Professor WP Yau is the Clinical Associate Professor of the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology at the University of Hong Kong and the past President of the Hong Kong College of Orthopaedic Surgeons (HKCOS), which is the official organization in training orthopaedic specialists and conducting professional examinations in orthopaedic surgery in Hong Kong. Professor Yau was the Chief of the Division of Sports and Arthroscopic Surgery, The University of Hong Kong from 2008 to 2021 as well as the a member of The Senate of the University of Hong Kong from 2019 to 2022.

Professor Yau started his medical education at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) in 1987, and earned his medical degree in 1992.  After completing his medical internship in 1993, Professor Yau began his general surgical training at the Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) of Hong Kong and obtained the Fellowship of Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) in 1997.  He was then enrolled into the orthopaedic training program of the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, QMH.  He finished his orthopaedic residency training in 2000 and passed the fellowship examination in the same year with flying colours.  He was the winner of the gold medal of the conjoint examination in orthopaedic surgery jointly held by HKCOS and RCSEd.  Professor Yau was awarded the Fellow of the Hong Kong College of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine in 2001.

Professor Yau joined HKU in 2007.  He was appointed the Chief of  Division of Sports and Arthroscopic Surgery, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, QMH  in 2008. Dr. Yau was promoted to Clinical Associate Professor of Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, HKU in 2013. He was also appointed as the Honorary Clinical Consultant of Hospital Authority in August 2013. 

Professor Yau specializes in Sports Medicine and Adult Joint Reconstruction Surgery.  His major research interest lies in clinical outcome studies in these two areas.  This has led to the publication of more than 69 peer-reviewed articles, 2 book chapters and 88 conference papers.  Professor Yau has delivered more than 80 invited lectures and gives close to 190 presentations.  He had been invited to talk in a number of national and international orthopaedic conferences, including the annual congress of Chinese Orthopaedic Association, Egyptian Arthroscopy Association, Indonesian Orthopaedic Association, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA), Japanese Shoulder Society, Korean Orthoapedic Association, Singapore Orthopaedic Association (SOA), New Zealand Orthopaedic Association (NZOA), Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association, Asia-Pacific Knee Society, Annual Congress of Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine Society, International Congress of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery and SICOT Orthopaedic World Congress.

Professor WP Yau is one of the leaders of orthopaedic society in Hong Kong. He was the President of the Sports Medicine Chapter of Hong Kong Orthopaedic Association (HKOA) in 2012 and was the President of the Hong Kong College of Orthopaedic Surgeons from 2019 to 2020.

Professor Yau has received multiple awards, including the Author Yau Award of the HKOA in 1994 and 2004, the David Fang Trophy of the HKOA in 2004, the Harry Fang Gold Medal Award of the HKCOS in 2000, the Japan Orthopaedics and Traumatology Foundation Fellowship Award in 2008, the Best sports medicine paper award of the HKOA in 2010 and 2016, and the Orthopaedic Basic Science Award of the HKOA in 2014.  Professor Yau was selected as the ambassador representing the Hong Kong Orthopaedic Association to attend annual congress of sister national orthopaedic associations, including the JOA Annual Congress in 1995 and 2005, the NZOA Scientific Meeting in 2003 and 2005, and the SOA Annual Congress in 2006 and 2008.  

Professor Yau received the honor of “Top reviewers” of Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research in 2015 and 2016.  He has been the Deputy editor of the Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research since 2017 and a member of the editorial board of the American Journal of Sports Medicine since 2023.  He is also a reviewer of a number of international journals, including American Journal of Sports Medicine, Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Journal of Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery B.  

Professor Yau is active in providing orthopaedic education, both locally in Hong Kong and internationally.  

He was appointed as the Training Director of the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, HKU from 2008 to 2012 and served as a member in the Education Committee of the HKCOS from 2008 to 2016.  He was also the Convener of the Basic Orthopaedic Bioskill Workshop under the HKCOS since 2009 for a 5-year term. Professor Yau was appointed to be the Deputy censor of HKCOS in 2013, the Chief censor of HKCOS in 2015 and  the President-Elect of HKCOS in 2017.  Professor Yau was elected to be the President of HKCOS in 2019.  

Professor Yau was the organizer of SICOT Educational Day from 2011 to 2019.  SICOT is the biggest orthopaedic association in the world.  SICOT Educational Day is an annual international academic activities for the teaching of trainee and young fellows throughout the world. Professor Yau was appointed as the chairman of SICOT Educational Day Committee from 2018 to 2019, the chairman of SICOT Sports Traumatology and Arthroscopy Committee from 2019 to 2021, the SICOT National delegate of Hong Kong in 2020 to 2021, and the vice chairman of SICOT Congress Program Scientific Committee in 2021.