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Assessment and examinations on an English-taught MBBS: what the standard requires of schools

Sources checked · Unofficial summary

Two Chinese Ministry of Education texts set duties on schools that teach English-taught undergraduate clinical medicine to international students: the 2007 interim provisions (Articles 15 to 19, and Article 13(3)) and section 10.3 of the 2018 trial quality standards. Both are written as duties on the school, and this page describes only what those texts say. It does not describe the rules of India's National Medical Commission (India), the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, Bangladesh's BMDC Act or the Nepal Medical Council. For an overview of this register, see this register's section page.

The two documents

The first is the Interim Provisions on Quality Control Standards for Undergraduate Medical Education in English for International Students, annex 1 to the Ministry's document 教外来〔2007〕39号 (the number carries the year 2007). The Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China issued it. The English titles and wording on this page are this site's translation of the Chinese text.

The second is the Quality Standards for the Higher Education of International Students in China (Trial), issued with Ministry notice 教外〔2018〕50号, dated 3 September 2018. The standards are addressed to higher education institutions, and the notice calls them trial standards (试行). This page uses section 10.3 of them, which deals with examinations. The English here is also this site's translation.

Teaching methods (Article 15)

Article 15 says that schools shall actively reform teaching methods so that they centre on students and on self-directed learning, with attention to scientific thinking and learning ability. The article says that teaching methods cover both teaching and learning methods. It encourages guided, problem-based and interactive models of teaching.

Whole-course assessment (Article 16)

Article 16 says that schools must set up a whole-course assessment system for the academic results of international students, and must study examination methods. Schools must state and explain how each type of student assessment is scored, and the assessment must cover knowledge, skills, conduct, attitude, analysis and problem-solving, clinical reasoning and interpersonal communication.

The article divides the system into two parts:

Part of the system Items named in Article 16
Formative assessment Tests, observation records, internship handbooks
Summative assessment End-of-course examinations and the graduation comprehensive examination

Article 16 gives no pass mark.

Examinations and exam analysis (Article 17)

Article 17 says that the school's assessment activities must ensure and strengthen the training objectives and course aims, and must help students learn. Schools should hold comprehensive examinations of practical ability. The article encourages student self-assessment. In setting the number and nature of examinations, schools should use the guiding effect of examinations on learning and avoid negative effects.

Article 17 also requires exam analysis. After all examinations are finished, schools must carry out an exam analysis and feed the results back, in an appropriate way, to the students, teachers and teaching administrators concerned, so that teaching improves. Under the article, the analysis may cover overall results, reliability and validity, item difficulty and discrimination, and content analysis of the subject.

Supervision and administration (Articles 18 and 19)

Article 18 says that schools should set up a mechanism to monitor and evaluate the curriculum plan, and a supervision mechanism for teaching quality. It also requires a supervision group for English-medium teaching, to monitor how the curriculum plan is carried out and how international students are progressing, and to make sure problems are found and solved in time.

Article 19 says that the teaching administration department must set out complete management rules, set up a dedicated organisation and assign suitable staff.

Graduation examination (Article 13(3))

Article 13(3) says that schools must organise and arrange the graduation internship carefully. The internship lasts one academic year (not less than 48 weeks) and takes place at the school's teaching hospitals or at teaching hospitals recognised by overseas health departments. Schools must track the internship. After the graduation internship, international students must take the graduation examination of the school where they study.

Examinations in the 2018 standards (section 10.3)

Section 10.3 says that universities shall specify the forms of course examination and assessment for international students. For the same course, Chinese and foreign students shall be assessed in the same forms. Section 10.3 does not set a particular examination format.

Questions people ask

Does the Chinese standard set a pass mark for examinations?

Article 16 and Article 17 give no pass mark. Article 16 requires schools to state how each assessment is scored, and Article 17 requires exam analysis after examinations.

Who must take the graduation examination?

Under Article 13(3), international students must take the graduation examination of the school where they study, after the graduation internship has ended.

Do Chinese and international students take the same examinations?

Section 10.3 of the 2018 trial standards says that, in the same course, Chinese and foreign students shall be assessed in the same examination and assessment forms. The same section says that universities shall specify those forms.

Who must carry out the exam analysis?

Article 17 says that schools must carry out exam analysis after all examinations are finished. The article says the results should be fed back to students, teachers and teaching administrators.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026.

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not legal, medical or professional-licensing advice, it is not published by the bodies named, and it promises no admission, examination or registration outcome. The official text and the regulator's own instructions prevail if they differ.

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