Medical education in the People's Republic of China

Medical education in the People's Republic of China is described as it was seen on a 10-week trip in 1973. The information was collected from five medical schools which were visited personally as well as from practitioners and citizens. An overview of the health care system indicates the relationships between education and practice. The three-year medical curricula from the five medical schools are reasonably similar; and in the state-controlled system of health care they are integrated with postgraduate training and continuing education. Goals of the educational programs, entrance procedures, and the medical school experience are discussed. The literature on medical education and practice in China is reviewed and compared with the data available during this recent visit. The lessons which might be learned are the methods of offering health care to massive populations and the organization of health professionals and paraprofessionals for such programs.