West China School of Medicine grew out of the School of Medicine of West China Union University (WCUU), set up in 1892 by the joint efforts of Christian missions. The school was one of the first of its kind in West China to grant doctoral degrees, and the medical graduates were granted a doctoral degree in medicine by WCUU and the State University of New York (SUNY), which agreed to recognize each other's medical degree. In 1981, Clinical Medicine became the first primary discipline leading to master and Ph.D. degrees. In 1988 and 2004, WCSM began to launch 7-year and 8-year programs of clinical medicine, which were awarded one of the first national featured specialties in 2007.In 2001, the School started to enroll international students in Clinical Medicine. WCSM takes a lead in medical education reform and participated in many national projects, such as “Reform teaching mode and cultivating top creative talents”, “Cultivating Medical Talents in 5-year program medical students”, and “5+3 Training Model for Master Degree”.
Clinical Medicine (8-year program)
1. Learning objectives
To educate qualified medical graduates with leadership who possess:
1) excellence, altruism, responsibilities, and accountability.
2) knowledge of social and basic science, solid scientific foundation of medicine, epidemiology, health economics, and health management;
3) clinical skills, teaching and research abilities, good bilingual communication, self-regulation, self-improvement, and a positive collaborative spirit.
2. Requirements
Students are required to have basic knowledge of nature science, social science, basic and clinical medicine, population health, medical professionalism, clinical skills, communication skills, information management, clinical skills, and critical thinking, problem-solving and life-long learning skills. The medical graduate must demonstrate:
1) recognition of the essential elements of the medical profession, including moral and ethical principles and legal responsibilities underlying the profession, enhancing the benefits of patients, profession and society as large;
2) solid scientific foundation of medicine to apply this knowledge to solve medical problems.
3) a knowledge and understanding of: the normal structure and function of the body as a complex adaptive system; abnormalities in body structure and function which occur in diseases; normal and abnormal human behavior; important determinants and risk factors of health and illnesses, and of the interaction between man and his physical and social environment; the molecular, cellular, biochemical and physiological mechanisms that maintain the body’s homeostasis;
the human life cycle and effects of growth, development and aging upon the individual, family and community; characteristics of Traditional Chinese Medicine and its principles; epidemiology and treatment of infectious diseases;
4）solid foundation of clinical skills, and knowledge of the etiology and natural history of acute illnesses and chronic diseases;
5) communication effectively both orally and in writing with and among patients, their relatives, members of the healthcare team and colleagues, and the public.
6) knowledge of their role and ability to take appropriate action in disease, injury and accident prevention and protection, and maintain and promote the health of individuals, families and community; an understanding of the basics of health systems including policies, organization, financing, cost-containment measures of rising healthcare costs, and principles of effective management of healthcare delivery; use of national, regional and local surveillance data, as well as demography and epidemiology in health decisions;
7) Basic research methods to search, collect, organize and interpret health and biomedical information from different databases and sources, retrieve patient-specific information from a clinical data system; use information and communication technology to assist in diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive measures.
8. Awareness of self of their own limitations, the need for regularly repeated self-assessment, and continuous undertaking of self-directed study. The ability to critically evaluate existing knowledge, technology and information is necessary for solving problems.
3. Required professional courses Offered:
Anatomy; Histology and Embryology; biochemistry; Physiology; Pathology; Pathophysiology; Diagnostics; Research-competency training model; Population health and society model; Internal and Surgical Medicine (System-organ based);
Pediatrics; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Traditional Chinese Medicine; General Medicine.
4. Schooling: 8 years (may extend to 12 years according to individual career planning)
5. Degree conferred: Doctor of Medicine
Clinical Medicine (5-year program)
1. Learning objectives
To educate qualified medical graduates who possess:
1) Excellence, altruism, responsibilities, and accountability.
2) Knowledge of social and basic science, solid scientific foundation of medicine, epidemiology, health economics, and health management;
3) Clinical skills, teaching and research abilities, good bilingual communication, self-regulation, self-improvement, and a positive collaborative spirit.
2. Requirements
Students are required to have basic knowledge of nature science, social science, basic and clinical medicine, population health, medical professionalism, clinical skills, communication skills, information management, clinical skills, and critical thinking, problem-solving and life-long learning skills. The medical graduate must demonstrate:
1) recognition of the essential elements of the medical profession, including moral and ethical principles and legal responsibilities underlying the profession, enhancing the benefits of patients, profession and society as large;
2) Solid scientific foundation of medicine to apply this knowledge to solve medical problems.
3) a knowledge and understanding of: the normal structure and function of the body as a complex adaptive system; abnormalities in body structure and function which occur in diseases; normal and abnormal human behavior; important determinants and risk factors of health and illnesses, and of the interaction between man and his physical and social environment; the molecular, cellular, biochemical and physiological mechanisms that maintain the body’s homeostasis; the human life cycle and effects of growth, development and aging upon the individual, family and community; characteristics of Traditional Chinese Medicine and its principles; epidemiology and treatment of infectious diseases;
4）solid foundation of clinical skills, and knowledge of the etiology and natural history of acute illnesses and chronic diseases;
5) Communicate effectively both orally and in writing with and among patients, their relatives, members of the healthcare team and colleagues, and the public.
6) knowledge of their role and ability to take appropriate action in disease, injury and accident prevention and protection, and maintain and promote the health of individuals, families and community; an understanding of the basics of health systems including policies, organization, financing, cost-containment measures of rising healthcare costs, and principles of effective management of healthcare delivery; use of national, regional and local surveillance data, as well as demography and epidemiology in health decisions;
7) Basic research methods to search, collect, organize and interpret health and biomedical information from different databases and sources, retrieve patient-specific information from a clinical data system; use information and communication technology to assist in diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive measures.
8). Awareness of self of their own limitations, the need for regularly repeated self-assessment, and continuous undertaking of self-directed study. The ability to critically evaluate existing knowledge, technology and information is necessary for solving problems.
3. Required professional courses Offered:
Anatomy; Histology and Embryology; biochemistry; Physiology; Pathology; Pathophysiology; Diagnostics; Research-competency training model; Population health and society model; Internal and Surgical Medicine (System-organ based);
Pediatrics; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Traditional Chinese Medicine; General Medicine.
4. Schooling: 5 years (vary from 4 to 7 years according to individual career planning)
5. Degree conferred: Bachelor of Medicine
