BACKGROUND

Internationalization in medical education aims to align programs with global standards, foster intercultural competence, and expand academic collaboration. In private medical schools in Northern Luzon, clarifying how internationalization is conceptualized and enacted can enhance the medical curriculum.

To explore how private medical schools in Northern Luzon conceptualize and implement internationalization, identify associated challenges, and propose curriculum inputs to enhance delivery of the medical curriculum.

The qualitative study utilized a multiple case study design. The study was approved by the Saint Louis University Research Ethics Committee. Using purposive sampling, 45 participants from private institutions in Northern Luzon Philippines consented to engage in focus group discussions and in-depth interviews from February to April 2025. Data were analyzed through inductive content and thematic techniques.

Participants conceptualized internationalization as (1) alignment with international quality and practice standards; (2) global engagement and exchange encompassing knowledge, skills, culture, institutional networking, and collaboration; (3) inclusivity and multicultural responsiveness; and (4) pursuit of global recognition and accreditation. Implementation occurred via “internationalization at home” (embedding global perspectives in local learning environments), “internationalization abroad” (student/faculty mobility and external exposure), and alignment of philosophical and curricular frameworks. Reported challenges included institutional and curricular constraints, language and cultural barriers, sociocultural and financial limitations, and external/contextual pressures.

Addressing the identified barriers and scaling the documented practices can enhance the delivery of the medical curriculum. The study offers actionable curricular revisions that private institutions may adopt to strengthen internationalization in medical education.

BACKGROUND

Internationalization in medical education aims to align programs with global standards, foster intercultural competence, and expand academic collaboration. In private medical schools in Northern Luzon, clarifying how internationalization is conceptualized and enacted can enhance the medical curriculum.

To explore how private medical schools in Northern Luzon conceptualize and implement internationalization, identify associated challenges, and propose curriculum inputs to enhance delivery of the medical curriculum.

The qualitative study utilized a multiple case study design. The study was approved by the Saint Louis University Research Ethics Committee. Using purposive sampling, 45 participants from private institutions in Northern Luzon Philippines consented to engage in focus group discussions and in-depth interviews from February to April 2025. Data were analyzed through inductive content and thematic techniques.

Participants conceptualized internationalization as (1) alignment with international quality and practice standards; (2) global engagement and exchange encompassing knowledge, skills, culture, institutional networking, and collaboration; (3) inclusivity and multicultural responsiveness; and (4) pursuit of global recognition and accreditation. Implementation occurred via “internationalization at home” (embedding global perspectives in local learning environments), “internationalization abroad” (student/faculty mobility and external exposure), and alignment of philosophical and curricular frameworks. Reported challenges included institutional and curricular constraints, language and cultural barriers, sociocultural and financial limitations, and external/contextual pressures.

Addressing the identified barriers and scaling the documented practices can enhance the delivery of the medical curriculum. The study offers actionable curricular revisions that private institutions may adopt to strengthen internationalization in medical education.

Global warming poses an ever-increasing threat to human health, with heat-related illnesses affecting economically underdeveloped tropical regions, posing new challenges to Chinese foreign medical aid work in Africa. By improving the professional ability of foreign aid medical team members and paying attention to the prevention and treatment of heat-related illnesses, they can provide better medical services for recipient countries and Chinese migrant workers in Africa while ensuring their safety.
China ; Global Warming ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; International Cooperation ; Transients and Migrants

Altruism ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; Delivery of Health Care/ethics* ; Empathy ; Ethics, Medical ; Global Health ; Humans ; International Cooperation ; Physicians ; World Health Organization

Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Education ; Humans ; International Cooperation ; Oceania ; Seoul

Asia ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cooperative Behavior ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Humans ; International Cooperation ; Japan ; Korea ; Liver ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mass Screening ; Oceania ; Taiwan ; Thailand ; Thyroid Neoplasms

Tobacco products are rapidly evolving. Since the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control came to effect in 2005, the parties of the treaty have been aiming to control tobacco use. Moreover, the social norm of smoking has changed. These changes have prompted the tobacco industry to evolve their products and business model. There have been several evolutions in tobacco products. Firstly, new tobacco products, such as electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products were introduced into markets that were previously dominated by conventional cigarettes. Thus, smokers are able to select alternative tobacco products. Secondly, new devices for tobacco use, including universal serial bus, smart watch, and car key devices, have been developed and released. These devices are popular among females and youth, who wish to hide their smoking behavior. Thirdly, nicotine, which is used in tobacco products, has also evolved. Typically, ‘free-base nicotine’ has been the main form used in tobacco products, because it helps to deliver nicotine quickly to the smoker's brain. However, a new form of nicotine, ‘nicotine salt’, is used in electronic cigarettes. It can deliver a more highly concentrated dose of nicotine to the smoker’s brain. To regulate these evolving products, laws are required to prevent the easy access of new tobacco products in the Korean market and therefore, a new organization for monitoring the evolution of tobacco products is required. Additionally, we need to encourage young people and scholars to develop interest in tobacco product control, thus ensuring adequate regulation of new tobacco products.
Adolescent ; Brain ; Commerce ; Electronic Cigarettes ; Female ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; International Cooperation ; Jurisprudence ; Nicotine ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Social Norms ; Tobacco Industry ; Tobacco Products ; Tobacco Use ; Tobacco ; World Health Organization

Rapid development is undergoing in the field of rehabilitation robots, and more countries (regions) are participating in international cooperation and becoming academic contributors. Here in this study, the bibliometric method is used to determine the dynamics and developments of international cooperation in China. The publication data are indexed in Web of Science with search term of rehabilitation robot from 2000 to 2019. Compared with other countries (regions), publication with international co-authors and institutes participating in international cooperation are studied by assessment of indicators such as the cooperation degree, cooperation frequency, and the frequency of citations. The results show that in the past two decades, international scientific cooperation has shown a positive tendency in China, and participating in international collaboration could improve China's impact on the global rehabilitation robot. The United States, England and Japan are the top three countries in number of cooperation with China. Our findings provide valuable information for researchers to better understand China's international scientific collaboration in rehabilitation robot.
Bibliometrics ; China ; International Cooperation ; Medicine ; Time Factors ; United States

Humans ; International Cooperation ; Mediastinitis ; pathology ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Time Factors

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) entered into effect in 2005 and has been ratified by 181 parties. The major tobacco control policies included in the FCTC are increased tobacco taxes; smoke-free public places; bans on tobacco advertisements, promotion, and sponsorship; regulations of tobacco packaging and labeling; regulations and disclosure of tobacco component and emissions; public awareness campaigns about the adverse health effects of tobacco use; treatment of tobacco use and dependence; and bans on tobacco sales to minors. Since the FCTC was ratified, tobacco control policies have been strengthened worldwide, but with different effects for different policies. A high level of performance was achieved in 55% of the signatory countries for warnings about the hazards of tobacco and in 30% for monitoring tobacco control policies, but tobacco tax increases, smoke-free polices, and bans on tobacco advertisement, promotion, and sponsorship achieved high levels of success in only about 10% of the countries. Korea recently strengthened some tobacco control policies, including tobacco tax increases, mass media campaigns, pictorial warnings on tobacco packs, smoke-free bars and restaurants, and reimbursement for smoking cessation services provided by health care facilities. However, the price of cigarettes remains very low considering the nation's income level, and tobacco advertisements, promotion, and sponsorship are only partially restricted. Workplace smoke-free policies are limited to large companies. Only monitoring of tobacco control policies and smoking cessation services are at a high level in Korea. Comprehensive tobacco control polices need to be strengthened, and physicians should play a leading role.
Commerce ; Delivery of Health Care ; Disclosure ; International Cooperation ; Korea ; Mass Media ; Product Packaging ; Restaurants ; Smoke-Free Policy ; Smoking Cessation ; Social Control, Formal ; Taxes ; Tobacco Products ; Tobacco Use ; Tobacco