Promise of elective education
Doctors are the repairmen of society, saving lives of those who contribute. However, as an integral part of society, doctors should understand the fabric of society. In a modern nation like Taiwan, culture and other aspects seem irrelevant to the sciences, especially medicine; but an increasing number of problems cannot be dependent on the expertise of a single subject.
Well-rounded doctors would spark breakthroughs in interdisciplinary studies, solving problems in novel ways, curing diseases using methods learned from other industries as well as methods based in medicine.
Many traditional remedies might also come to light, such as recent reports of an Anglo-Saxon text revealing a method of treatment for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and in Taiwan, the curative effects of Antrodia cinnamomea, a traditional medicine used by Aborigines, for treating cancer and hypertension.
Training doctors to become literate in subjects other that medicine would promote interdisciplinary dialogue, opening new ways to study particular problems.
It is important for professionals to be well versed in subjects beyond their expertise. Polymaths, such as Benjamin Franklin and Leonardo da Vinci, seem to be a figment of the past, but we live in a world that needs these highly accomplished individuals.
Questions surrounding the effects of climate change on health, physical deterioration in zero gravity, malnutrition in developing nations and the effects of economics on obesity have yet to be solved.
As a Chinese international student at Taipei Medical University (TMU), I have had the opportunity to engage in medical and non-medical courses. I have found students in Taiwan to be particularly focused on medical studies. A philosophy on learning such as this creates people who are skilled in the field of medicine, but who are not well-rounded across various subject matter.
Under TMU president Yun Yen (閻雲), there has been an emphasis on global outreach and student involvement in the electives. The school allows each student to take between two and four elective courses per semester, exposing students to subjects completely different from their main field.
Having taken many of these courses, I can see my understanding about culture, especially Taiwanese culture, has expanded. The electives I have taken range from an introduction to the Confucian Book of Rites to a course on creating sustainable ecosystems.
Among other things, the classes have allowed me to watch a ceremony take place on Confucius’ birthday, present a lecture on Hellenistic history and science, and visit Atayal villages in Hsinchu as part of a cultural exchange. As a foreigner, these classes have helped me to become better acquainted with local culture and learn about aspects otherwise neglected by modernization.
A new emphasis on liberal arts and elective education is stimulating interest in subjects other than medicine. I hope that the change president Yun Yen has triggered can extend not just to TMU, but to universities and schools throughout the nation.
Alexander Cheng
Taipei
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
The past few months have seen tremendous strides in India’s journey to develop a vibrant semiconductor and electronics ecosystem. The nation’s established prowess in information technology (IT) has earned it much-needed revenue and prestige across the globe. Now, through the convergence of engineering talent, supportive government policies, an expanding market and technologically adaptive entrepreneurship, India is striving to become part of global electronics and semiconductor supply chains. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision of “Make in India” and “Design in India” has been the guiding force behind the government’s incentive schemes that span skilling, design, fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging, and
Can US dialogue and cooperation with the communist dictatorship in Beijing help avert a Taiwan Strait crisis? Or is US President Joe Biden playing into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) hands? With America preoccupied with the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Biden is seeking better relations with Xi’s regime. The goal is to responsibly manage US-China competition and prevent unintended conflict, thereby hoping to create greater space for the two countries to work together in areas where their interests align. The existing wars have already stretched US military resources thin, and the last thing Biden wants is yet another war.