Views from Asia—Retaining Flexner’s Essence while Transforming Education
The Lancet report prompts lively discussions wherever the Commissioners present its findings and recommendations. The following exchange of insightful correspondence between the esteemed Professor Yuan-Fang Chen, Professor of Medicine and Vice-Chair of the Expert Committee for Education of PUMC (Peking Union Medical College) in China and Commission co-chair Lincoln Chen, President of the China Medical Board, exemplifies this dialogue and exchange.
Retaining Flexner’s Essence while Transforming Education
The Lancet report prompts lively discussions wherever the Commissioners present its findings and recommendations. The following exchange of insightful correspondence between the esteemed Professor Yuan-Fang Chen, Professor of Medicine and Vice-Chair of the Expert Committee for Education of PUMC (Peking Union Medical College) in China and Commission co-chair Lincoln Chen, President of the China Medical Board, exemplifies this dialogue and exchange.
In her viewpoint, Dr. Yuan-Fang Chen eloquently cites reasons why Flexnerian ideals should not be cast away as medical curricula are re-examined and re-designed. As a graduate and faculty member of PUMC, which was founded in 1917 following Flexnerian ideals, she points to the contributions PUMC has made to deserve the honor as “the cradle of modern medicine in China.” She also acknowledges that “in spite of the astonishing apparent progresses in medical education in China, there exist some worrisome pitfalls.” She goes on to cite some of those pitfalls of change.
In responding, Dr. Lincoln Chen points out that the report does not advocate discarding Flexnerian reform—indeed, harnessing knowledge was responsible in part for doubling life expectancy in the 20th century—but rather building upon three generations of reforms as “changing contexts are compelling changing responses.”
Read exchange of letters between Dr. Yuan-Fang Chen and Dr. Lincoln Chen
BMJ - Doctors criticize proposed changes to the undergraduate medical curriculum in India
Proposals to reduce the length of basic medical training in India by six months to just four years have been greeted with criticism by doctors, who say essential components of the syllabus are now optional electives.
Reforming Health Professionals' Education in Thailand
Thailand has made incremental changes in competency-based curriculum and experiential learning, and is poised to implement some of the major changes recommended by the Commission's report. Charas Suwanwela, former dean of the School of Medicine and former president of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, expresses his thoughts on adapting recommendations to Thailand's context and the increasing public will for addressing inequity in the access to health care services.