The achievements of Professor McFadzean and Professor Todd were hard acts to follow. Having been taught and groomed by both men, Professor T K Chan's research interests, clinical competence and administrative abilities found him equal to the task. He was therefore able to leave his mark and succeed under circumstances which might have overcome less able or less dedicated individuals. The establishment in 1991 of the Hospital Authority with its management reform and the devolution of budget management to the Department by the University, imposed heavy and more complex responsibilities. After his appointment as Chief of Service for Medicine in Queen Mary Hospital, he had to spend many long hours to acquaint himself with the basics of management skills in order to manage' the University department's own units and what was previously termed the Government Medical Unit. He also had to balance the one-line budget allocated to the Department by the University. In this respect, the acquisition of computers and the recruitment of a senior administrator must have saved the day. 

It needed a firm but understanding personality to manage what had become a huge department. It needed unique skills to give so many subspecialties maximum autonomy in order to develop their own individual characteristics and at the same time exercise just enough supervision and control to preserve a corporate spirit. It was a difficult and challenging task, but the necessary fine balance was achieved. By now, the Department comprised not only the facilities and staff at Queen Mary Hospital but also some in the Grantham, Tung Wah and Fung Yiu King hospitals as well as those in the General Practice Unit. In addition to academic staff appointed by the University, there was an equal complement of consultants, senior medical officers and medical officers from the Hospital Authority working under the same umbrella, as well as a host of technical, administrative and clerical staff. With the appointment of a consultant and medical officer, the geriatric unit was established a year ago. The first bone marrow transplant unit in Hong Kong was established in Queen Mary Hospital in 1990. A Diabetes Centre (funded by private donation in the early stage) opened in 1994 and has since become the prototype of the shared care concept advocated by the Hospital Authority. When David Todd became President of the Academy of Medicine, T K Chan succeeded him as the President of the College of Physicians, thus providing continuity for the further development of physician training in Hong Kong.