Students of the Health Science Schools are now able to apply their medical skills in China through a partnership through Creighton University and Hebei Medical University in Shijiazhuang, China. The two schools will now work to expand their partnership to include student and faculty exchanges in pharmacy, medicine and possibly dentistry.
“International collaboration is much needed in China,” explained Dr. in-Kun Wen, president of Hebei Medical University via a translator during a signing ceremony on Aug. 20 according to an Omaha World Herald press release. Both Wen and Creighton president the Rev. Timothy Lannon, S.J were present to sign the final documents making the partnership that has been in the works for seven years.
Dr. Keli Mu, chair of Creighton’s Department of Occupational Therapy, said that China has a great need for rehabilitation and health professionals and feels as though students would be able to learn a lot by providing aid in a different part of the world.
“Specifically, we intend to help students learn and understand the culture, health care system and health care services, especially in rehab and nursing care in China,” Mu said. “Through the culture immersion, we intend to foster cultural sensitivity and competency, increase clinical reasoning and cultivate international leadership. Additionally, through an interprofessional approach, we intend to increase students’ understanding and appreciation of other health care professionals as well as the value and significance of interprofessional health care services.”
The exchange is 10 days long and happens over fall break so that students do not have to worry about falling behind in classes or other obligations.
Creighton established the China Honors Interprofessional Program (CHIP) in 2008, and the expansion of the partnership is aimed at growing an already intensive program. While Creighton students are in China they provide rehabilitation training through presentations and hands-on work. They also co-treat patients with Hebei’s attending physicians, nurses and rehabilitation therapists. In exchange, the hospital sends specialists to Omaha immersion in rehabilitation for one year.
What sets this international program apart is the focus on showing the relationship between medical care and the Jesuit values through the desire to better the lives of persons in need.
“The sincere and deep interest, passion and desire from all participating parties including the partners in both U.S. and China, participating students and faculty, and practitioners in China of caring for patients in need and improving quality of patients serves as a tractor that pulls the group together,” Mu said.
Both universities share the belief that the expansion of the program to medicine and pharmacy will make both universities stronger.
“There is so much mutual benefit to this relationship,” said Dr. Don Frey, vice-president of health sciences at Creighton University. “We can work together to find solutions for issues, such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease, that are challenging both the U.S. and China.”