Designing and Implementing a 5-Year Transfusion Medicine Diploma Program in China

- Current Chinese medical education and service systems have not developed TM as a stand-alone medical specialty.
- Since 2008, a 5-year diploma program in TM has been established as an undergraduate specialty in Southern Medical University, Guangzhou China.
- The 8 years of experience educating undergraduates in the specialty of TM is described in detail.

The need for physicians and technical consultants specialized in transfusion medicine is urgent in China, as there are 20 000 hospitals and 500 blood centers in need of staff with this expertise. The progress made in transfusion medicine as a specialty has been relatively slow in China. Current Chinese medical education and service systems have not developed transfusion medicine as a stand-alone medical specialty. Most physicians receive only minimal training in transfusion medicine in medical school. This training is usually integrated into surgical training and addresses the most common technologies. In 2008, a 5-year bachelor's diploma program in transfusion medicine was established as an undergraduate specialty in Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. This article intends to summarize the 8 years of experience educating undergraduates in the specialty of transfusion medicine.