THE No. 1 Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University has bought some simulation patients --- robots who could act as patients --- from the United States late last week to allow the hospital to train interns while protecting patient's rights.

The "patients" look like real people, with realistic skin, blood vessels and pulses. They could also answer simple questions like: "How old are you?"

Doctors said a "patient" could simulate hundreds of conditions, including more than 100 situations that needed first aid. One of the "patients" at the hospital could even simulate expectant mothers, except that its abdomen could be opened.

Like real patients, the robots could respond to interns' operations. If a nurse injects medicine into the right position, the "blood" of the "patient" started flow back, but when she injects the medicine into the wrong place, the "blood" would not flow back.

At another "ward," a "patient" suddenly developed irregular heart rhythms. After an emergency operation, the heart rhythms returned normal.

"How do you feel now?" Asked a doctor.

"Much better!" The "patient" answered.

Medical students usually started clinical training after studying medical theories for three to four years in China. However, they had few chances to practice, because some patients were afraid of failed operations while others wanted to protect their privacy.

The decreasing clinical practices have resulted in lower levels of young doctors. Statistics from the Guangdong Provincial Doctors' Association showed that only 30 percent of examinees passed the provincial doctor qualification test last year.

"Most of them failed the clinical test," said a test organizer.

While the simulation patients could reduce any human rights breaches, some experts said simulation patients could hardly replace real patients, who were far more complicated.

Editor: Wing