2. Synergistic development of medical education in different
regions
Different living environments, behaviors, and economic situations lead
to differences in the demand for medical resources between rural and
urban rural and urban areas in China[9, 10]. The parallel running of
multiple medical education mechanisms has produced a diverse range of
medical personnel to meet the demand for healthcare services in
different regions. The “5+3” integrated and 8-year medical graduates
tend to stay in cities to provide demanding healthcare services. The
5-year undergraduate education and
3-year junior college education have
been delivering medical personnel to rural areas in recent
years[11].
In addition, China has been strengthening the training of primary health
care personnel with a focus on general practitioners since 2017. The
“Opinions on Medical Education Reform” issued by China clearly
proposes to combine 3-year junior college education with a 2-year
general practice residency training program to train as assistant
general practitioners. The policy strongly supports the recruitment of
rural students to medical schools, and tuition fees are waived for
students who are oriented to rural areas after graduation, which is of
great significance to the demand for personnel in rural areas[8].
The gap between urban and rural medical standards cannot be ignored. The
establishment of hierarchical treatment and urban assistance to rural
areas in China are also making efforts to promote the coordinated
development of medical services.[12, 13].