English Language Medical Schools in China: An Analysis of International Medical Graduates Practicing in the UK

Abstract

OBJECTIVES From 2006, the Ministry of Education in China has approved universities to provide undergraduate medical training in English, targeting fee-paying international students. Students on these courses can face challenges in their clinical training, particularly in the domains of communication and professionalism. This study examines the proportion of doctors qualified from such medical schools who are currently listed on the UK medical register. METHODS The UK General Medical Council register of medical practitioners was searched to identify doctors qualified from 33 Chinese medical schools who provide education in the English language. RESULTS As of February 2022, 502 doctors whose primary medical qualification is from a university offering English language education in China were registered on the UK medical register. Four hundred twenty-five (84.7%) of these doctors were aged 39 and under, approximately double the proportion of doctors in this age bracket overall. Three hundred forty nine (69.5%) were staff grade and associate specialist doctors, 109 (21.7%) were doctors in training, 36 (7.2%) were on the General Practitioner (GP) register, and 20 (4.0%) were on the specialist register. Among doctors in training, the most common specialty areas were in general practice and psychiatry that are both facing recruitment shortages in the UK at present. CONCLUSION A small but significant number of graduates whose medical training was in the English language in China are practicing medicine in the UK. These doctors are in younger age groups than the overall medical workforce, and are less likely to be in training, and specialist or GP posts. Among those in training, a high proportion are in GP and psychiatry training and could contribute to alleviating UK medical workforce shortages. Policymakers and educators should be mindful of the growing numbers of doctors qualified from these schools, and the additional support they may require considering the unique training environments they have encountered.