Jen-Hsiang Roy Shen (22) is a fourth year medical student from Tau-yuan County and Taipei City in Taiwan.

 

Do you live with your parents or on your own?

I live in a dorm.

 

How’s university life in Taiwan?

We learn how to organize our life in university. There are many students’ clubs, and to join at least 2 of them is normal for us. For the rest of time at our disposal, we take different approach; some spend it on computer, some do sports, some go to volunteering etc.

 

How many years is medical school in Taiwan?

Western Medicine: 7 years

Traditional and Western Medicine: 8 years

Post-bachelor Western Medicine: 4 years

Post-bachelor Western and Traditional Medicine : 5 years.

 

Is it financially possible for everyone to study medicine in Taiwan?

Taiwan is an economically M-shaped society. Most family can afford, while some couldn’t even afford kids to study high schools. In Taiwan, from 7 to 18 years old is compulsory education, but some students have to work in order to have salary for family use.

There are many supporting associations for poor medical students, usually under the name of some past-away-and-famous-doctors. The support is sufficient. The school usually offer scholarship to those with good test scores, usually the top 3 among the class, with 200~1000 euros range.

 

What do you think is the best part of the medical education in Taiwan?

We have a very strong network of student organizations. Each local committee is strong, providing both curricular and extracurricular support. We are also regarded as the leading students of the nation, burdened by the citizens’ expectations.

 

If you can change one thing of the medical education in Taiwan, what would that be?

The medical education in Taiwan is generally good, in my opinion. There are two things that are on my priority list. 1^st is to build the students’ awareness and ability to join the formation of medical education. Students are the actual receiver of medical education, but organized students’ opinions are not part of national board accreditation. 2^nd is the society needs to change. Even we learn how to be a good doctor, there must be a place for good doctors to work. Some citizens think prescribing the drug they want means good doctors, while some think doctors should have not mis-judgement. The threat of law-suits, and under-payment drove students to rush into dermatology and family medicine.

Also, to get into medical school, becoming doctor-to-be, is a extreme honour. The profession was also protected by the law that there can only be 1300 new doctors per year. Many parents make their kids to go to medical schools in other countries, and use the holes in the law to become doctors in Taiwan.

 

What do you think that is the biggest difference in study medicine in Taiwan and other countries?  

Taiwans medical school is very USA-styled, except that we study it after high school. Most of our tutors are returned scholars from the US. The biggest difference I see is that Taiwanese students don’t take gap years, and they tend to focus more on studies.

 

Describe your life in 2020… 

The doctors in 2010 might work so differently from today’s situation. I think this is beyond my imagination. I just hope I can have a complete and happy family, with so many good friends. This is the morale I live up to.