The Digby Memorial Lecture was initiated by the Department of Surgery in 1969, in honour of Professor Kenelm Hutchison Digby, to invite speakers of eminence within and outside medicine to deliver a distinguished lecture in their area of excellence. Professor KH Digby was the first to make academic and professional contributions to surgery in Hong Kong. He held the Chair of Surgery at The University of Hong Kong from 1923 to 1945. Past speakers of the Lecture series include such luminaries as Sir Harry Fang, Mr. Vincent Cheng, Mr. Norman Chan, Professor Masatoshi Makuuchi, and more.

This prestigious event is held in the Underground Lecture Theatre, New Clinical Building in Queen Mary Hospital. A Black-tie Dinner in honour of the orator follows the oration.

Year Orator Topic

24 May

2024

Mr. Jason CHIU, Hong Kong

Harnessing Failures and Meta-Learning in the Age of AI

Photos and video

30 June

2023

Mr. Henry Hung-Ling FAN, Hong Kong

HA - From Success to Victim of Success -- What’s next?

Photos and video

16 May

2019

Prof. Xiang ZHANG, Hong Kong

Creating Material that Do Not Exist in Nature: From Invisibility Cloak to Super Lens Imaging

Photos and video

13 Apr

2018

Mr. Frederick S. MA, Hong Kong

The Grey Swan Crisis: Our Aging Population

Photos and video

08 Apr

2017

Mr. Jack C.K. SO, Hong Kong

Keep Hong Kong Flying High

Photos and video

08 Apr

2016 

Dr. Allan ZEMAN Hong Kong

Turning I Wish into I Will – The Future of Hong Kong

Photos and video 

10 Apr

2015

Mr. Norman T.L. CHAN, Hong Kong 

Who Would Mortgage Their Children

Photos and video 

17 Jan

2014 

Dr. Sze-Tong CHAN, Hong Kong 

The Surgeon as Humanitarian

Photos and video 

04 Jan

2013 

Dr. Wing-Man KO, Hong Kong 

Health Reform - A Balancing Act

Photos and video 

14 Jan

2012 

Mr. Anthony T.Y. WU, Hong Kong  A Recipe for Disaster Leadership

22 Jan

2011 

Mr. Philip N.L. CHEN, Hong Kong  Great Cities 

09 Jan

2010

Professor Edward K.Y. CHEN, Hong Kong
A New Global Economy After The Financial Tsunami 

12 Jul

2008 

Mr. John C.C. CHAN, Hong Kong  Customer Service and The Medical Profession 

13 Jul

2007 

Professor York CHOW, Hong Kong  Surgical Approaches and Public Administration 

08 Jul

2006 

Mr. Vincent CHENG, Hong Kong  What's Ailing Asia - One Banker's Perspective 
2005  Dr. Victor FUNG, Hong Kong  Nurturing Our Future Generations 
2004  Dr. Alice LAM, Hong Kong  High Education - Changes and Opportunities 
2003  Dr. William HO, Hong Kong
Reflections on SARS - Both Sides Now 
2002  Professor Thomas R. RUSSELL, U.S.A  The Globalisation of Surgical Care: The American College of Surgeons' Role 
2001  Professor Masatoshi MAKUUCHI, Japan  Problem of Liver Transplantation in Asia And Their Solutions 
2000
Professor Sir Harry FANG, Hong Kong
The Knife is not Enough
1999 Professor Che-Hung LEONG, Hong Kong The Hong Kong Surgeons in the New Millennium
1987
Dr. Kah-Leong THONG, Hong Kong
Medical and Health System with Special Reference to Hong Kong
1982
Professor James B. GIBSON, Hong Kong
Primary Cancers of The Liver
1982
Professor F.J. GILLINGHAM, U.K.
The Surgical Management of Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysms - A Thirty-Year Study

1980

Professor Henry NGAN, Hong Kong
Radiology of The Liver - From a Local Viewpoint

1979

Professor Sir Edward S.R. HUGHES, Australia
Which Surgeons?

1978

Dr. George CHOA, Hong Kong
Surgical Management of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media

1978

Dr. K.C. MCKEOWN, U.K.
Surgical Treatment of Cancer of the Oesophagus
1976
Professor Brian LOFTS, Hong Kong
Testicular Function: A Comparative Viewpoint

1976

Professor H.W. SCOTT, U.S.A
The Surgical Management of Patients With Morbid Obesity

1974

Professor Hung-Chiu HO, Hong Kong

The Epidemiology of Nasopharyngeal Carcinom

1973
Dr. H.B. TORRANCE, U.K.

Modern Trends in the Surgery of the Biliary Tract And Pancreas

1972

Professor Daphne CHUN, Hong Kong

Choriocarcinoma in Hong Kong

1972  Professor W.C. MACKENZIE, Canada

Surgery in the Undergraduate Medical Curriculum: To Be or Not To Be?

1970

Dr. Tiaw-Bee TEOH, Hong Kong

The Pathologist and Surgical Pathology of Head and Neck Tumours

1969 Professor Sir John BRUCE, U.K.

Retrospect and Prospect: Reflections on Surgical Practice and Education