Recently, the Ministry of Education and the National Health Commission jointly issued a notice on strengthening the construction of medical care and management majors in higher vocational education (hereinafter referred to as the “Notice”), which will accelerate the cultivation of professional talents in medical care and nursing integration to better meet the multi-level and diversified health care needs of the elderly.
The Ministry of Education and the National Health Commission made public a circular recently, urging vocational universities to establish bachelor’s programs in medical and elderly care services. The training of professionals in integrated medical and elderly care will be accelerated to address rising demands amid an aging population.
On March 13, 2025, at the Chengxin Medical and Nursing Center of Pandu Town, Yuncheng County, Heze City, Shandong Province, staff were playing games with the elderly. (Photo source: Xinhua News Agency)
【Knowledge Points】
The notice pointed out that local vocational undergraduate schools should guide and support local vocational undergraduate majors such as medical care and management, and as a comprehensive training major, we should encourage graduates of higher vocational college majors such as health management, elderly health care and management, and smart health care services and management to apply. Schools with conditions are encouraged to explore the integrated training model of middle and high school undergraduate majors in medical care and management. The notice requires that higher vocational schools should be guided to closely connect with the development needs of regional medical and nursing integration, combine the supply and demand situation of talents and the actual situation of school management, and conduct a good demonstration and layout planning for the establishment of medical and nursing care and management majors. It is encouraged that ordinary undergraduate colleges and higher vocational schools establish professional assistance mechanisms, guide the pairing of advantageous majors in medicine and health and medical care and management majors, and promote co-construction and sharing. The notice also proposes that all localities should guide schools to work with medical and nursing institutions, geriatric medicine departments, grassroots medical and health institutions in comprehensive hospitals, as well as geriatric medical characteristic hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, nursing homes (centers, stations) and other relevant institutions to jointly formulate professional talent training plans for medical and nursing care and management, focusing on the close integration of theory and practice, and in principle, the time for practical teaching should not be less than 50%. In addition to practical courses, students are supported to intern and train in relevant medical and health service institutions, improve practical skills in a real environment and enhance employment skills.
It is reported that 10 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) including Beijing, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Shandong, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Sichuan are key provinces in the construction of medical care and management majors. By the end of 2027, in principle, each key province will add no less than 3 new medical care and management majors to drive the overall improvement of the national medical care and management major construction level.
【Important Speech】
Our goal is grand and simple, and in the final analysis it is to let the people live a better life. The child’s upbringing and education, the employment and success of young people, and the elderly’s medical care and retirement are family affairs and state affairs. Everyone should work together to do these things well.
Our goal is both inspiring and simple. Ultimately, it is about delivering a better life for the people. Our children should be well taken care of and receive good education. Our young people should have the opportunities to pursue their careers and succeed. And our elderly people should have adequate access to medical services and elderly care. These issues matter to every family, and they are also a top priority of the government. We must work together to deliver on these issues.
——On December 31, 2023, Xi Jinping delivered a New Year’s message for 2024
【Related Words】
Medical and nursing bed
beds in integrated medical, elderly care institutions
Nursing Home
nursed home
China Daily Network English Dots and Tianjin Studio (this article was first published on the “Study Strong Country” learning platform)
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[Editor in charge: Chen Danni]
