China to implement standardized training for medical graduates in 2015

China will set up standardized training in 2015 for medical graduates before they become resident doctors, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission on Friday. According to a guideline issued by seven departments, including the commission, health organs at all levels should stipulate concrete policies and set up guarantee systems to pave the way for standardized training nationwide. Wang Chen, vice head of the science and education division of the commission, said that, drawing from world experience, a graduate must receive strict training before he or she becomes a clinical doctor. However, China does not currently have a national standard for training, and training to become resident doctors depends on the hospitals where they are employed, leading to differential medical levels across regions, Wang said. Wang explained that graduates of the same medical class may develop different professional levels just because they enter different hospitals after their graduation. Standardized training will provide professional skills equally, which is conducive to balancing medical treatment in different regions, said Wang. According to the guideline, the training bases will first be set up in top level hospitals and some lower level hospitals based on the local situation. They will be subsidized by the governments and central finance. Wang said that after the training begins nationwide, fulfilling the standardized training will become a requirement for attaining professional titles.