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What an MBBS graduate should know and be able to do: the outcomes in China's quality standard

Sources checked · Unofficial summary

The Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China set out, in its 2007 Interim Provisions on Quality Control Standards for Undergraduate Medical Education in English for International Students (教外来〔2007〕39号), what an English-taught clinical medicine undergraduate programme for international students in mainland China shall aim at and what its graduates shall have. Chapter 2 of those provisions, Articles 6 to 9, lists three training principles, the professional qualities, the knowledge and the abilities that graduates shall have, and Articles 3 and 4 state the aim. This is a Chinese Ministry rule for Chinese universities. It does not say whether any degree meets the conditions of a regulator in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Nepal, and such conditions are decided by those regulators. For the wider rules of this register, see this register's section page.

The English on this page is this site's translation of the Chinese text of the provisions. Where this page quotes an article, the wording follows the Chinese article, and the Chinese text prevails if the two differ.

The aim: Articles 3 and 4

Article 3 says that English-taught undergraduate medical education for international students shall draw up its teaching plan according to the training objectives and requirements for Chinese medical undergraduates, and shall be trained in line with Chinese medical undergraduates. It says that the programme shall reach the basic requirements that Chinese medical undergraduate graduates shall reach. Within that premise, Article 3 says the programme may add or remove some courses and adjust course hours in light of the medical requirements of the students' home countries and the international requirements of returning home or serving in a third country.

Article 4 states the overall aim. The programme aims to train graduates who have solid basic medical knowledge, standardised clinical skills and good professional qualities. Article 4 says this lays a foundation for further study, and also for development in medical research and health administration.

Three principles: Article 6

Article 6 says that the training of English-taught undergraduate medical education for international students shall adhere to the following three principles.

  • Article 6(1): Medical teaching shall be based on scientific principles, so that graduates master scientific methods, have lifelong learning ability, the corresponding clinical skills and good professional ethics.
  • Article 6(2): Undergraduate medical education shall focus on the cultivation of the basic principles and basic professional skills of medical science, and of the ability to analyse and judge on the basis of evidence and experience. Article 6(2) says this is not limited to teaching theoretical knowledge and clinical skills.
  • Article 6(3): Graduates shall be able to carry out basic medical practice under the guidance of senior physicians, and, through further professional education, grow into independent practitioners.

Professional qualities: Article 7

Article 7 says that graduates shall have the following professional qualities and ideological and moral standards. This page follows the article's nine items.

  1. Be willing to strive throughout their lives for the development of health services and the physical and mental health of humankind (Article 7(1)).
  2. Care for patients, take the prevention of disease and the relief of suffering as their lifelong responsibility, take the provision of end-of-life care as their moral duty, and take the protection of the health interests of the people as their professional duty (Article 7(2)).
  3. Adhere to principles and bring the greatest benefit from health resources (Article 7(3)).
  4. Establish the concept of lifelong learning and recognise the importance of continuous self-improvement (Article 7(4)).
  5. Respect every person and respect individual beliefs (Article 7(5)).
  6. Hold a practical and scientific attitude, and actively seek help from other physicians for medical problems they cannot handle themselves (Article 7(6)).
  7. Have a sense of innovation (Article 7(7)).
  8. Have a spirit of teamwork (Article 7(8)).
  9. Practise medicine according to law, and use the law to protect the rights of patients and their own rights (Article 7(9)).

Knowledge: Article 8

Article 8 says that graduates shall have the following knowledge. The article lists twelve items.

  1. Basic Chinese language knowledge and an understanding of the general situation in China (Article 8(1)).
  2. Basic knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, life sciences, behavioural sciences and social sciences related to medicine, which can be applied to future learning and medical practice (Article 8(2)).
  3. The normal structure and function of the human body, and normal mental state (Article 8(3)).
  4. The causes of common and frequently occurring diseases, including mental illnesses, and the influence of environmental, social, behavioural and psychological factors on the formation and development of diseases, and the importance of disease prevention (Article 8(4)).
  5. The pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and principles of prevention and treatment of common and frequently occurring diseases (Article 8(5)).
  6. Basic pharmacological knowledge and the principles of rational clinical drug use (Article 8(6)).
  7. Normal pregnancy and childbirth, common obstetric emergencies, principles of antenatal and postnatal care, and medical knowledge of family planning (Article 8(7)).
  8. Principles of health education and disease prevention, knowledge related to alleviating and improving disease and disability, rehabilitation and end-of-life care, and understanding of the basic knowledge of general practice (Article 8(8)).
  9. Knowledge of clinical epidemiology (Article 8(9)).
  10. The basic patterns of the occurrence, development and transmission of infectious diseases, and the principles of prevention and treatment of common infectious diseases (Article 8(10)).
  11. Basic principles of the fair and effective allocation and rational use of limited resources (Article 8(11)).
  12. The basic characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine and the principle of syndrome differentiation and treatment in Chinese medicine, with an overall view of medicine (Article 8(12)).

Abilities: Article 9

Article 9 says that graduates shall have the following abilities. The article lists twelve items.

  1. The ability to take a full, systematic and accurate medical history (Article 9(1)).
  2. The ability to carry out systematic and standardised physical and mental examinations, and the ability to write medical records in a standardised way (Article 9(2)).
  3. Strong clinical thinking and expression (Article 9(3)).
  4. The ability to diagnose and manage common and frequently occurring diseases in internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics and other departments (Article 9(4)).
  5. The ability to diagnose, give first aid and manage common emergencies (Article 9(5)).
  6. The ability to choose and use suitable clinical diagnostic and treatment methods (Article 9(6)).
  7. The ability to apply the principles of evidence-based medicine in medical practice and to improve diagnostic and treatment methods (Article 9(7)).
  8. The ability to communicate with patients and their families, and to mobilise patients' cooperation (Article 9(8)).
  9. The ability to communicate with doctors and other medical staff (Article 9(9)).
  10. The ability, in light of clinical practice, to study medical questions and obtain new knowledge and relevant information independently, using libraries and modern information technology (Article 9(10)).
  11. The ability to educate patients and the public about healthy lifestyles and disease prevention (Article 9(11)).
  12. The ability of self-directed learning and lifelong learning (Article 9(12)).

Questions people ask

What is the overall aim of English-taught MBBS programmes under the 2007 provisions?

Article 4 of the provisions states that the overall aim is to train graduates who have solid basic medical knowledge, standardised clinical skills and good professional qualities. Article 4 adds that this lays a foundation for further study, and for development in medical research and health administration.

Does an English-taught programme follow the same training objectives as Chinese medical undergraduates?

Article 3 says that the programme shall draw up its teaching plan according to the training objectives and requirements for Chinese medical undergraduates, and shall be trained in line with them. Article 3 also says that the programme may add or remove some courses and adjust course hours in light of the medical requirements of the students' home countries and international service requirements.

What must a graduate be able to do in clinical work?

Article 9 lists the abilities that graduates shall have. These include taking a full medical history (Article 9(1)), diagnosing and managing common diseases in internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology and paediatrics (Article 9(4)), and handling common emergencies with first aid (Article 9(5)). Article 9 also lists communication with patients and with other medical staff (Article 9(8) and (9)).

Does the Chinese text say what a graduate may do in practice after training?

Article 6(3) says that graduates shall be able to carry out basic medical practice under the guidance of senior physicians, and that through further professional education they shall grow into independent practitioners. Article 6(3) does not state any licence or registration requirement.

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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