Ares Leung graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 1984. He describes himself as a failed houseman. When he applied for training in the unit where he had O&G internship, he was the only one of 6 classmates who was not allowed to begin training in that hospital. His name was sent to another regional hospital, only for further reallocation to the Prince of Wales Hospital, where there was no intern in 1985. He met his most important mentor Prof Allan Chang there. Younger readers hopefully feel better when they face less favorable times in career: do not give up, and yes you can. Even stubborn and stupid Ares who was a failed houseman could later be specialty leader.

Ares spent 8 years serving Prince of Wales Hospital O&G. Half the time he was Medical and Health Officer and the other half he was clinical lecturer. He brought from Europe to HK the art of operative laparoscopy, and assisted surgeons in early cases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. He was most interested in operative hysteroscopy himself. His international publication list grew reasonably quickly. He was founding treasurer of a trade union, the University Medical Doctors Association. The trade union said a loud and bold no to disparity in returns between doctors with similar roles.

Prof Allan Chang diagnosed the reason behind departure of Ares as depression. To some extent it was right. Ares was disillusioned about the ways some teaching staffs interacted with one another, their values and priorities.  A year before he left CUHK, still at a loss what next to do, he told Prof Chang that he was leaving and there was no need to consider him for promotion. The naive young man believed that honesty with his mentor were the most important. He was right, and he is still in very good terms with his professional father Prof Chang.

Ares started his personal practice in Tsimshatsui, with a lot of difficulty, in 1993. Problems could be solved only with assistance from his loving wife. The latter simply put down everything else and plunged into the unknown field of clinic organization for her foolish husband. The practice grew stably. He made another bold decision, to start a practice with equal emphasis in Shatin, a then insane concept. It turns out it was a most rewarding business decision.

Babies are delivered at unpredictable time in various private hospitals. Ares believed that care is improved when more than one doctor work together. He added his first partner within 2 years of his private practice. One teacher advised that the experiment could destroy his practice. Again, it turns out that group practice works under good hands.

Partners were added one after another, very slowly over years. The core value cherished was that of brother-hood. Money was not a problem, because none of the doctors were concerned about it.  It turned out that money came by itself when the provider forgot about it.

In 1999, Ares was asked to take care of the Operating Theatre of Union Hospital. In 2001, the Hospital asked him to form the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Ares could not have believed that the Hospital would consider doing so at first. He built the department on basis of preserving difference while seeking similarity. At the same time, mutual support and goodwill allowed standards to follow ideals.

In 2005, Ares was asked to take care of clinical governance in Union Hospital, as Deputy Medical Director of the institute. He kept building medical teams, on pure professional and service basis. His biggest professional pride, was related to establishment of the first and still only private Accidents and Emergency centre in Hong Kong. The work allowed a choice for our good A&E specialists other than HA employment. Ares is grateful to his young A&E specialists, who dispelled concepts about anything being impossible. Yes, they can.

His work was recognized by friends across sectors, and he served a long time in the HK College of O&G. He was elected president of College in 2013.

Ares served as member of the Education and Accreditation Committee of the HK Medical Council 2009-2015. He served the committee with new ideas. He was very glad to find the committee evolving on concept of appropriateness in judgement, when he retired from his 2 terms of 3-year services.

In the years to come, and probably towards the end of his professional career, Ares prays to found a pocket wherein doctors may humbly practice ethically, honestly and professionally.