Southeast Asia’s Respect for Chinese Medical Education

by Dr.Das Bikash Kali

Medical education makes a profound impact on the healthcare system. Across Asia， China， Georgia， Israel， Japan， and India are the top five countries in terms of medical education and research. Chinas medical education system has matured as important reforms have been embraced. Especially renowned among Southeast Asian students， Chinas clinical medical education has become one of the most popular programs for foreign students since China opened its classrooms in the field in 2004.

Tracking educational reforms that have continued since 1995 is key to understanding Chinas current education system. More than a decade has passed since China began investing heavily in helping its institutions deliver world-class education.

College enrollment and education reforms in modern Chinese history can be placed in three categories： Project 211， established in 1995， covers 116 institutions and continues to strengthen research standards in Chinas top institutions； Project 985， introduced in 1998， focuses on building 39 world-class universities during the 21st century； And World Class 2.0 or Double First-Class University Plan， introduced in 2015， upped the ante to 42 worldclass universities by 2050.

Medical colleges have also been developing under Chinas education reform projects. The latest medical education development plan in China was introduced on July 11， 2017. It consists of a “5+3 training system” for medical students （a five-year program of undergraduate clinical medicine plus a three-year resident training or postgraduate program）. Previous reforms produced a highlyvalued Chinese education system known for optimal regulation and top-quality infrastructure， labs， equipment， and faculty.

According to the World Health Organization， an appropriate doctor to population ratio is 1：1，000. In India， the doctor to population ratio is 1：1，800 whereas in China it is 1.8：1，000. Medical degrees are highly sought by Indian students， and China provides some of the best options in Asia to deliver international education to foreign students from countries like India.

In contrast， Indias university system has yet to attempt to attract foreign students or internationalize its schools. In 2019， Indias National Medical Commission （NMC） was introduced to oversee medical education. The NMC bill outlined a uniform “National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test” （NEET） for admissions to undergraduate and postgraduate specialized medical education in all medical institutions under its jurisdiction. It also introduced a common final year undergraduate examination called the “National Exit Test” for Indian students graduating from medical institutions before they could obtain licensing to practice medicine. This test will also determine admission into postgraduate courses at medical institutions.

After the SARS epidemic in 2003， China invested heavily in higher education quality and introduced many programs in English as well as scholarships for non-Chinese Asian students. China has attracted more foreign students from Asia than anywhere else on the continent and is quickly becoming Asias education hub. Today， more than 60，000 medical doctors trained in China since 2004 are practicing medicine in India. Indian doctors who studied in China are playing a major role in transferring ideas and practices in the health sector of India.

One downside to the trend is that international students rarely find an opportunity to work in China after graduation. Institutions in China and other countries could work to establish a platform to provide work opportunities for international students with international organizations or Chinese medical institutions upon graduation. Such a development would make Chinese education even more valuable and attractive to international students.