Over 300,000 Chinese are taking a national medical examination today and tomorrow to become China's first group of licensed doctors.

The test is divided into four categories: clinical skills, Chinese medicine, stomatology and public health. Both medical practitioners and assistant medical practitioners will be tested.

Before the written exam, practical skills tests including demonstrations of surgical techniques and patient diagnosis were held last month.

The comprehensive examination is expected to lay the foundation for a medical licensing and registration system in China.

For five decades, China has run a health care system that doesn 't issue any national unified license to medical professionals. Medical school graduates usually are permitted to treat patients after completion of a one-year internship and the evaluation of their qualifications, which are conducted by local health administrations.

Health officials said China's existing health care system, even though it has proved successful in improving the overall health of the Chinese, has made it easy for quack doctors to profit from giving unauthorized medical care.

"The people's health should always be the top priority, so we won't allow unqualified persons to infiltrate the ranks of medical practitioners," stressed Health Minister Zhang Wenkang.

Statistics show that China has more than 1.5 million doctors and some 460,000 medical assistants. However, the number of new physicians in recent years has far exceeded the number of graduates from medical colleges, which suggests that many unqualified people are practicing medicine.

Until now, China has followed the Law on Medical Practitioners, which stipulates that those who pass a qualification test and are registered have the right to practice medicine. (Xinhua)