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Should China Expand Its Medical Education Scale? Evidence From Comparative Research - Jianlin Hou (侯建林), Kaiju Liao (廖凯举), Peng Liao (廖鹏), Weimin Wang (王维民), Ana Xie (谢阿娜), Yang Ke (柯杨), 2023 (sagepub.com)
Article Information
Manuscript received: December 24, 2020
Revision received: December 13, 2021
Manuscript accepted: January 18, 2022
Published online: December 6, 2022
Issue published: May 2023
Author
Jianlin Hou (侯建林)
Peking University Health Science Center
Kaiju Liao (廖凯举)
Peking University Health Science Center
Peng Liao (廖鹏)
Peking University Health Science Center
Weimin Wang (王维民)
Peking University Health Science Center
Ana Xie (谢阿娜)
Peking University Health Science Center
Yang Ke (柯杨)
Peking University Health Science Center
Abstract
Purpose: This study compares doctor staffing level and the scale of medical education in China with those of other countries and proposes policy recommendations for future adjustments to the scale of China's medical education.
Design/Approach/Methods: This study employs a literature review and descriptive analysis.
Findings: China had 1.98 medical doctors per 1,000 people in 2018, ranking 85th out of the 193 member-states of the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2017, China had 1.99 practicing doctors per 1,000 people, only ranking above Turkey (1.88) in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. China had only 10.28 medical graduates per 100,000 people—placing in the bottom third of OECD countries. China's provision of 1.4 medical schools per 10 million people was also significantly lower than the global average (3.9). However, the average number of students enrolled in medical schools (509) in China was significantly higher than the global average (160).
Originality/Value: Although the scale of admission in undergraduate medical education must be expanded in China, this needs to be achieved while controlling the average number of medical students per school and reducing enrollment in low-quality medical schools. Furthermore, it is necessary to establish new medical schools while improving the operating level of existing ones.
Keywords
China, doctors, international comparisons, medical school, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, scale of education