The Comparison of the Academic Degrees of Traditional Chinese Medical Colleges of China with Similar Education in the United States

〔REVIEW ON BOOK AND EDUCATION書刊與教育的評論〕
The Comparison of the Academic Degrees of Traditional Chinese Medical Colleges of China with Similar Education in the United States

中國的中醫學院中醫專業畢業生與美國的中醫學院畢業生專業水準的比較

By Kexin Bao, Ph.D., L.Ac.

2712 San Gabriel Boulevard, Rosemead, CA 91770

美國包克新

In view of the following five points, it was concluded that traditional Chinese medical graduates from traditional Chinese medical (TCM, same as below) colleges or universities in China have higher or equivalent education levels as doctors of traditional oriental medicine (TOM) in the United States of America.

Usually, a medical bachelor degree will be conferred to most of the schools that institute five to six-year-schooling (a few schools have four year programs) in China. If a graduate continues to study for additional three to six years, a medical master or medical doctor degree can be conferred in China.

1. It is noted from the table below that two years of college education is required for admission to TOM colleges in the United States. However, the total school hours required in the USA are significantly less than that required in China. A full-time study is required in China, while the study-hour totals about forty-two weeks per year, six or five days a week, and six hours a day.

2. The traditional Chinese medical colleges in China have been listed into the "World Directory of Medical Schools" by World Health Organization, while TCM or TOM (same as bellow) colleges in the United States have not been listed yet.

3. The TCM colleges in China are stipulated as official medical educational institutions by Chinese government, while the TCM colleges in the U.S. are only considered as private secondary vocational schools, which are not recognized as regular medical educational institutions by the U.S. government.

4. The TCM colleges in China have been recognized as regular medical colleges by the U.S. government. The graduates from these colleges are eligible to take the U.S. medical licensure examination like the graduates from regular medical schools in the U.S. Once the examinees obtain medical license, they may be given the title of M.D. In contrast, the graduates from TCM colleges in the U.S. are currently not eligible to participate in the U.S. medical licensure examination.

5. In the USA, people with bachelor degree who study for couple more years in non-medical schools can only obtain a second bachelor’s degree if their major is different from the previous major. However, people who have previous non-medical schooling can be conferred a TCM master by the TCM colleges if they have studied for three years. In fact, such TCM degree may be equal to the level of the second-degree conferred by non-medical schools mentioned above. This kind of TCM degree may be considered as a second degree, and its academic level in medicine is lower than the medical bachelor degree of China.

It is clear that the academic level of medical bachelor degree conferred by TCM schools in China is higher than those TCM master degrees conferred by the TCM schools in the United States. In addition, the TCM education system in Taiwan is similar to the TCM education system in mainland China mentioned above.

基於以下五點理由，可以認為中國的中醫學院中醫專業畢業生的專業水準高於或至少等於美國的中醫學院博士畢業生的專業水準（中國的中醫學院中醫專業大多數為五年制或六年制，極少數為四年制，授與醫學學士學位，如再繼續修業三至六年，可獲碩士或博士學位）：

一、從下表可知，雖然美國的中醫學教育招生時要求入學者具有二年或以上的學院（或大學）教育學歷，但進入中醫學院後實際所學專業知識少於中國的中醫學院的學生所學。（中國的大學是全日制教學，除去節假日外，全年約四十二週，每週學習六天，近年因實行五天工作制而改為每週學習五天，每天約六學時，故表中有每週五天制與每週六天制兩種情形。）

二、中國的中醫大學被世界衛生組織列入了世界醫學院名冊，而美國的中醫學院還沒有列入。

三、中國的中醫大學被中國政府認可為正規的醫學教育，而美國的中醫大學還沒被美國政府承認為正規的醫學教育，僅為私立的第二級職業訓練學校。

四、中國的中醫大學也被美國政府認可為正規的醫學教育，因中國的中醫大學畢業生可參加美國的醫師執照考試，取得執照後可用的頭銜與美國的西醫師所用的頭銜相同，亦即其專業水準（醫學博士）相同。而美國的中醫大學的畢業生則不可以參加美國的醫師執照考試。

五、在美國，在取得學士或碩士學位後進入非醫學專業學院再學習四年，如果所學專業與原專業不同，並不可以取得博士學位，而中醫學院盡管學生入學前並不是醫學或中醫學專業，兼職學習三～四年也可得碩士學位，故這個中醫學碩士實際上相當於其他非醫學專業的第二學士學位，也即美國當前的某些中醫學碩士在學術上相當於中國的醫學學士或更低。

可見，中國的中醫大學學士畢業生的專業水準高於美國的中醫大學碩士畢業生。

同時須指出，台灣的中醫教育與中國大陸的中醫教育有類同的情況。

The Comparison of the Academic Degrees of Traditional Chinese Medical

Colleges of China with Similar Education in the United States

Degrees

Items

TCM (TOM) Colleges of U.S.

TCM Colleges of China (T.C.M. education in Taiwan is similar to Mainland China)

Master Degree

Doctoral Degree

Five Years Bachelor

Six Years Bachelor

Seven Years Master

Eight ~ Nine Years Master

Ten ~ Twelve Years Doctor

Previous Schooling

Required

Two Years College Level after High School(1200 Non -medicine hours)

Two Years College Level after High School or higher？(1200 Non-medicine hours or more)

Taking National Admission Examination & Excellent Candidate Selected after High School

Taking National Admission Examination & Excellent Candidate Selected with Bachelor Degree Usually

Taking National Admission Examination & Excellent Candidate Selected with Master Degree Usually

Schooling Hours

2700

4000

42Weeks/Year

6 Days/Week

6 Hours/Day

Total: 7560

42Weeks/Year

5 Days/Week

6 Hours/Day

Total: 6300

42Weeks/Year

6 Days/Week

6 Hours/Day

Total: 9072

42Weeks/Year

5 Days/Week

6 Hours/Day

Total: 7560

42Weeks/Year

6 Days/Week

6 Hours/Day

Total:10584

42Weeks/Year

5 Days/Week

6 Hours/Day

Total: 8820

42Weeks/Year

6 Days/Week

6 Hours/Day

Total:12096~

13608

42Weeks/Year

5 Days/Week

6 Hours/Day

Total:10080~

11340

42Weeks/Year

6 Days/Week

6 Hours/Day

Total:15120~

18144

42Weeks/Year

5 Days/Week

6 Hours/Day

Total:12600~

15120

Schooling Period

3~4 Years of Part Time

4~? Years of Part Time

5 Years of Full Time

6 Years of Full Time

7 Years of Full Time

8~9 Years of Full Time

10~12 Years of Full Time

Approved Regular Medical Education by Government or Not

No, It is Private Secondary Vocational School only

No, It is Private Secondary Vocational School only or higher

Yes, It is equal to Medical College, Both Belong to Regular Educational Institution

Graduate is Qualified to Become Medical Doctor or Not

No, Acupuncturist only

No, Acupuncturist only or higher

Yes, Graduate is Qualified to Become Medical Doctor

It is Listed into WHO's World Directory of Med. Schools or Not

Yes

Graduate is Qualified to Take U.S. ' Acupuncturist Licensure Examination or Not

Yes

Title can be Used for Licensed Acupuncture Practitioner

Acupuncturist

Acupuncturist, or Plus DOM, Will be Discussed

Acupuncturist, or Plus DOM,

is a Contentious Point

Acupuncturist, or Plus DOM,

is a Contentious Point

Acupuncturist, or Plus DOM,

is a Contentious Point

Acupuncturist, or Plus DOM,

is a Contentious Point

Acupuncturist, or Plus DOM,

is a Contentious Point

Qualified to Take U.S.' MD Licensure Examination or Not

Yes

Title Can be Used for Licensed Medical Practitioner

中國與美國的中醫學院畢業生學力比較表

班別

項目

美國的中醫大學

中國的中醫大學（台灣的中醫教育與中國大陸的中醫教育相似）

碩士班

博士班

五年制學士班

六年制學士班

七年制碩士班

八～九年制碩士班

十～十二年制博士班

入學前要

求的學歷

高中畢業後

再有二年制

學院水平

(1200學時

非醫學課程)

高中畢業後再

有二年制學院

水平或更高？(1200學時

非醫學課程或多)

高中畢業後經全國統一考試後擇優錄取

通常在取得學士學位後經統一考試後擇優錄取

通常在取得碩士學位後經統一考試後擇優錄取

修業學時

2700

4000

以42週／年

6天／週

6學時／天計

共7560

以42週／年

5天／週

6學時／天計

共6300

以42週／年

6天／週

6學時／天計

共9072

以42週／年

5天／週

6學時／天計

共7560

以42週／年

6天／週

6學時／天計

共10584

以42週／年

5天／週

6學時／天計

共8820

以42週／年

6天／週

6學時／天計

共12096~

13608

以42週／年

5天／週

6學時／天計

共10080~

11340

以42週／年

6天／週

6學時／天計

共15120~

18144

以42週／年

5天／週

6學時／天計

共12600~

15120

修業年限

兼職三～四年

兼職四～？年

全職五年

全職六年

全職七年

全職八～九年

全職十～十二年

是否為國家

認可的正規

醫學教育

否，僅為私立的第

二級職業學校

否，僅為私立

的第二級職業學

校或可升級？

是，與西醫院校同等，

均為正規醫學教育

是，與西醫院校同等，

均為正規醫學教育

是，與西醫院校同等，

均為正規醫學教育

是，與西醫院校同等，

均為正規醫學教育

是，與西醫院校同等，

均為正規醫學教育

畢業後是否

可成為政府

認可的醫師

否，僅為針灸技師或針灸師

否，僅為針灸技

師或針灸師，或

可稱中醫師？

是，可成為中國

政府認可的醫師

是，可成為中國

政府認可的醫師

是，可成為中國

政府認可的醫師

是，可成為中國

政府認可的醫師

是，可成為中國

政府認可的醫師

是否列入了

世界衛生組

認可的醫學

院的名單

否

是

是否可考美國的中醫師執照

是

取得美國的

中醫師執照

後可用何頭銜

針灸技師（或針灸師）

針灸技師（或針

灸師），或加針灸博士頭銜待研討

針灸技師（或針灸師），是否可加針灸博士頭銜是爭議點

是否可考美國的醫師執照

否

是

取得美國醫

師執照後可

用何頭銜

否

醫師或醫學博士（ＭＤ）頭銜

洽詢地址Add.: 2712 San Gabriel Boulevard
Rosemead, CA 91770 U.S.A.

電話Tel.: (626) 288-1199

傳真Fax: (626) 288-4199

Return to Journal of SOTCM Professional Edition Page