As midsummer arrives, campuses once again resonate with the melodies of farewell. In this season where the joy of achievement and the sentiment of parting intertwine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (SJTUSM) sees another cohort of students preparing to embark on their respective journeys. Clad in white coats, they will carry forward the mission of safeguarding public health and contribute new chapters to the School’s legacy of excellence. Role models serve as guiding torches, illuminating the path ahead, while their stories flow like clear springs that nourish those who follow. Starting today, the School of Medicine launches a series titled “Graduation Stories,” revisiting the growth journeys of outstanding students honored as “Power of Role Models.” Their paths are marked by nights of perseverance in laboratories, decisive first steps in the operating room, compassionate care at patients’ bedsides, and dedicated engagement in society. Through these stories, the School aims to inspire more young people to serve the nation and its people with commitment and integrity, while extending heartfelt wishes to the Class of 2026: May your journey be long and challenging, and may you always retain a pure heart.
Sowing: The Emergence of Belief
How can ideals and convictions take root in the hearts of “post-95” medical students? As a Party branch secretary, Shi initiated the “Walking Party Lecture,” guiding classmates through the streets of Shanghai. In front of Shikumen architecture, he recounted the history of the Party’s founding; in former residences of historical figures, he introduced revolutionary letters. These journeys made distant history feel vivid and tangible. Under his leadership, the branch was recognized as an “Advanced Grassroots Party Organization,” and he personally received the title of “Outstanding Party Affairs Worker.”
As a League branch secretary, he observed that traditional theoretical study often struggled to engage graduate students effectively. He therefore initiated a themed “Lunch Dialogue: Please Rest Assured, My Country—The Future Is Ours to Build,” where students gathered informally without podiums or slides, sharing meals and conversations. From academic pressure to discussions on “Healthy China,” ideals gradually took root through sincere exchange. This simple initiative evolved into a signature activity of the School, attracting more than 500 participants and being recognized as an Outstanding League Activity.
Rooting: Supporting the Academic Journey
In Shi’s view, a part-time counselor is not merely a “junior instructor,” but a senior peer who is approachable, reliable, and supportive. Guided by this belief, he carried out his work as a student counselor with a strong sense of responsibility and care. He identified the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate study as a particularly uncertain and challenging period for many students, and accordingly launched a “Graduate Guide” series on the “Medical Research & Practice” WeChat platform, which has reached over 1,200 reads. The series offered practical advice ranging from literature review techniques to laboratory collaboration skills, helping junior students navigate their early research journey.
He also participated in military training programs at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), sharing stories that bridge medicine and service. Acting as a “student rights advocate,” he resolved over 200 practical issues related to study and daily life. Concerned about mental health, he led the establishment of a “grid-based psychological support network” that achieved full coverage across classes, ensuring no student felt isolated. He further developed a structured “Graduate Mental Health Support Framework,” and his project under the university’s “Qingzhi Program” was completed, contributing to the improvement of counselor evaluation systems. For his contributions, he was honored as a 2025 “Model Counselor” of SJTU.
Growth: Innovation in Scientific Research
Shi has pursued multi-dimensional scientific innovation to address clinical challenges, focusing on head and neck oncology and reconstructive surgery of maxillofacial bone tumors. Based on translational clinical research, he proposed that simultaneous repair of the inferior alveolar nerve during mandibular reconstruction could improve lower lip sensory recovery and reduce graft bone resorption. His findings were published in the top journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, forming an integrated output system spanning publications, patents, and science communication works.
He also uncovered a novel mechanism by which tumor cells regulate mitochondrial autophagy via SNARE complexes in extracellular vesicle secretion. This work was published in the leading journal Journal of Extracellular Vesicles (IF = 14.5) and was recognized by international peers as a “highly influential study.” During his doctoral training, he has published 12 first-author (or co-first-author) papers, with a cumulative impact factor exceeding 50.
Beyond academic excellence, he is committed to translating expertise into educational impact. He has published two teaching-related papers and transformed his laboratory into a “teaching micro-classroom” for undergraduates. Under his mentorship, undergraduate teams have secured national-level innovation and entrepreneurship funding. Awards such as the “New Star” of the Chinese Stomatological Association have also made him a role model for younger students.
Practice: Responsibility in Action
“To serve the people is the ultimate destination of medicine.” Shi actively participates in the “Healthy China” initiative through the “Jiuwei Clinic” public health outreach program, leading medical students in delivering health education to communities. The project has been featured by major media outlets, including People’s Daily, and was awarded First Prize in the “Zhixing Cup” Shanghai University Student Social Practice Contest, as well as selected as a “Top 100 Science Communication Case” under the “China Science Communication” program.
He also developed a “Three-Dimensional Growth Plan,” integrating children-of-staff experience camps, national outstanding student summer schools, peer exchange sessions for freshmen, and multicultural exchange activities for ethnic minority graduate students. This system builds a comprehensive framework of “career identity – professional understanding – cultural integration,” enhancing holistic student development.
From sowing belief, to rooting in research journey, from scientific innovation to practical responsibility—Shi Jingcun exemplifies the steady growth of a committed young scholar. Like a plant pushing upward with quiet strength, his dedication resonates as the resonance of continuous growth.
