Reform and Practice of Medical Fundamental Curriculum System Based on “Three-Early Education”: A Case Study on Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities Located in the Minority Areas of Southwest China

Abstract

Objective: "Three-early Education" for undergraduate majored in medicine aims to providing them with the opportunities to participate in clinical practice, research, and social practice at the first and second year of their college life. It is the key demand of Accreditation Standards for Basic Medical Education in China-Clinical Medicine, and is of vital importance to medical students from medical college in minority areas to enhance their clinical thinking ability, scientific literacy, communication ability, self-motivated and lifelong learning ability, professional literacy, and to get qualified for serving the strategy of Great Healthy China. The majority of the clinical medicine students at Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities (YMUN), a school from the minority areas of southwest China, are from rural countryside, with minority students accounting for 70%. At enrollment, their basic knowledge was not solid enough, and their abilities in communication, autonomous learning, critical thinking and practical skills were also weak. Method: School of Fundamental Medical Sciences of YMUN constructs "three-early education" system through a series of training on updating teaching philosophy and improving teaching skills, revised undergraduate program including integrated courses and reformed teaching mode, and reinforced administration.