Objective To investigate the current status of higher education of allied health professions (AHPs), professional human resource as well as the career development of allied health professionals, and to provide references for the planning of higher education of AHPs in China. Methods Literature was reviewed in relation to the current status of higher education of AHPs and professional human resource in China. A questionnaire survey was conducted to determine the career development conditions of allied health professionals. Results a) Currently, the higher education of AHPs in China was faced with such problems as a limited scale, a lower structural level, and an absent degree system. b) The number of allied health professionals was small with lower qualifications. Higher-end professionals were in shortage. C) The professionals saw multiples glass ceilings over career orientation, academic advancement, and professional entitlement. Conclusion Efforts should be made to expand the scale of higher education of AHPs, elevate degree structure, and to construct a professional education system with multiple layers and categories. The professional education should be combined with the career development for planning and collaboration to provide assurance for the career development of the professional in China.
In West China Medical School of Sichuan University, the practice and exploration of the medical curriculum construction of "inquiry-class" teaching mode has been implemented with the support of the school since the spring semester of 2013. As a result a series of achievements have been made through the recruitment of graduate assistants to participate in auxiliary teaching in the mode of "large class teaching - small group discussion", as well as the reform of assessment methods and implementation of formative evaluation plus building effective assessment and management mechanism for curriculum.
Optometry has become the second class course under the allied health professions since 2012, and has been the National undergraduate enrollment directory. According to the definition of optometry provided by the World Council of Optometry, the jobs of optometrist in China include the basic eye care, basic optometry, contact lens fitting, binocular vision anomaly treatment, strabismus and amblyopia treatment, low vision treatment, special ocular examination, maintenance of equipment related to optometry, operation and sales management. At present, the demand of professional optometrist is great. However, the development of optometrical education is limited by the lack of professional ranks. The professional ranks and titles for optometrist, corresponding registration and examination system should be established by the Ministry of Health as soon as possible, in order for the development of optometrical education and human resource management.