Professor Paul Tam to receive 2020 Rehbein Medal
Professor Paul Tam Kwong Hang of the University of Hong Kong has been named the recipient of the Rehbein Medal for 2020 by the European Pediatric Surgeons’ Association (EUPSA), in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the advancement of pediatric surgery. EUPSA is the largest association of pediatric surgeons worldwide. The Rehbein Medal is presented during the EUPSA annual congress to a distinguished paediatric surgeon for outstanding lifetime achievements in pediatric surgery, and for his or her significant contribution to the progress and international acknowledgment of the field.
Since its inception in 2005, the Rehbein Medal has been awarded to ten surgeons in Europe and five in the US. Tam is the first surgeon in Asia to be presented with this prestigious award.
Currently the chair of pediatric surgery and Li Shu-Pui Professor in Surgery at the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of HKU, Tam also serves as HKU’s interim provost and deputy vice-chancellor. His research interests include minimally invasive surgery, genetics and regenerative medicine of birth defects, especially Hirschsprung’s disease.
Coincidentally, the late Professor Fritz Rehbein (1911 to 1991), after whom the EUPSA medal was named, was best known for pioneering the surgical technique of deep rectal anastomosis for treating children with Hirschsprung’s disease.
In addition to his significant contributions to pediatric surgery, Tam also serves on many international professional associations and has led several projects in developing pediatric surgery in less affluent communities, especially in China, over the last two decades. The Rehbein Medal 2020 is the latest in a list of accolades Tam has received over the course of his career. He has been awarded the Denis Browne Gold Medal 2017, the Honorary Fellowship of the American Surgical Association and the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Asian Association of Pediatric Surgeons. Professor Paul Tam was the Director of a Croucher Advanced Study Institute in 2000.
“I’m deeply grateful for this recognition, which is not only for myself, but also for the team of clinicians, researchers and support staff who have worked tirelessly alongside me over the years at HKU. To be listed with the 15 other Rehbein medalists, who are all pioneers and giants in the field, is an immense honour. I’m indebted to my team, family, teachers, peers, patients and the University for their support,” said Tam, who will receive the award at EUPSA’s Congress held in June 2020 in Vienna, Austria.