Teaching High Altitude Military Medical Geography Produces Effective Military Physicians for the Chinese Plateau

Abstract

The natural environment at high altitude triggers plateau diseases. This requires excellent military physicians that have graduated from high altitude military medical training to serve people on the plateau. High altitude military medical undergraduates need to complete a variety of military medicine courses. High altitude military medical geography is an important subject in military medicine that focuses on the relationship between the high altitude geographical environment and the health and medical support of military members. Considering military medical geographic information is a key aspect before military actions. This article summarizes the experience of teaching a high altitude military medical geography program, which has produced Chinese military medical undergraduates with excellent theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Our teaching process includes the first and second class levels. The former comprises theoretical and practical courses, including investigations in the field, practice on the plateau, and practice with geographic information systems. During the first class level teaching process, theoretical knowledge was reorganized and combined into four modules. After moving to the second class level, which last for 2–3 years, students continue to develop their military medical geography expertise under the guidance of teachers in summer school. This characteristic teaching mode supports the training of excellent high altitude military physicians for China.