In order to provide public-funded medical students with an understanding of the current medical situation in remote/rural areas, faculty from the School of Medicine arrange field visits. These visits allow medical students to gain a deep understanding of and reflect on the trends and prospects of serving in remote/rural areas, preparing them in advance for the various aspects they may encounter when providing frontline services in the future.

    By conducting site visits to hospitals and health centers in remote/rural areas, our medical students gain an understanding of their mission. Through interactions with local healthcare institutions, they become acquainted with healthcare issues in remote/rural areas and gain experience in cross-cultural care. Currently, visits have been made to four healthcare institutions, including Yuli Hospital in Hualien, Dawu Township Health Center in Taitung, Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taitung, and Tzu Chi Hospital in Hualien.

    In addition, Assistant Professor Yayun Zheng discipline aims to cultivate the students' humanistic care, enrich their knowledge, and promote their understanding of history and culture. She led students and faculty to the Taiwan Blackfoot Disease Socio-Medical Service Memorial House in Tainan. Through the actual visit experience and the insightful and informative explanations from the tour guide, students were able to gain a firsthand understanding of the historical occurrence of leprosy. This further enhanced their understanding of the causes of leprosy and the medical environment in rural areas at that time. Students also learned about the past experiences of Dr. King-Ho Wang, the "Father of Blackfoot Disease," who treated patients with great care and fought against the disease. The visit aimed to inspire future students who will be entering rural service, encouraging them to adopt Dr. King-Ho Wang's compassionate spirit in patient care.

       During the visit, students explored Dr. Wang's former residence and the clinic where he treated patients. Witnessing the physical conditions of patients who underwent amputations at that time left a profound impact on the students, evoking feelings of shock and compassion.

Site Visit Courses in the Academic Years 2022 to 2023