Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine MBBS Program (Six-Year, English-Taught) for International Students (2025)

I. Training Objectives

Guided by the Global Standards for Quality Improvement in Medical Education (WFME) and China’s Undergraduate Medical Education Standards – Clinical Medicine (2022 Edition), this program adopts internationally advanced benchmarks while aligning with China’s overarching goals for medical talent development. Embracing Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s educational philosophy for international students – Inclusiveness, Pursuit of Excellence, Erudition and Compassion, Nurturing Talents Worldwide – the program aims to cultivate exceptional, innovative medical professionals with professionalism and ethics, scientific and academic competency, clinical proficiency, health system and population health awareness, and global vision and international competitiveness.

1. Professionalism and Ethics (P)

P1. Passionate about medicine, with lofty ideals and a strong sense of social responsibility; adhere to professional ethics, fundamental medical laws and regulations, uphold integrity, and possess sound values.

P2. Demonstrate empathy and provide humanitarian medical services to all patients; master medical ethical principles; cultivate excellent medical ethics and professionalism, uphold a strong sense of duty, and proactively safeguard patient interests.

P3. Possess a healthy and sound physical and mental quality, as well as a high level of cultural literacy.

P4. Possess strong communication, coordination, and expressive skills; excel in interpersonal interactions, respect fellow healthcare professionals, emphasize mutual exchange, collaboration, and continuous learning, and demonstrate certain management and leadership abilities.

P5. Foster the concept of self-directed and lifelong learning, continuously improve oneself, and persistently strive for excellence, actively contributing to the advancement of medical science and societal development.

2. Scientific and Academic Competencies (S)

S1. Possess extensive knowledge in humanities and social sciences, a broad foundation in natural sciences, solid theoretical knowledge in basic medicine, and systematic theoretical knowledge and fundamental skills in clinical medicine.

S2. Master basic scientific research methods and uphold research integrity; be adept at identifying clinical scientific problems, understand medical research methodologies, and have the basic ability to write clinical reviews or research papers.

S3. Strengthen the cultivation of innovative scientific thinking, develop interdisciplinary thinking and comprehensive literacy, and initially acquire integrated scientific thinking capabilities.

S4. Possess critical thinking and independent reasoning skills, be proficient in acquiring, evaluating, understanding, and applying evidence from scientific literature, and demonstrate strong self-directed knowledge updating and self-development potential.

S5. Have a global perspective and cross-cultural communication skills, along with a certain level of international competitiveness.

3. Clinical Proficiency (C)

C1. Ability to effectively obtain, interpret, and record clinical information; strong clinical analysis, clinical reasoning, and clinical diagnosis and treatment capabilities; ability to manage common and frequently occurring diseases in accordance with clinical principles; preliminary ability to handle acute, difficult, and severe cases.  

C2. Ability to integrate knowledge and concepts of disease prevention, early detection, health promotion, and chronic disease management into clinical practice, emphasizing the combination of medical and preventive care, with the capacity to respond to public health emergencies in accordance with the law.

C3. Ability to communicate effectively with patients, families, and other healthcare professionals based on actual circumstances, selecting safe, effective, and economical diagnosis and treatment plans; mastery of treatment principles for terminally ill patients.

C4. Ability to understand the fundamental characteristics of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the principles of syndrome differentiation and treatment, fostering a holistic medical perspective.

C5. Awareness of the development of technology-enabled healthcare, proficiency in commonly used modern diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, and adaptability to new technologies and models in smart healthcare.

4. Health System and Population Health Awareness (H)

H1. Understand the structure and functions of the healthcare systems in relevant countries, including the roles and interrelationships of their components, and be familiar with the national health policies, regulations, and guidelines.

H2. Understand the hospital medical quality assurance and healthcare safety management systems, and be aware of one’s professional capabilities and scope of practice.

H3. Develop a sense of responsibility for protecting and promoting the health of individuals and populations, and demonstrate effective communication skills to conduct health education and guidance.

H4. Understand the factors influencing population health, disease diagnosis, and effective treatment; and be able to interpret and evaluate health screenings and preventive measures for populations.

H5. Understand global health issues, pay attention to cross-border and regional health problems and their determinants, promote interdisciplinary collaboration and exchange, and contribute to improving the health of all humanity.

II. Duration of Study and Time Allocation

1. The standard duration of the program is 6 years, with a flexible study period of 6 – 8 years.

2. Time Allocation:

General Education and Pre-Medical Phase: 1.5 years;

Pre-Clinical Modular and Integrated Teaching Phase: 2 years;

Clinical Theory Teaching and Internship Phase: 2 years;

Graduation Comprehensive Examination and Assessment Phase: 0.5 years.

Year	Compulsory Course					Integration of Basic and Clinical Medical Education	Combining Scientific Research Training with Medical Practice	Integration of Professional Humanistic Literacy with Medical Education
1st	General Education and Pre-Medical Phase				Medical English
2nd	Pre-Medical Phase	Clinical Skills Development	Society, Individuals and Medicine	E-Portfolio	Integrated Chinese and Medical Chinese
	Foundation Unit
3rd	Unit I
	Unit II
4th	Unit III Integration Unit
	Link Practical Comprehensive Theory Internship Rotation
5th	Practical Comprehensive Theory Internship Rotation
6th	Internship Rotation
	Graduation Assess

III. Main Disciplines and Courses

1. Main Disciplines: Biology and Basic Medicine; Clinical Medicine

2. Main Courses:

Humanity and Social Sciences Courses: Comprehensive Chinese, Medical Chinese, China Panorama, History of Medicine, Medical Psychology, etc.

Natural Science Courses: Fundamentals of Calculus, Medical Physics, Inorganic Chemistry, Medical Chemistry Experiment, Organic Chemistry, Programming Design, etc.

Scientific Methodology Education Courses: Medical Literature Retrieval and Utilization, Evidence-Based Medicine Modules in Each Unit, Clinical Research Mentor Program, Clinical Thinking Training, etc.

Biological and Basic Medical Courses: Biochemistry, Organism Biology, Cell Biology, Cellular Biology and Functional Experiment, etc.

Foundation Unit：Human Anatomy, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Histology and Embryology, Medical Genetics, Medical Immunology, Medical Microbiology, Parasitology, Pathology, Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Hematology, Musculoskeletal Science, Musculoskeletal Radiology, Rheumatology, Related Social, Personal, and Medical Content.

Public Health and Preventive Medicine Courses: Holistic Health and Global Health, Preventive Medicine, Public Health and Global Health modules in the Integration Unit, etc.

Clinical Medicine Courses：

Introduction Unit：The introductory module before the integrated unit module course is designed to help students become familiar with various teaching methods, learning approaches, and the use of online course platform tools, while emphasizing the importance of professional spirit.

Unit I：Covering the circulatory system, respiratory system, urinary system, ENT, basic oncology, hematological tumors, thrombotic diseases, as well as related basic medical and imaging knowledge.

Unit II：Covering oral and maxillofacial surgery, head and neck surgery, digestive system, endocrine system, reproductive system, as well as related basic medicine, pediatrics, imaging.

Unit III：Covering ophthalmology, psychiatry, neurology and related basic medical sciences, pediatrics, imaging.

Integration Unit：Covering areas such as geriatrics, pediatrics, otorhinolaryngology, dermatovenereology, infectious diseases, nutrition, traditional Chinese medicine, clinical pharmacology, anesthesiology, public health and global health, etc.

Clinical Skills Development：

(1) Clinical skills training, mainly training students’ abilities in doctor-patient communication, inquiry, physical examination, etc. (cardiovascular system, respiratory system, peripheral vascular system, musculoskeletal system, digestive system, endocrine system, nervous system, reproductive system, psychiatry, dentistry, ophthalmology, and otolaryngology).

(2) Community internship programs and community internship weeks, mainly providing students with the opportunity to enter community clinics and have close contact with patients, and enabling them to master the methods of inquiry and physical examination.

Link：The courses are conducted at the end of the pre-clinical stage and before the clinical stage begins. Its purpose is to assist students in successfully transitioning from theory to practice. The teaching content includes: reviewing common clinical skills, practicing doctor-patient communication techniques, hospice care, professional ethics and hospital culture learning, supplemented by a one-week “patient-centered” clinical internship, direct contact with real patients, and preparing for entry into the internship.

Practical Comprehensive Theory: Covering the clinical theoretical learning content of six internship courses: internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and general practice.

Graduation Internship Rotation: The graduation internship rotation is the main learning content during the clinical stage. The disciplines for rotation in the fourth year – fifth year include: internal medicine (CTU), surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, general practice, pediatrics, psychiatry, emergency department, anesthesiology, and the mandatory clinical internship departments. The disciplines for rotation in the fifth year – sixth year include: comprehensive internal medicine (cardiology, gastroenterology, respiratory medicine, endocrinology), electrocardiogram, radiology, neurology, urology, orthopedics, mandatory internal medicine departments, mandatory surgery departments, infectious disease internship and elective internship.

IV. Main Courses Supporting the Training Objectives

V. Characteristics of the Training Process

1. Emphasis on Incorporating the Characteristics of Chinese Medical Education: Chinese language and medical Chinese are included as compulsory courses, with Chinese language instruction integrated throughout the entire pre-clinical training stage. Courses such as “China Panorama” and “History of Medicine” serve as guiding humanities and social sciences components. Professionalism and moral education are embedded into syllabi, course content, and evaluation systems. Emphasis is placed on cultivating students’ capacity for lifelong learning and sound professional ethics.

2. Emphasis on Interdisciplinary Integration: By leveraging the disciplinary strengths of a comprehensive university, general education courses are optimized, and public foundational courses are reinforced. Students not only develop a solid foundation in the natural sciences but also acquire strong literacy in the humanities and social sciences. The advantages of integrated courses are maximized by weakening rigid disciplinary boundaries and adopting three-dimensional teaching that integrates structure and function, basic and clinical subjects. This highlights the fusion of basic medicine, preventive medicine, and clinical medicine, balancing individual disease diagnosis and treatment with population health maintenance, thereby comprehensively enhancing student competence.

3. Emphasis on Cultivating Research Potential: Courses related to research methodology are provided to help students master the basics of scientific research. A progressive, ability-oriented system of foundational and clinical experimental teaching is built, ranging from fundamental to comprehensive to exploratory experiments. Combined with the establishment of a research supervisor system, this fosters scientific spirit, innovative thinking, and the ability to identify, analyze, and solve problems.

4. Emphasis on Clinical Practice Competence: The model of “early clinical exposure, repeated clinical practice, and extensive clinical engagement” is implemented. A staged and sequential clinical skills development curriculum advances the practice component, cultivating not only basic practical and clinical application skills but also integrating doctor–patient communication and humanistic care into the entire process. Through clinical internship courses, theoretical knowledge and fundamental skills in clinical medicine are systematically applied to real-world clinical practice, developing students’ clinical thinking and comprehensive clinical competence, while also promoting inter-professional training. Elective internships are arranged to ensure effective linkage with postgraduate education.

5. Emphasis on Reforming Teaching and Assessment Methods: A student-centered educational philosophy is advocated. The advantages of integrated curricula are harnessed through diverse teaching models such as problem-based learning (PBL) and case-based learning (CBL). Modern information technologies are actively employed. A multi-dimensional assessment system combining formative and summative evaluation – including EPA (Entrustable Professional Activities), e-portfolios, etc. – is implemented to foster changes in thinking patterns, promote cross-disciplinary knowledge integration, and substantially improve learning outcomes.

VI. Assessment, Evaluation, and Degree Conferment

To verify the effectiveness of education and teaching, and to consolidate learned knowledge, students are required to undergo course assessments each semester or academic year according to the teaching plan. In addition, the university regularly organizes comprehensive examinations, including the Medical Comprehensive Examination and the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). A combination of formative and summative evaluations is emphasized. Assessment methods include classroom discussions, regular assignments, staged tests, experiment design and operation, laboratory reports, internship practice, and skills assessments. The content of semester, annual, and comprehensive examinations is based on the implemented syllabus, with particular emphasis on assessing students’ abilities in comprehensive analysis and problem-solving. Prior to graduation, students must also complete a final comprehensive examination and a graduation foreign language examination.

All course and comprehensive assessments are graded on a percentage system. Compulsory courses must be passed in order to obtain the corresponding credits; only then may students graduate and apply for a degree. Elective courses (including designated electives) are graded on a pass/fail basis, and students must complete 10 credits of electives before graduation.

To foster scientific thinking and spirit, and to ensure positive interaction between scientific research and teaching, students must complete either a clinical review or a thesis before graduation and obtain the corresponding credits.

Students who meet the training objectives, complete all required credits, and pass both the final comprehensive examination and the graduation Chinese language examination will be permitted to graduate. According to the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Academic Degrees, they will be conferred the degree of Bachelor of Medicine. The English version of the degree may be issued as MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery).

VII. Curriculum Structure and Teaching Schedule

1. Compulsory Courses: A total of 69 courses, amounting to 283 credits, are offered. This includes 36 credits for internships (72 weeks of internship rotations).

2. Elective Courses: During the six-year period of study, students are required to complete at least 10 credits of electives (no restrictions on elective course categories).

Designated elective courses include:

• Cellular Biology and Functional Experiment (2 credits, Foundational)

• Fundamentals of Surgery (2 credits, Professional)

• Basic Elective Week (2 credits, Foundational)

• Clinical Elective Week (2 credits, Professional)

• Surgical Robotics Technology and Application (2 credits, Professional)

• Health Management Integration Module, Category B (2 credits, Foundational)

• Elective Internship (6 weeks, 3 credits, Professional)

• Clinical Review (2 credits, Professional)