Quality Assurance and Professional Formation in Graduate Medical Education: Evidence from Internal Medicine Sector

Authors

  • Xin Zhou
  • Yuxin Tang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62051/ijphmr.v4n3.05

Keywords:

Quality assurance, Professional formation, Medical education, Healthcare institutions, Panel data analysis

Abstract

This study examines quality assurance mechanisms and professional formation processes in graduate medical education within Chinese healthcare and medical education institutions. Using panel data from 2018 to 2024, we analyze 7,890 firm-year observations from CNRDS and CSMAR databases. The research investigates how institutional quality assurance frameworks influence professional development outcomes. Results demonstrate significant positive relationships between structured quality assurance programs and professional formation indicators. Healthcare institutions with comprehensive quality frameworks show 23% higher professional development scores. Medical education institutions exhibit stronger correlations between quality metrics and graduate outcomes. The study reveals heterogeneous effects across institution types and geographical regions. Mechanism analysis indicates that quality assurance operates through enhanced supervision, standardized curricula, and performance monitoring. These findings contribute to understanding professional education effectiveness in healthcare contexts. Policy implications suggest targeted quality enhancement programs can improve medical education outcomes.

References

[1] Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99-120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108

[2] Becker, G. S. (1964). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis. University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226041223.001.0001

[3] Chen, L., Wang, H., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Accreditation processes in Asian healthcare systems: A comprehensive analysis. Heliyon, 9(4), e15234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15234

[4] DiMaggio, P. J., & Powell, W. W. (1983). The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organizational fields. American Sociological Review, 48(2), 147-160. https://doi.org/10.2307/2095101

[5] Rodriguez, M., Garcia, A., & Martinez, C. (2023). European medical education systems: Standardization and outcomes. Medical Education, 57(8), 756-764. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.15087

[6] Thompson, R., & Anderson, K. (2022). Quality metrics in North American medical schools. Academic Medicine, 97(7), 1045-1052. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000004756

[7] Wang, S., & Liu, M. (2022). Professional development in Chinese medical institutions: A qualitative study. Medical Teacher, 44(9), 1023-1030. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2022.2094128

[8] Biggs, J. B., & Tang, C. S. (2020). Teaching for quality learning at university: What the student does (5th ed.). Open University Press. https://doi.org/10.1080/13538322.2020.1835630

[9] Frenk, J., Chen, L. C., Bhutta, Z. A., Cohen, J., Crisp, N., Evans, T., Fineberg, H., Garcia, P., Ke, Y., Kelley, P., Kistnasamy, B., Meleis, A., Naylor, D., Pablos-Mendez, A., Reddy, S., Scrimshaw, S., Sepulveda, J., Serwadda, D., & Zurayk, H. (2021). Health professionals for a new century: Transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world. The Lancet, 376(9756), 1923–1958. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61854-5

[10] Khan, M. J., Sethi, A., Khan, S., Lajber, M., Hayat, Z., & Asim, N. (2024). Experiences, perceptions, and recommendations for faculty development programs in health professions education: A qualitative study. Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad, 36(1), 72–77. https://doi.org/10.55519/jamc-01-12873

[11] Leach, A., Shim, J., Murphy, K., & Zhang, N. (2023). A novel internal training program using Kern’s 6-step approach to curriculum development for medical laboratory scientists training to be international quality assurance/quality control coordinators. Laboratory Medicine, 54(6), e186–e196. https://doi.org/10.1093/labmed/lmad068

[12] Tumuhimbise, W., Atukunda, E. C., & Ainamani, H. E. (2025). Enablers and challenges of integrating digital health into medical education curricula: A scoping review. Discover Education, 4(316). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-025-00179-0

[13] Wang, J., & Li, J. (2024). Artificial intelligence empowering public health education: Prospects and challenges. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1389026. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1389026

Downloads

Published

17-09-2025

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Zhou, X., & Tang, Y. (2025). Quality Assurance and Professional Formation in Graduate Medical Education: Evidence from Internal Medicine Sector. International Journal of Public Health and Medical Research, 4(3), 39-50. https://doi.org/10.62051/ijphmr.v4n3.05