The Hong Kong Orthopaedic Association was formed in 1965 with Prof Hodgson as the first President. Academic and social functions for the Orthopaedic fraternity in Hong Kong were organized by the HKOA. In 1983, the Board of Orthopaedic Surgery with Prof John Leong as Chairman was set up under the auspices of HKOA. The role was to organize and coordinate programmes for our junior Orthopaedic trainees. The first local FRACS Exam was held in 1985.

Around 1987, the general surgeons in Hong Kong were preparing to set up a College of Surgeons and invited Orthopaedic surgeons to join them as a Faculty. After a lot of discussions and deliberations, we decided to set up our own College, the Hong Kong College of Orthopaedic Surgeons (HKCOS), independent of the surgeons. The first AGM was held on 30 April 1987. Prof Sir Harry Fang was elected President. Prof John Leong was Vice President and Prof PC Leung was Censor. The other workhorses included Dr York Chow as Hon Secretary and Dr David Fang as Hon Treasurer. We became one of the first specialty colleges to be formed, only after the HK College of General Practitioners.

Dr Keith Halnan’s report stipulated the formation of the HK Academy of Medicine with 7 colleges and 6 faculties. We were relegated to a faculty under the yet to be formed College of Surgeons. After long and hard lobbying, HKCOS was elevated to College status in 1990.

In Jan 1993, Prof PC Leung was elected President. Together with Dr David Fang and Dr York Chow, they worked hectically to iron out the differences between our Constitution and the HKAM Constitution. On 9 December 1993, the HKAM inauguration was officiated by Governor Chris Patten. HKCOS became one of the 12 Colleges under this statutory body, with 116 Orthopaedic Surgeons admitted as Foundation Fellows.

Meanwhile, the Australasian College had stopped coming to HK after the Apr 1991 examination. At the same time, the Education Committee had been working earnestly on the future model of Orthopaedic training. Finally it was decided that it should be a 6 years training with an entry examination after the first 3 years. The first local HKCOS Examination was conducted in Oct 1994 with Prof Sean Hughes and Mr Souter as external examiners. Hospital accreditation was conducted with our overseas experts.

Prof John Leong presided over HKCOS in 1995 to 1996. At that time, having a conjoint examination was only a minority view in the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Our Council worked fervently to change this. Eventually, the first conjoint Examination with RCSEdin was held in 1997. Successful candidates were awarded the diplomas of both the HKCOS and the Edinburgh College. The Continuous Medical Education Sub-committee was set up in 1996 when Prof KM Chan was Censor. Fellows were required to report their continuous medical education activities.

Prof KM Chan became President for 1997-98. The first Newsletter was published in 1997 to foster better communication with our Fellows. In collaboration with HKOA, we established our HK Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery in 1997 with Dr WC Wu being the Editor-in-chief. With the HKAM Building ready, we started to move into our own office in late 1998. In previous years, Council meetings were held in the HK Country Club only. A manpower survey was conducted, led by Dr PY Lau, giving a full picture of the existing manpower situation and projection of future needs.

Prof Keith DK Luk took up the Presidency for 1999 to 2000. Curriculum review was initiated when Prof Luk was Censor in the previous Council. Many specialists in various fields helped to compile a Core Curriculum for Orthopaedic Training which was published in 1999. The Council initiated discussion with mainland Chinese institutions and the Chinese Orthopaedic Association on the standardization and accreditation of Orthopaedic training in China. HKCOS is one of the first Colleges developing in this area. The Exam in 2000 was the first time that a Singaporean candidate participated. However, in an earlier EGM, Fellows voted not to grant FHKCOS to successful candidates from outside of Hong Kong. Our College website was set up with the help of Dr Eric Chien. We employed our first full time staff Ms Irene Yu as executive secretary in 2000. There had been ongoing discussions with the HK College of Physicians in the previous few years on the development of rehabilitation subspecialty. Prof Sir Harry Fang, Prof PC Leung, Dr MS Wong and Dr YC So formed a working group to study this matter. In line with the change in UK from FRCS to AFRCS and MRCS, new trainees would change to a new 2 + 4 years of training programme.

Dr SH Yeung was the President for 2001 to 2002. A Tutorial programme was set up by Dr WK Ngai, with specialists tutoring higher trainees in small groups according to their class. The meeting files of our Saturday Interhospital Meetings were compiled into Orthopaedic Grand Round by Dr CW Chan. This was sent out to all colleagues as CD-ROMs and also published in our website. An examiners’ course was conducted in 2001. With the active participation of 40 Fellows, this Course marked the first step taken by the College to unify the concept and methods adopted by potential local examiners and hence to improve the consistency and reliability of the Examination. The number of local examiners participating in each examination was reduced so as to increase the consistency in the assessment and marking in the examination.

A Retreat for all Fellows was held in 2002, discussing on the development of rehabilitation, manpower, subspecialization and link with China. A new Working Group on Orthopaedic Rehabilitation was formed with Dr York Chow as Chairman and Dr MS Wong as coordinator. The curriculum was prepared. HKCOS and HKOA co-organized the Beijing Hong Kong Exchange Conference with Chinese Medical Association and HKMA in Oct 2001. The HKCOS Research Grant was set up as a new alternative source of funding, especially useful for colleagues not working in university hospitals for their research projects.

The President for 2003-04 was Prof KS Leung. SARS struck HK in 2003. Training activities were slightly affected but the work of the Council continued. Development of the Rehabilitation subspecialty continued with the help of Dr SY Chun and other colleagues. Over 100 First Fellows were admitted. The Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Subspecialty Board was formed with Dr Chun as Chairman. The Conferment Ceremony was held together with Rehabilitation Workshop in Oct 2004, attended by many local and international honorable guests. HKCOS and HKOA co-organized an exhibition titled “The Past and the Present of Orthopaedics” at the Museum of Medical Sciences from Aug to Oct 2003. HKCOS also collaborated with HKOA in publishing a monograph “Half a Century of Orthopaedics in Hong Kong”. The Chief Editor was Dr KT Chan. It was launched at a big press conference during the HKOA Annual Congress in Nov 2004. The public was informed of the rapid advancement in Orthopaedics during this time.

To follow up on the manpower issue from the previous Retreat, this Council worked towards controlling the intake of Higher Orthopaedic Trainees to five a year from Jul 2005. On external relationships, this Council continued to liaise with the Chinese Orthopaedic Association. Chinese surgeons were invited to observe our examinations. The Council discussed with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons on the collaboration in training and the sharing of educational material.

Dr PY Lau assumed the Presidency for 2005-06. Relationship with Mainland China developed rapidly. HK Academy of Medicine signed a Memorandum of Undertaking with the Ministry of Health, with Orthopaedics being one of 4 specialties for pilot cooperation. There was a lot of discussion with our Chinese counterparts. Dr Lau visited Beijing several times, and visited the Jishuitan Hospital (JST) with Mr John Smith, President of RCSEdin, and Dr Samuel Kwok, President of CSHK in Mar 2006. At the College EGM in May 2005, it was decided that we shall accept mainland doctors to sit for our fellowship examination after accredited training which is comparable to ours. In Oct 2006, 6 candidates from JST came to HK for the MRCS and 5 passed the Part I and Part II exam. A preparatory course was organized for JST trainees in Beijing in Dec 2006 with the help of Dr KH Mak and Prof WY Lau. The 5 candidates came to HK from Jan to Mar 2007 for attachment.

HKCOS together with HKOA co-organized with the Chinese Orthopaedic Association their First International Congress in Nov 2006 in Beijing. A total of 92 delegates joined this great meeting and many visited the JST Hospital. On Rehabilitation Subspecialty, annual congresses were held and regular didactic lectures started. Dr SY Chun, the Chairman of the Board visited Helsinki, Finland. Agreement was made to allow our trainees to attach to the ORTON and Synapsia Centres for rehabilitation training. Orthopaedic rehabilitation training centres in HK were inspected and the first batch of trainees enrolled. HKCOS participated in a series of health talks on Orthopaedic subjects on the Radio Television HK in 2005. HKCOS co-organized the final programme of the Quincentenary celebration of RCSEdin in HK in Oct 2006. HKCOS organized a very successful International Symposium on Disaster Medical Response in Dec 2006. It was well attended by our colleagues, doctors of other specialties, Red Cross, Police, Security Bureau, Fire Services etc. Due to the changes in contract situation of trainees, the fellowship examination was moved from Dec to May from 2005 onwards.

Dr. Ngai Wai Kit was elected as the president of HKCOS in 2007-2008. After thorough discussion and consultation among the Fellows, Trainers and Trainee as well as departmental visits of various HA Hospitals, the criteria of "Surgical Log Book Requirement" for the higher orthopaedic training has been finalized by the education committee. Our college was invited by the Minister of Health to join the pilot scheme in the development of Specialist Training System in Mainland. Afterwards, Jishuitan Hospital was accredited as the training center for higher orthopaedic training under the conjoint programme of the HKCOS and RCSEd. A training system comparable to HK has been set up and six month-training in HK for JST Hospital HOTs has been arranged. A new Category of Ad Hominem Fellow was introduced and Prof Tian Wei was the first person to attain the fellowship. Public Information Committee was formed in Mar 2007 and Dr. Louis Hsu was appointed as the Committee Chairman. Website of PIC has been launched and a series of public educational activities have been conducted such as press release and RTHK programme. The first exit assessment for Fellowship of Orthopaedic Rehabilitation was held in May 2008.

Professor Hung Leung Kim became the president for 2008-2010. Working with The College of Surgeons of Hong Kong, a new format of Intermediate Examination was introduced together with the structure and curriculum of basic surgical training revised. The Sir Harry Fang Oration was established with the focus on the promotion of Orthopaedic Rehabilitation. After reviewing the Memorandum and Articles of Association, two new positions including the President-Elect and the Deputy Censor have been incorporated into the HKCOS Council. The Musculoskeletal Tumor Clinical Attachment Program was proposed in 2009.

Dr. Chow Yuk Yin was the president for 2010-2012. Mainland Orthopaedic Training Expert Group has been formed to follow up and support the standard and requirements of HOT training in JST Hospital as well as seeking for opportunity of collaboration with other mainland institutions. The Expert Group members included Dr. WK Ngai, Prof LK Hung, Dr. PY Lau, Prof KS Leung, Prof Keith DK Luk and Prof. Tian Wei. The Accreditation of Rehabilitation training centers of the seven clusters of Hospital Authority in HK has been accomplished by the Rehabilitation subspecialty board in 2011. The first HKCOS and Macau Orthopaedic Association Joint Meeting with focus on Orthopaedics Specialist Training has been conducted successfully in August 2012.

Professor Cheung Man Chee, Kenneth took up the Presidency for 2012-14. The relationship between the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and our college has been revisited. In order to make the College exit examination more international, the possibility of inviting a non-Edinburgh college examiner has been explored. Furthermore, the Hong Kong College of Orthopaedic Surgeons Regulations on Specialist Training and Examination was reviewed and subsequently endorsed by the council of HKCOS and Hong Kong Medical Council. The major change was the issue of Core Training Points, allocated to the structured training activities organized by college including Saturday Inter-hospital Meeting, Clinical Tutorial and Specialty Day. The new curriculum of Hong Kong Intercollegiate Board of Surgical College has also been implemented for basic training. Concerning the subspecialty development, Post-Fellowship Subspecialty Training Steering Committee has contemplated pursuing Diploma courses for the enhancement of training and education in subspecialties.

The president for 2014-16 was Professor Chiu Kwong Yuen, Peter. The first non-Edinburgh college examiner Dr. James Waddell from Canada was invited for the college exit examination since 2015. PIC committee has conducted the plan to revamp PIC website. Young Fellows Committee was formed in Dec 2016 with the help of Convener Dr. Sally Cheng and Dr. James Wan. Dr. WP Yau plays a pivotal role in the project of electronic data system for trainee and fellows. It is a web-based system processing member's personal data, electronic logbook system and electronic CME/CPD system. Curriculum review for the Rehabilitation Subspecialty has been done. A 2-year cycle of tutorials of different topics for the advanced rehabilitation trainee has been set up.

Professor Patrick SH Yung took up the Presidency for 2016-18. In order to provide high quality Orthopaedic training, the post-fellowship subspecialty training and development committee was set up in 2017. An agreement with the Evidence-Based-Orthopaedics (EBO) service of CUHK was established to run consultative services for Orthopaedic Trainees conducting clinical researches, while scientific clinical research workshops with invited local and overseas experts were conducted for trainees. The "HKCOS - Orthopaedic Students Group" was founded in the year 2018, with the inaugural meeting conducted in November 2018.

HKCOS continued to revise the training program and curriculum to match the development of Orthopaedics. The PIC web site was upgraded to a responsive web design (RWD) across computers, tablets and mobile phones in September 2017. HKCOS collaborated with the Chinese Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (CAOS) to run conjoint scientific sessions, the CAOS annual congress, in 2017 and 2018. The HKCOS also collaborated with the Hong Kong College of Emergency Medicine and the Hong Kong Sports Institute for symposiums in both 2017 and 2018.

Dr. Yau Wai Pan was elected for the presidency of the HKCOS from 2018 to 2020. Due to the social unrest in late 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, a majority of face-to-face academic activities were cancelled during this period. With the help of Dr. Law Sheung Wai, the College introduced online meetings two weeks after the first COVID-19 case was diagnosed in Hong Kong. Inter-hospital meetings and clinical tutorials were continued in the form of weekly online events since then. The visibility of the College to other parts of the world was increased by collaborating with SICOT and other international organizations in hosting a number of online educational webinars and symposiums. Online examiner workshops and examination preparatory courses were arranged with the support of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the College's Honorary Fellow, Mr. Kevin Sherman. Thanks to the efforts of the Chief examiner, Professor Yung Shu Hang, HKCOS was the only college under the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine that managed to conduct professional examinations with real patients in 2020. Reforms in examination format were carried out. The written examination was changed to an all-MCQ format and the examination assessor system was introduced that year. With the help of the Chief Censor, Dr. Chan Ying Kei, the Curriculum review committee was formed in 2019. Reviews regarding training capacity, training system and format of the exit examination were carried out. The possibility of establishing the college's own basic orthopaedic examination was explored. Consultation paper on the HKCOS Orthopaedic Training Curriculum Review 2020 was prepared. Four HKCOS Medical Education Forums have been conducted in these two years to collect opinions from fellows and trainees. With the support of the Honorary Secretary, Dr. Chan Wai Lam, the electronic CME/CPD and personal data system was launched, a milestone for the college's IT development. An online intra-college server system was built to facilitate council members' and the secretarial office's assess college documents. A review on the requirement of hospital accreditation was completed. The college website was revamped with new webpages on the college's costume, Honorary and Ad Hominem fellows, and college's Newsletter.