Advancing Medical Education and Global Collaboration

Los Angeles Times

19-04-2025

Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU) and its affiliated Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital (KMUH) stand at the heart of Southern Taiwan's healthcare and medical education ecosystem. As the only one of Taiwan's original four accredited medical centers located outside Taipei, KMUH plays a crucial role in providing specialized care, training future doctors and driving medical innovation for the region.
KMUH has secured three consecutive Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditations, in 2016, 2019, and 2022, placing it among a select group of institutions maintaining continuous global certification. According to Eric Chen, Chairman of the Board, these accreditations are only the foundation. 'JCI is not a trophy – it's a baseline. What truly matters is how we build on that foundation to enhance education, research, and care.'
KMU integrates clinical training at KMUH directly into its medical curriculum, combining academic rigor with practical immersion. Its commitment to global partnerships is evident in its clinical rotation programs, which regularly host students from Stanford University and Harvard Medical School.
'These rotations expose students to disease patterns rarely seen in the United States, such as tuberculosis,' says Chen. 'At the same time, they experience a fully digital healthcare system, something that sets Taiwan apart internationally.'
This global exposure does not end at student exchanges. KMU actively collaborates with U.S. medical centers, pharmaceutical companies, and biopharmaceutical firms, positioning itself as a clinical trial hub for companies seeking to expand into the Asian market.
'Our medical records system is fully digital and physician notes are written in English, which simplifies data sharing for international research,' Chen explains. 'We currently have 20 to 30 active AI projects, many of which directly support clinical research workflows.'
Taiwan's global leadership in semiconductors and ICT creates natural synergies for KMU, allowing the university to integrate advanced hardware, AI algorithms, and clinical data into a cohesive research environment.
'AI and technology are critical, but they must enhance human care, not replace it,' says Chen. 'Every AI system we deploy includes manual oversight, ensuring that technology serves the doctor-patient relationship, not the other way around.'
With its fully digital infrastructure and its data-sharing culture, KMU offers pharmaceutical companies and research partners a streamlined path for conducting large-scale clinical trials in Taiwan, while simultaneously advancing its own AI research agenda.
Kaohsiung Medical University is firmly positioned as a leader in advancing public health and sustainable development on a national scale. In the 2024 THE World University Rankings, KMU achieved the highest ranking in Taiwan for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality), with an exceptional global ranking of sixth in SDG 3. This achievement highlights KMU's outstanding contributions to public health, which extend far beyond local initiatives. The university's commitment to SDGs is a key part of its 'Leading the Nation' policy, which drives its influence on national healthcare strategies and sets a global example for sustainable healthcare practices. KMU is not only a leader in Taiwan but is actively shaping public health innovations that can have a global impact.
Taiwan's declining birthrate – with over 20% of the population now over 65 – is driving KMU to actively recruit international students, particularly into its English-taught postgraduate programs aimed at students from the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
'Taiwan offers world-class medical education at a fraction of U.S. tuition,' Chen explains. 'If we can attract North American students for two years of medical school here, and then support them to complete residency in their home countries, we create a new generation of doctors with deep ties to Taiwan.'
KMU's international strategy balances collaborations with elite institutions in the U.S., Japan, and Europe with capacity-building partnerships in Southeast Asia and other emerging regions. This dual approach reflects both KMU's strategic ambitions and Taiwan's historical commitment to global health cooperation.
'Taiwan's medical sector owes much to early Western medical missionaries, and now it's our turn to pay that forward,' says Chen. 'We want KMU to link upward to global leaders like Stanford while simultaneously lifting up promising institutions in Vietnam, Indonesia and beyond.'
Looking ahead, KMU and KMUH actively invite pharmaceutical companies, technology innovators, and academic institutions to explore collaborative opportunities in Kaohsiung. Whether in clinical trials, AI innovation, sustainable hospital design, or international medical education, KMU aims to become a preferred partner for global healthcare innovation.
'Kaohsiung offers something few places in the world can match – a globally connected medical university, an accredited teaching hospital and direct access to the technological powerhouse that is Taiwan,' concludes Chen. 'For any partner looking to bridge Western innovation with Asia's healthcare future, Kaohsiung is ready.'