Top specialists become mentors of Qingpu's general physicians

Top medics from the Shanghai General Hospital become chief mentors to family doctors in community service centers to boost the number of quality doctors available in remote areas, Li Feng, president of Zhongshan Hospital's Qingpu Branch said.

Located in Shanghai's outer suburbs, Qingpu lacks highly skilled medical personnel. 

The area's talent cultivation plan adopts a three-year tutorial system where every family doctor has his or her own mentor, widely covering the towns and villages of Qingpu District. Three in-service family doctors are allocated to Shanghai General Hospital for education covering both general and special clinical practice.

Special outpatient clinic education covering cardiovascular, endocrine, traditional Chinese medicine, ophthalmology and digestion are carried out, Rao Feiwen, director of Health and Family Planning Commission of Qingpu District said.

“It worked pretty well,” said Xiao Feng, head of the community health care center of Liantang Town. “It makes specialists easier to get, and makes family doctors more credible. Our primary doctors can get the best clinical practice with their mentors.”

Expert doctors carry out daily classes, with a participation rate among clinicians of over 80 percent, officials said.