Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine is located in the heart of Huangpu District, a vibrant hub of innovation, culture, and inclusiveness. Surrounded by sunlit red-brick buildings and lush plane trees, the campus blends historical charm with academic excellence. The School traces its origins to the medical schools of St. John’s University (1896–1952), Aurora University (1911–1952), and Tongde Medical College (1918–1952), which were merged in 1952 during the national reorganization of higher education to form Shanghai Second Medical College. In 1985, it was renamed Shanghai Second Medical University. In 1997, the university was included in China’s “Project 211” initiative to strengthen key institutions of higher education. In July 2005, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Shanghai Second Medical University merged to form the new Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, a key institution jointly supported by the Ministry of Education and the Shanghai Municipal Government. The School subsequently joined the ranks of the “Project 985” universities. In November 2010, it became one of the first ten universities jointly developed by the Ministry of Health (now National Health Commission) and the Ministry of Education.
Over the course of more than a century of development and over seventy years of trials and achievements, the School of Medicine has upheld its mission of serving the nation and the people. The School has always committed itself to national prosperity, scientific truth, and the sacred practice of medicine. Marching in step with the times, sharing the fate of the nation, and breathing in unison with the people, the School has made outstanding contributions to the country's healthcare development and has nurtured more than 70,000 medical professionals. Today, the School has grown into a research- and innovation-oriented institution with strong international reputation, exceptional faculty, distinct advantages, and outstanding academic achievements. It integrates medical education, research, healthcare, and public service. Its comprehensive strength ranks among the top nationwide, and it holds the No.1 position in multiple national discipline rankings among medical schools.
The School of Medicine has four campuses: Huangpu, Pudong, Chongming, and Hainan. The century-old institution has expanded from Puxi to Pudong and from Xintiandi to the International Medical Park, marking a new chapter in its development.
The School of Medicine comprises 25 sub-schools (or departments) and 13 affiliated hospitals. It offers doctoral programs in seven first-level disciplines, including biology, basic medicine, clinical medicine, and stomatology, and has six postdoctoral research stations. It offers an eight-year clinical medicine program (leading to a doctoral degree) and 10 undergraduate programs: Clinical Medicine, Stomatology, Pediatrics, Preventive Medicine, Biomedical Science, Medical Laboratory Technology, Food Hygiene and Nutrition, Medical Imaging Technology, Audiology and Speech Rehabilitation, and Nursing. Among them, Clinical Medicine, Stomatology, Biomedical Science, Preventive Medicine, Nursing, Pediatrics, and Medical Laboratory Technology have been selected as China’s First-Class Undergraduate Programs. Distinctive programs include the French-track eight-year Clinical Medicine program, the 4+4 MD-PhD program, the integrated 5+3 Pediatrics program, and the English-taught five-year Clinical Medicine program. In 2019, the School passed the Ministry of Education’s Clinical Medicine accreditation with excellence. It was the only institution in China to be fully observed by experts from the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), earning high praise from both domestic and international experts.
Currently, the School enrolls 11,117 students, including 3,790 undergraduates, 7,181 graduate students, and 146 international students. The overall employment rate stands at 96.21%.
The School’s library houses over 450,000 physical volumes, more than 500,000 e-books, and over 90 databases. It operates 97 hours per week and provides comprehensive biomedical resources covering clinical medicine, basic medicine, pharmacy, and evidence-based medicine. It supports teaching and research by continuously enhancing its resource base.
According to the latest ESI (Essential Science Indicators) rankings, four disciplines — Clinical Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Biology and Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology and Genetics — are ranked in the top 0.1% globally. Clinical Medicine ranks 85th globally and first in China. Its number of publications ranks 25th globally, within the top 0.01% of institutions worldwide. Four additional disciplines rank in the global top 1%. In the latest U.S. News global university rankings, Clinical Medicine is ranked 63rd globally. Surgery, Endocrinology & Metabolism, and Cardiology are ranked first in China. Twelve disciplines rank in the top three in China, and 16 are among the world’s top 100. In the Shanghai Rankings, Clinical Medicine is ranked 1st in China, Stomatology and Basic Medicine both 2nd, Pharmacy 9th, Public Health and Preventive Medicine 8th, and Nursing 11th. According to the latest QS rankings, Medicine ranks 83rd globally, Dentistry 77th, Anatomy and Physiology 36th, Pharmacy and Pharmacology 73rd, Biological Sciences 66th, and Nursing entered the ranking for the first time at 118th globally.
The School has achieved remarkable progress in building scientific research bases and platforms. It hosts 1 national major scientific and technological infrastructure (the Shanghai National Facility for Translational Medicine),2 State Key Laboratories, 1 National Engineering Research Center, 1 National Base for International Science and Technology Cooperation, 3 Key Laboratories of the Ministry of Education, 2 Engineering Research Centers of the Ministry of Education, 4 Key Laboratories of the National Health Commission, 33 Shanghai Municipal Key Laboratories, 13 Shanghai Engineering Technology Research Centers, 2 Shanghai Engineering Research Centers, 8 Shanghai Clinical Medicine Research Centers, and 11 municipal professional technical service platforms.
The School actively participates in China’s healthcare reform and continuously improves the service capabilities of its affiliated hospitals. It currently has 13 affiliated hospitals — 8 general hospitals and 5 specialized hospitals — housing 5 national medical centers and 10 national regional medical centers. A total of 106 national clinical key specialties have been approved. In 2023, affiliated hospitals recorded 42.46 million outpatient and emergency visits, provided 23,528 inpatient beds, had 1.4166 million discharges, and performed 903,400 inpatient surgeries. The hospitals continue to improve their ability to treat complex and critical illnesses and have made major contributions to the healthcare system of Shanghai and the nation, receiving widespread acclaim.
The School continues to deepen international collaboration and has significantly enhanced the internationalization of its medical education. It has established partnerships with 70 universities and research institutions across 21 countries and regions, promoting research cooperation with top global institutions. Notable initiatives include the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Center for Single-Cell Omics and Disease Research, and the Joint Center for One Health with the University of Edinburgh. It has developed around 55 overseas study programs in collaboration with 71 institutions from 21 countries. Over 50.4% of undergraduates participate in short-term overseas study. In recent years, the School has also launched multiple virtual overseas exchange programs with top global universities, enabling students to access high-quality international education without leaving the country. In 2020, it became the first university in China to pass the international student education quality accreditation by the China Education Association for International Exchange, and the only one to be awarded an eight-year certification period.
The School enjoys a long-standing tradition of Sino-French medical education cooperation, which has become one of its key features. Dating back to the founding of Aurora University School of Medicine in 1911, the School has continuously developed strong ties with leading French medical schools, training over 800 French-speaking medical professionals. In 2013, the jointly established doctoral program in medical education between Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the University of Strasbourg was officially approved by the Ministry of Education, becoming China’s first joint PhD program in medicine. In 2018, the Sino-French Joint Medical School was officially launched in collaboration with Paris Descartes University, Lyon 1 University, University of Lille, University of Strasbourg, and Université Grenoble Alpes, marking a new chapter of comprehensive cooperation in medical education, research, and healthcare. In 2021, a French-language Medical Laboratory Technology program was established. Using a “4 years in China + 1 year in France” model, it trains students with a strong foundation in medical science, broad interdisciplinary knowledge, solid laboratory skills, and research capabilities.
（Data as of August 31, 2024.）
