Preferences for training needs of village doctors in China: a systematic review

Village doctors, as gatekeepers of the health system for rural residents in China, are often confronted with adversity in providing the basic public healthcare services.

We sought to summarize the training contents, training method, training location, and training costs most preferred by village doctors in China and hope to provide evidence and support for the government to deliver better training in the future.

Eight databases were searched to include studies that reported on the training needs of village doctors in China. We undertook a systematic review and a narrative synthesis of data.

A total of 38 cross-sectional studies including 35,545 participants were included. In China, village doctors have extensive training needs. "Clinical knowledge and skill" and "diagnosis and treatment of common disease" were the most preferred training content; "continuing medical education" was the most preferred delivery method; above county- and county-level hospitals were the most desirable training locations, and the training costs were expected to be low or even free.

Village doctors in various regions of China have similar preferences for training. Thus, future training should focus more on the training needs and preferences of village doctors.