Problems and countermeasures of pathophysiology teaching in general medicine

Abstract

General/family medicine is a newly established major in medical education to meet the demands in general/family doctors. It is a new educational reform subject for medical schools to enhance the teaching for students in general medicine. Pathophysiology is a bridging course for foundational medical courses to be connected to clinical courses, and it is also a required course for medical students in cultivating students＇ critical thinking abilities. In military medical schools, there are certain features in the students. It is quite common to find these students have less desired academic foundation, and they come from different areas in the military units and will go back to certain units upon graduation. In the teaching of the course of pathophysiology, it has been proved that the following methods can help promoting the quality of teaching and learning. These methods include adjusting the teaching contents to emphasize the key points, selecting teaching methods to enhance interactions, and utilizing the advantages of internet and multi-media facilities in case discussions. However, there is still a long way to go to find out better ways in adjusting the course contents to the needs of general medicine education and sequencing the foundational courses in the medical courses. Key words: Pathophysiology ; General medicine ; Teaching design ; General military doctors