced by families during end-of-life care.
Positive Student Feedback
Post-class surveys indicate that 89% of students involved in the program found Wong’s approach effective in enhancing their understanding of anticipatory grief related to medical practice. Additionally, Wong’s innovative teaching methods were highlighted in a publication last year in the journal *Medical Education*.
Recognition from Educational Judges
Judges from THE acknowledged Wong’s contributions, stressing the importance of addressing anticipatory grief in medical education, a subject that is frequently neglected in conventional curricula. They commended the beneficial effects of utilizing digital technologies to engage medical students at the onset of their training.
Personal Commitment to Grief Literacy
Wong attributes his commitment to developing grief literacy training to the experiences of a family caregiver who faced significant grief and guilt while witnessing the suffering of a spouse during a terminal illness, particularly in the context of restricted hospital visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. He aims to equip his students with the understanding necessary to support families in grief through his initiatives in the medical humanities curriculum.
(Source: University of Hong Kong)
