Medical education in China

Western science-based medical education in China is among the most demanding in the world. It has developed rapidly since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The growth has been especially dramatic following the adoption of national reform and openness policies nearly 20 years ago. Western science-based medical education in China has been largely based on the models laid down at the beginning of the twentieth century. Among the earliest attempts to create a Western science-based medical education program in China was Peking Union Medical College found by the Rockefeller Foundation in 1917.

The length of Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) in China normally lasts five or seven years. After completing basic education, the majority of graduates are expected to go directly into medical practice. The five-year program is designed to produce future practicing doctors who are not only expected to have a knowledge and understanding of the basic medical sciences and possess certain clinical skills, but are also expected to have knowledge of preventive medicine. The seven-year program, studies in the medical basic sciences and clinical practice are closely linked. The courses are spread over seven years and when successfully completed lead to both a bachelor and master degree. English-medium MBBS in China for international students normally lasts five to six years. MBBS program for international student in China aims to educate students with solid medical knowledge and standard clinical skills to the possible needs for them to serve in their home or other countries.