Work on publishing China's first internal medicine e-book has started in Shanghai, part of a national medical e-book project promoted by the Ministry of Education.

Internal medicine is the medical specialty that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of adult diseases.

Medical education expert Wang Jiyao, a professor from the medical school at Fudan University who is a well-known national digestive and liver disease expert, will be chief editor of the e-book. More than 30 leading medical education schools in the country are taking part in the project.

Wang said:" When the national medical e-book project is completed, just by using an iPad it can accommodate 53 textbooks, including basic medicine and clinical medicine.

"It will be easy for students to carry. They can also easily access related knowledge through the e-book's links."

The e-book is expected to be completed next year.