About the course

Nanjing Medical University (NMU) started to enroll the international students in an English-medium MBBS degree (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) program in 2004. In 2007, NMU was listed as one of the first batch of universities in China authorized to enroll international students in the MBBS program. Up to September 2019, a total of 1,587 international students from over 40 different countries have been enrolled in degree programs, with 845 in the MBBS program.
An English-medium course Systematic Anatomy for international students started in 2004. By the end of September 2019, a total of 15 rounds of teaching tasks had been completed, with the students coming from the MBBS program. This course adopts a teaching mode of small class discussion for both theory and practical classes. The student: teacher ratio has been 12:1. During the past 15 years of teaching activities of the English-medium Systemic Anatomy course, members of the teaching team have consistently placed emphasis on education quality. The team always embraces the concept of "prioritizing teaching outcome" and a comprehensive use of various means to facilitate teaching, promote teaching reform and innovation, and carry out a well-planned, stepwise, and down-to-earth curriculum construction. Through the teaching practice, the team members have accumulated a wealth of teaching experience, and achieved proficiency in professional English. We can say with confidence that we have a team with advanced educational concepts, a high professional foreign language level, and a passion for excellent English-medium teaching of Systemic Anatomy. This is not only a guarantee of smooth progress of English-medium teaching and sustainable improvement of teaching level, but also a cradle of discussion-based teaching and research-based teaching.
As the most important basic medical discipline, Systemic Anatomy's quality of teaching directly affects other basic medical courses and clinical courses. In the process of teaching international students, we always embrace the concept of "prioritizing teaching outcome", comprehensive use and continuous improvement of various means to facilitate teaching, and promote teaching reform and innovation. Since the course was selected as a provincial quality course in 2015, the English-medium teaching team of Systemic Anatomy has paid more attention to the construction of teaching connotation, and made the course design and contents more fit to the training of international medical personnel.

1. To explore the teaching of Systematic Anatomy in line with international standards based on the needs of international students.
In accordance with the Interim Provisions on Quality Control Standards for Undergraduate Medical Education of International Students as well as Global Standards for Quality Improvement of Medical Education by the World Federation for Medical Education, and in considerations of the medical education requirements of the international students' countries of origin, a new teaching plan of Systemic Anatomy for international students has been formulated, and the syllabus of the English-medium course has been revised, which is not only an important guideline for teachers in teaching international students, but also an important basis for international students to study in advance, study independently and to develop their abilities.
2. To establish an English-medium computer-based examination question library that matches the teaching content of Systemic Anatomy, and improve the pass rate of the medical license examinations for international students.
Systemic Anatomy is not only an important basic course of medicine, but also an important course included in medical license examinations that is linked with clinical courses in various countries. Starting in 2017, the Systemic Anatomy English-medium teaching team has been constructing an English-medium computer-based examination question library. In 2018, the computer-based test was included in the final examination, which realized the multi-directional evaluation of students' learning. The computer-based test includes multiple choice questions (objective questions), and the results account for 40% of the final scores. The paper-based test includes short essay questions (subjective questions), and the results account for 40% of the final scores. In-class quizzes account for 5% of the final scores. The practical test results account for 15%. The type and contents of the computer-based examination are similar to the USMLE-Step One and the medical license examinations in the Southeast Asian countries. These efforts help to improve the pass rate of the medical license examinations for our international students.
3. To introduce flipped classroom and case based learning into Systematic Anatomy teaching, and realize the medical teaching mode of early clinical, more clinical and repeated clinical
Starting in 2017, the Systemic Anatomy English-medium teaching team began to record its own flipped classroom videos related to the contents of the teaching and to write questions related to the contents of the videos. Students are required to not only learn the contents of teaching videos but also self-study to expand clinical knowledge in their spare time, and bring their knowledge into the classroom to present and discuss. In cooperation with clinical teachers, we prepared organ-based questions that integrated anatomical and clinical teaching. Incorporating flipped classroom and case-based learning into the Systemic Anatomy course of international students will help the students to develop the ability to study spontaneously, and to think and solve problems independently.
In 2016, the course Systemic Anatomy was recognized one of the second batch of national excellent courses in English medium.

About the teachers

Min Li

Li Min, is an associate professor in the Department of Anatomy and vice dean of School of International Education, Nanjing Medical University. She has taught both systematic anatomy and regional anatomy for more than 30 years. Not only Chinese students but also international students enjoy her lessons because she imparts knowledge as well as study method. Her fluent English expression leaves a good impression to students and other teachers. As apart-time faculty, she has taught American students the course of structure and development in Maryland University since 2007. She has successfully applied 5teaching research grants and published 4 teaching research articles in in recent years. As the subeditor or editorial board member, she has written 3textbooks. She has also won 5 teaching prizes, especially the top prize of the fifth Yangtze River Fellowship for achievements in teaching job in 2012.

Yongjie Zhang

Zhang Yongjie, is an associate professor and vice director in the Department of Human Anatomy. He has taught both systematic anatomy and regional anatomy for more than 20 years. Not only Chinese students but also international students enjoy his lessons because his teaching style is witty and humorous. He taught over 1200 periods in the last three years and half of them are international students’ courses. As a visiting scholar, Dr Zhang had been to the Louisville University in the United State for two and a half years. He has applied 4 teaching and 6science research grants. As the first author or corresponding author, he has published 6 teaching and 10 scientific articles in the last five years. He has also involved in the editing of 2 textbooks.

Yizhi Zuo

（1978.9-），Ph.D, associate professor, deputy director of the Department of Human Anatomy, born in Changzhou, Jiangsu; graduated from Nanjing Medical University in July 2002, with a bachelor's degree in medicine; From September 2004 to July 2007, studied in Human Anatomy major of Nanjing Medical University and obtained a master's degree. From September 2009 to July 2013, studied in the Department of Human Anatomy of Shandong University and got Ph.D. In 2002, employed in the Department of Human Anatomy of Nanjing Medical University. In 2008, promoted to be a lecturer. In 2017 promoted to associate professor. January 2016 at Nanjing medical university, deputy director of the department of human anatomy, mainly engaged in ct imaging anatomy and clinical application research in anatomy. As the corresponding author or the first author, published 6 scientific research papers, among which 3 are included in SCI. Mainly responsible for medical imaging, clinical medicine anatomy and teaching experience on cross sectional anatomy.

Luqing Zhang

Zhang Luqing, is an associate professor and secretary in the Department of Human Anatomy. She has taught both systematic anatomy and regional anatomy for more than 22 years. Her research interests lie in teaching methodology and integration of humanistic education with anatomy teaching. She has taught about 1000 periods in the last three years. In 2012, Dr. Zhang went to McGill University in Canada as a visiting scholar. She has carried on or completed 6 teaching and 2 science research grants. In resent years, she has won 5 teaching prizes including the first prize of teaching achievement of Nanjing medical university in 2014.  As the first author or corresponding author,she has published 7 teaching and 8 scientific papers. She has also involved in the editing of 3 textbooks.

Xiaoqin Yuan

(1978.2 -),Jintan,Jiangsu Province , Associate Professor,Ph.D. She graduated from Nanjing Medical University in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in Clinic medicine , received Ph.D. in biochemistry from YamaguchiUniversity in Japan and majored in  functional proteomics  in 2007. In 2011, she applied for a job in the Department of Human Anatomy, Nanjing Medical University and promoted to associate professor in 2012. From April 2008 to April 2010, she studied at the University of California, San Diego, mainly engaged in the pathogenesis of tumor, the mechanism of tumor drug resistance and the development of targeted small molecules. She presided over 1 National Natural Science Foundation of China General (NSFC)Youth Program, 2 General Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, 2 General Project of Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, 1 Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China and 2 project under research. 15 scientific research papers have been published at home and abroad as correspondent authors or first authors, of which 14 are collected by sci. It mainly undertakes the teaching of systematic anatomy and local anatomy for clinical medicine majors, foreign students and nursing prevention majors. She presided over 1 teaching reform project and published 1teaching paper.

Weiwei Sun

Dr. Sun graduated from Tongji Medical Collage, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) with a Bachelor of Medicine degree in 2005, and received her PhD degree from Nanjing Medical University (NUMS) in 2010. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2018. She worked and studied as a visiting scholar at Washington University in St. Louis from 2014 to 2015. She is mainly engaged in (1) research on the mechanism of vitamin D or its analogues in relieving reproductive aging, maintaining fertility and reproductive health; (2) research on mTORC2 and tumor bone metastasis. Dr. Sun has led three founds including National Natural Science Foundation of China, Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, and Doctoral Fund of the Ministry of Education. As a principal participant, she is also involved in 7 national projects. She has published 6 papers as a corresponding author or first author, among which 5 are SCI-indexed. As a teacher of anatomy, Dr. Sun is mainly responsible for systematic anatomy, human body structure and local anatomy courses for international students, 5+3, five-year clinical medicine and nursing majors. She has chaired one educational reform project of the university and published two teaching papers as a corresponding author or the first author.

Li Lei

of Birth (1977-11), lecturer, from Nanjing, Jiangsu province. In 2001, he graduated from Nanjing Medical University with a bachelor's degree in medicine. In 2004, he graduated from Nantong Medical University with a master's degree in human anatomy and tissue embryology.In 2011, he graduated from Nanjing Medical University, majoring in human anatomy and histology and embryology with a PhD degree. In 2004,he was employed by the Department of Human Anatomy, Nanjing Medical University.Promoted to lecturer in 2007.Jul. 2006 - Aug. 2006 advanced study in Department of Human Anatomy and Tissue Embryology, Shanghai Medical University.Mainly engaged in the research of bone metabolism.He has chaired or participated in 3 scientific research projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and has concluded 3 projects.He has published 5 scientific papers as the corresponding author or the first author.Mainly responsible for five-year and 5+3 clinical anatomy teaching.Published one teaching paper;1 teaching award.Edit or participate in compiling 1 teaching material.

All materials are contributed by Nanjing Medical University.