60,000 GP teachers to be trained before 2015

The Chinese government will train 60,000 general practitioner (GP) teachers by 2015, according to a circular published by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday.

A GP is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and all sexes.

Jointly issued by the MOH, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the circular says candidates for GP training will be classified into three categories: core GP teachers, clinical GP teachers and grassroots GP teachers.

According to the circular, training will last no less than two months and focus on clinical GP teachers and grassroots GP teachers, with the goal of training 6,000 core GP teachers.

The circular stipulates that clinical GP teachers should have a bachelor's degree or above and be qualified as an attending doctor or above. Grassroots GP teachers are expected to have finished junior college and be experienced in clinical practice and public health service.

The MOH will set up a database of core GP teachers, while provinces nationwide will establish their own databases of GP teachers, the circular said.