Oncology Education Reform in China: Aligning Clinical Training with the New Medical Science Mandate

Oncology education is experiencing a critical mismatch between traditional training models and the competencies required for modern cancer care. Within China’s New Medical Science initiative, efforts are underway to reform the clinical talent pipeline. This article examines the structural limitations of undergraduate oncology exposure, the tension between subspecialization and time-based postgraduate rotations, and the lack of systematic integration of genomics and artificial intelligence literacy. Three reform directions are proposed: transitioning from apprenticeship-based observation to competency-based assessment using frameworks such as Entrustable Professional Activities, embedding precision oncology competencies into formal curricula, and implementing longitudinal communication skills training anchored in protocols like SPIKES. Because oncology is characterized by rapid knowledge expansion and intense interdisciplinary collaboration, it serves as an ideal proving ground for broader clinical education reform. The path forward requires a deliberate shift from knowledge transmission to competence cultivation and from isolated practice to team-based, humanistic care.