Chinese medical school
The Ottawa-Shanghai Joint School of Medicine, the first medical school in China to offer a North American-based education program, was launched in Shanghai on Oct. 17, Friday, Shanghai Daily reported.
Based at Shanghai's first western-style hospital, Renji Hospital, the school is a partnership project between the medical faculties of the University of Ottawa and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
With $1 million fund for research from both universities, the Ottawa-Shanghai Joint School of Medicine will provide a base for research in medicine and medical education innovation, Wire Service said.
Teachers from both institutions will also deliver the curriculum, as the school aims to increase the quality of training offered to student doctors in China and help internationalize Chinese hospitals.
With 30 Chinese students, introductory program classes will start next fall, while the four-year medical education (MD) program will start in 2016.
Dean Chen Guoqiang said that the first students of the MD program will enrol in 2015, and many young medics will continue to do their residencies in Canada.
"The training system for medical students is more mature in North America than it is in China. We want to improve that system, and broaden the knowledge and capabilities of our future doctors," Chen explained.
As an example, the dean cited North American medical programs concentrating not only "on clinical knowledge but also on things like communication skills and information gathering, all of which are lacking from Chinese curricula."
"This is the start of a meaningful and historic partnership that will broaden our international reach. It will provide Canadian and Chinese students with the opportunity to learn how medicine is practiced in another culture," University of Ottawa President Allan Rock said.
With more Chinese doctors to be trained according to international standards, university officials hope that hospitals in China will get recognized more by foreign insurance companies and patients.
