Current situation of neonatal physicians' academic education and future training measures in China
Li Qiuping, Tang Shanghong, Zhang Qian, et al
1. Beijing Key Laboratory of Pediatric OrganFailure, National Engineering Laboratory for Birth Defects Prevention and Control of Key Technology,Institute of Pediatrics, the Seventh Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Faculty of Pediatrics, theChinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100700, China; 2. The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangdong, Guangzhou 360000, China)
Abstract: 【Abstract】 Objective To investigate the educational structure of neonatal physicians in China, and provide reference for educational policies in the future. Method From June to December 2019, the Neonatologists Branch of the Chinese Medical Association organized and implemented a cross-sectional survey on the professional identity of neonatal physicians nationwide, covering hospitals with neonatal wards in 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government. The survey was conducted among neonatal physicians, with the basic sociodemographic and work-related characteristics of the respondents. The educational status of neonatal physicians was compared among different administrative divisions, different hospital levels and different hospital types. Statistical analysis was performed by the χ2 test. Result Among the 12 118 neonatal physicians, 539 (4.4%) had a college degree or less, 8 820 (72.8%) had a bachelor degree, 2 443 (20.2%) had a master degree, and 316 (2.6%) had a doctoral degree. According to the administrative division of the hospital location, the percentageof neonatal physicians with master degree or above was 34.5% (1 427/4 137), 18.2% (843/4 620), and14.5% (489/3 361) in the eastern, central and western regions, respectively. Among tertiary hospitals, thepercentages of neonatal physicians with master degree or above in the eastern, central, and western regionwere 46.2% (1 320/2 855), 35.3% (788/2 232) and 25.2% (460/1 824); among secondary hospitals, thepercentages were 7.9% (95/1 197), 2.3% (53/2 259) and 1.8% (27/1 462); those in the eastern regionwere the highest (χ2=258.600 and 158.821, all P<0.001). According to the type of hospital, the percentageof neonatal physicians with master degree or higher among children hospitals, general hospitals, and maternal nd child health hospitals was 56.2% (401/714), 21.5% (1 821/8 485), and 18.4% (537/2 919), respectively.Among tertiary hospitals, the percentage of neonatal physicians with master degree or higher among childrenhospitals, maternal and child health hospitals and general hospitals were 60.7% (385/634), 32.5% (455/1 402) and35.4% (1 728/4 875); among secondary hospitals, the percentages were 15.6% (10/64), 5.8% (75/1 302) and2.5% (90/3 552); among other hospitals, the percentages were 37.5% (6/16), 3.3% (7/215) and 5.2% (3/58);those in the children hospitals were the highest (χ2=197.168, 92.147, and 43.395, all P<0.001). Accordingto hospital levels, the percentage of neonatal physicians with master degree or above in tertiary, secondary,and other levels of hospitals was 37.2% (2 568/6 911), 3.6% (175/4 918), and 5.5% (16/289), respectively,and the percentage of neonatal physicians with master degree or above in tertiary hospitals was higher thanthat in secondary hospitals and other levels of hospitals (P<0.001); among all levels of titles, the proportionof neonatal physicians with master degree or above was also higher in tertiary hospitals than in secondaryhospitals and other levels of hospitals. Conclusion The vast majority of neonatal physicians in China have bachelor degree or above, and a considerable proportion of them have master degree or above, but there arestill obvious regional and inter-hospital differences. In the future, neonatology medical resources and medicaltraining should give more support to hospitals in central and western regions and primary hospitals to improve the overall quality of neonatal physicians in China.
李秋平 唐尚鸿 张倩 封志纯. 我国新生儿科医师学历教育现状与未来培养对策[J]. 发育医学电子杂志, 2023, 11(1): 1-6.
Li Qiuping, Tang Shanghong, Zhang Qian, et al. Current situation of neonatal physicians' academic education and future training measures in China. Journal of Developmental Medicine(Electronic Version), 2023, 11(1): 1-6.
2023, Vol. 11 
