Abstract: ObjectiveTo explore the effect of “clinical early contact” practice on the cultivation of medical students caring ability in the medical professionalism training course（HEART）, and to summarize the teaching design of “clinical early contact” in the course. MethodsThe questionnaires of “hidden curriculum” were compiled, and the post interview and questionnaire survey were conducted on the students who participated in the clinical early contact with social practice of “HEART” curriculum, so as to evaluate the preliminary situation of “hidden curriculum” on the cultivation of medical students caring ability. ResultsMedical students had a positive attitude towards helping their caring ability cultivation from all dimensions of various measures with hidden curriculum. The strength of the three dimensions of “teaching demonstration of teachers with guidance”, “caring display” and “influence of professional competence on students caring ability” will be significantly different due to the differences of “students early clinical contact time span”, “teachers seniority” and “satisfaction degree of early clinical contact process”. Conclusion“various organizational forms of early clinical contact” has an important impact on the cognition of care ability of medical students who enter clinical experience for the first time. Model learning and peer influence have a positive impact on the cognition of care ability of medical students.

Key words: clinical early contact, caring ability, situational learning, professional quality