An advocacy group for patient rights says it's no surprise that Shanghai's Fudan University has become the first mainland institution to have its medical degree recognised in Hong Kong.

On Wednedsay, the government added another 23 institutions to an approved list allowing non-locally trained doctors to work here without taking a local licensing exam. There are now 50 institutions on the list.

Alex Lam, from the group Hong Kong Patients' Voices, told RTHK that Fudan University ranked in the top 80 places international rankings and had a high standard of teaching, but added that it remained to be seen whether its graduates would choose to work here.

"It's not a surprise that this university is being listed," said Mr Lam. "[But] it is really a matter for the doctors graduating from high-standard medical schools around the world, whether they want to come to work in Hong Kong."