title: Regional Influences on Chinese Medicine Education: Comparing Australia and Hong Kong.
abstract: High quality education programs are essential for preparing the next generation of Chinese medicine (CM) practitioners. Currently, training in CM occurs within differing health and education policy contexts. There has been little analysis of the factors influencing the form and status of CM education in different regions. Such a task is important for understanding how CM is evolving internationally and predicting future workforce characteristics. This paper compares the status of CM education in Australia and Hong Kong across a range of dimensions: historical and current positions in the national higher education system, regulatory context and relationship to the health system, and public and professional legitimacy. The analysis highlights the different ways in which CM education is developing in these settings, with Hong Kong providing somewhat greater access to clinical training opportunities for CM students. However, common trends and challenges shape CM education in both regions, including marginalisation from mainstream health professions, a small but established presence in universities, and an emphasis on biomedical research. Three factors stand out as significant for the evolution of CM education in Australia and Hong Kong and may have international implications: continuing biomedical dominance, increased competition between universities, and strengthened links with mainland China.
authors.affiliation: School of Humanities and Social Science, Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
authors.forename: Caragh
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2104-4937
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brosnan
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Vincent C H
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; Health Sciences, RMIT University, P.O. Box 71, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adams