Reforming China's Secondary Vocational Medical Education: Adapting to the Challenges and Opportunities of the AI Era (Preprint)

China's secondary vocational medical education is essential for training primary health care personnel and enhancing public health responses. This education system currently faces challenges, primarily due to its emphasis on knowledge acquisition that overshadows the development and application of skills, especially in the context of emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. This article delves into the impact of AI on medical practices and uses this analysis to suggest reforms for the vocational medical education system in China. AI is found to significantly enhance diagnostic capabilities, therapeutic decision-making, and patient management. However, it also brings about concerns such as potential job losses and necessitates the adaptation of medical professionals to new technologies. Proposed reforms include a greater focus on critical thinking, hands-on experiences, skill development, medical ethics, and integrating humanities and AI into the curriculum. These reforms require ongoing evaluation and sustained research to effectively prepare medical students for future challenges in the field.