Dr. William J. Burke, dean of Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, has spent the last nine years training physicians in China's Sichuan province.
In the early afternoon of May 12, 2008, an 8.0 magnitude earthquake rattled Sichuan, the fourth-most populated province in China. The tremors originated 50 miles from the provincial capital of Chengdu and, according to the Chinese government, about 69,000 people were killed.
It was only the second time that Dr. William J. Burke, dean of Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Dublin campus, had visited China when the earthquake struck.
Burke had travelled to the Sichuan province as part of the International Primary Care Educational Alliance. His mission was to help train Chinese physicians in primary care, as the region was facing a shortage of physicians for a fast growing population.
Assisting people in the wake of a major national disaster was not on the agenda, but Burke said it was the most meaningful experience he has had so far overseas.
“There were three of us: me, my wife and another physician," Burke said. "We provided relief work, assisting victims out in the countryside. It was one of those events that cemented our relationship with officials because we wanted to come and help the people of the province.”
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It is a relationship that has grown stronger with each year that Burke has returned to China, and on Sept. 17 Chinese government officials presented Burke with the Tainfu Friendship Award. The award is presented by the provincial government of Sichuan to foreign people who have made outstanding contributions to province’s development.
“It is an absolute honor,” Burke said of the award.
In a news release, the Sichuan government commended Burke and his team for their intensive training at 15 hospitals and 20 health centers in the province.
Burke graduated from HCOM in 1988 and has spent most of his career teaching and promoting osteopathic medicine, mainly within the state of Ohio. His work in education led to him being asked to head to Sichuan in 2007 to help set up a structure for primary care in the province.
“I had so many people who helped me on my journey to becoming a physician, so as I finished my residency I thought it was important to give back,” Burke said. “I love the academic environment, and I love working with inquisitive people who want to better themselves.”
By the time Burke joined, the program had already been going on for several years. It started as part of an initiative from China’s central government in the early 2000s. Beijing decided that developing a new medical system would be key to managing costs while improving the outcomes of patients.
“He is very passionate because he really loves teaching,” Pam Dixson, Burke’s executive assistant said. “He feels he can be instrumental in assisting doctors in China.”
Burke’s first task in Sichuan was to help set up a residency for family medicine, which did not exist when he first arrived. When that task was completed, the Chinese government realized the country needed more physicians in a short amount of time, so Burke and his team have helped retrain surgeons, cardiologists and other specialists to become primary care physicians.
“They have a good foundation,” Burke said of the specialists.
One member of Burke’s team is Larry Hurtubise, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at HCOM. Hurtubise said he has known Burke since fourth grade, and he has worked in Sichuan the past couple of years.
“[Burke] asked me if I would be interested in going and it sounded like a great opportunity,” Hurtubise said.
Hurtubise enjoys working in China for the same reason that Burke does: Many Chinese students have a voracious appetite for learning.
“They are very involved in their education, and the individuals I’ve met care an awful lot about their patients,” Hurtubise said.
Burke believes that osteopathic medicine is a good fit for China because it is a combination of the country’s two types of medical practices. Chinese physicians are trained in Western medicine, a program that mirrors what medical students learn in the United States. But the Chinese physicians also study Eastern medicine, which teaches about subjects such as Chinese herbs and acupuncture.
“The Chinese government saw osteopathic medicine as the perfect blend,” Burke said.
Burke and his team spend most of his time with the 20 physicians seeing patients together, offering guidance on how to evaluate and interact with each patient. Some days are spent giving lectures. These interactions are the most difficult part of the program for Burke.
“The language barrier is hard to overcome, for me at least,” Burke said. “Many of the students have a degree of proficiency in English, but most of [the trainers] have little in Mandarin.”
That is especially difficult when it comes to medical terms, but Burke said that he’s been lucky to work with translators who come from medical backgrounds.
Burke said he plans to continue working in China because it is such a unique program, giving him and his team an opportunity to work closely with foreign physicians over an extended period of time. Those physicians are dedicated to what they do.
“Watching the physicians, they’re like sponges," Burke said. "They want to soak up everything they can. They are amazing people to work with.”
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