Abstract: This article describes characteristics of the humanities and social science curriculum at University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and Tongji University school of medicine from the perspectives of students and medical education researchers. The background, design, format, teaching content, target population of students are compared and implications are discussed. The major differences are curriculum format and teaching content regarding health system science. Based on the comparison, following motions are proposed to optimize the curriculums of humanities and social science at Tongji University. Multidisciplinary collaboration is needed to design competency-based curriculum, while the learning objectives should address the specific issue of patient-physician relationship in China. Faculty development program and teaching assistants program are potential solutions to the shortage of small group facilitators. Furthermore, projects to improve health-care environment in affiliated teaching hospitals should be encouraged to build a better working and learning culture.

Key words: Humanities and social science curriculum, Competency, System-based curriculum, Tongji University, University of Nebraska