3. Continuous improvement of the diversified medical curriculum
With the growing demand for medical care, China has incorporated the medical humanities into its curriculum in addition to emphasizing the development of professional skills for medical students [14, 15]. Medical humanities belong to interdisciplinary education, which includes disciplines such as philosophy, sociology, political theory and pedagogy. Medical humanities education can enhance the social responsibility, empathy and understanding of medical students [4]. However, most medical schools in China face a shortage of teachers and funding for the development of the humanities. Reports indicate that there is a lack of 200,000 pediatricians, over 200,000 anesthesiologists, and 161,000 general practitioners in China [16, 17]. Undergraduate courses directed at pediatrics, anesthesiology, and general medicine have been gradually promoted in China.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has tested the development of public health disciplines in China [18]. Public health-related infectious diseases, microbiology, epidemiology, and evidence-based medicine have been present in undergraduate medical education, which has provided a solid foundation for the active performance of Chinese medical personnel in the fight against the epidemic. The low proportion of public health courses and the lack of training in public health emergencies require more attention in China [5]. The ongoing epidemic has also contributed to a change in teaching methods. The internet-based distance learning becoming more widely accepted by public. Distance learning with easily updated and disseminated also meet the medical needs of different regions and is more conducive to the development of medical education in remote rural areas [19]. Funding, technology and quality assurance are areas where distance learning needs to be improved in the future [20].