Message from the Chancellor

“Stick to the Mission of Medicine for a Bright Future”

Fan Xianqun, Chancellor of SJTUSM and Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, delivered the speech titled “Stick to the Mission of Medicine for a Bright Future”. He put forward three hopes for the students:First, hold to their dreams and beliefs to reach the peak of science and technology with confidence.“The unswerving attitude means more than big dreams and long-lasting success prevails fast results.” He hopes that the students will equip themselves with solid skills, dedicate their youth to the construction of a world-class medical school, and grow into pioneers in the great rejuvenation of China.Second, Fan hopes that the students will keep the mission of medicine in mind and protect people's health with sympathy.As declared by Fan, medicine is a science of “people” and “the purpose of medical learning is to save people so the practitioners should keep honing their special skills.”

The development of medical science can only be navigated when the progress of medical technology integrates a humanistic spirit. Fan hopes that the students will hold tight to the mission of Healthy China, live up to their youth, and strive to protect people's lives and health.Third, he hopes that the students will create a bright future and achieve medical success with perseverance.Fan stressed that the road to a rewarding career in medicine is long and arduous. He hopes that the students will hold fast to the science spirit of assiduity, excellence, exploration, and critical thinking while respecting the value of empirical evidence and analysis. He hopes that the students will hone their skills of problem-oriented thinking and teamwork by listening and respecting the ideas of others.

Fan encouraged the students to keep a down-to-earth attitude towards work, never follow suit, dare to explore and innovate, persist in taking the path that no one has taken before, and find solutions to tough problems. In this way, they will build a world-class medical school and first-class medical disciplines, protect people's lives and health, build a healthy China, and create a bright future for medicine.

Fan's words of wisdom encourage the future generation of SJTUSM to bear in mind the original intention of medical doctors on the road of pursuing medical dreams and to fulfill the mission of “serving the motherland and the people” as the consistent inheritance of faculties and students of SJTUSM. Jiang Fan's words gave a picture of the distinguished figures in the memorable stories that happened over the years.

Message from the Chair

“SJTUSM Sticks to the Mission of Dedication”

Jiang Fan, Council Chair of the SJTUSM Committee, delivered a speech titled “SJTU Promise to be Responsible and SJTUSM Stick to the Mission of Dedication”. She told a story of SJTU in four chapters “Meet, Understand, Study, and Practice” and shared prospects of a life of medicine with new students of SJTUSM.

Jiang looked back to the past 127 years of SJTU and 71 years of SJTUSM. She illustrated the SJTUSM motto “Spare no effort in perfecting medical skills with diligence and provide untiring services”and the school’s spirit of “truthfulness, pragmatism, honesty, innovation, and devotion”.

Jiang stressed that SJTUSM spirit guided a group of esteemed teachers like Academician Wang Zhenyi, the former president. They held fast to the goal of “pursuing excellence in teaching” and dedicated their lives to the front line of medical education. They gave lectures in classrooms and treated patients in clinics, wards, and operation rooms. They guided students “to build a solid foundation, attach importance to practice, care for the patients, and protect the people’s lives”, which is also the professional ethics of faculties and students at SJTUSM.

Led by the spirit of SJTUSM, generations of faculties and students at SJTUSM have always been with the nation with one heart and one mind. They have gone through thick and thin, leaving behind numerous touching stories: Professor Tian Housheng gave up a privileged life in Shanghai to aid the construction of the Bengbu Medical College; Mrs. Li Guoying and his husband in the 70s aided Tibet for 16 years to treat children; Luo Chuanqin graduated from school and returned to hometown to become a resident cadre serving the elders; Huang Hanjun practiced SJTUSM spirit by volunteering to serve in CIIE for three times and aided the education in western China.

Jiang Fan motivated the 2,844 new students with the words “Faculties and students at SJTUSM have been working hard over the past 71 years, passing on the school’s spirit to new generations.SJTUSM in the new era will continue to shoulder its mission and the responsibility of ‘serving the motherland and the people'. You are expected to explore and innovate to create more medical miracles marked with SJTUSM.”

Jiang Fan said, “As future doctors, medical students should pursue academic integrity, moral goodness, beauty in life, and sympathy to patients.The road to medicine is arduous and embarking on this read means that you will be a lifetime learner. Your passion and love will help conquer the tiring and tedious work. Your respect for this profession will urge you to perfect each medical record, complete each physical examination, and improve each operation. Your warm smile can dissolve the patient's fear of disease and your professional skills will cure their wounds.”

Jiang emphasized that the future blueprint for SJTUSM is unfolding, and she encouraged everyone to join the development of a world-class medical school and a first-class medical discipline with Chinese characteristics. “You are SJTUSM’s assets and the future of the school and the undertaking of medicine!You will accomplish a better you at SJTUSM in the meantime!”, declared Jiang.

▲The Opening Convocation

Virtuous Peony

Wang Zhenyi, 100-year-old Good Medicine Master

Academician Wang Zhenyi has encouraged others a lot with the spirit of “virtuous peony”. He hoped that the students could endure loneliness, dare to challenge authority, and innovate without fear. As a qualified doctor, one should take on the mission of protecting others’ health, and more importantly, be a moral person holding tight to his or her original intention. They should place medical morality as the top priority and never be blinded by wealth and fame, so as to be a person living up to high moral standards.

At the opening convocation, Jiang and Fan showed their respect to Academician Wang Zhenyi, the Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, winner of the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, former President of Shanghai Second Medical University, and alumnus of the Class of 1948.This year, the 100-year-old Academician Wang Zhenyi initiated the first class for freshmen in Ruijin Hospital. The original play “Virtuous Peony” based on Wang was staged in the freshmen enrollment ceremony of SJTUSM. “Virtuous Peony”, which has been rehearsed for 11 consecutive years, has also become an important part of the freshmen's entrance education and a vivid lesson of education in ideology and politics.

The words “Serving the Motherland, Serving the People” carved on the stone at the main gate of the East Campus of SJTUSM were written by Academician Wang Zhenyi. Pursuing excellence while being broad-minded is the spirit of “Virtuous Peony” and the portrayal of “serving the motherland and the people”.

In the solemn White Coat Ceremony, six freshmen representatives went on the stage to accept the white coats awarded by the school leaders. All freshmen put on the white coats, which symbolize their identity and profession, confer responsibility and mission, and carry ideals and beliefs. They took the oath to express their determination to strive for medicine for the rest of their lives with a positive mindset under high morale standards.

▲ Wu Zhengyi, Vice-chair of the SJTUSM Committee and Vice-chancellor of SJTUSM, presided over the Opening Convocation for 2023 Freshmen; Zheng Junke, Vice-chancellor of SJTUSM, led all 2023 freshmen to reciting medical students’ oath.

At the ceremony, representatives of faculties, senior students, and freshmen shared their experience at SJTUSM. They improved at SJTUSM by inheriting the spirit of SJTUSM and fulfilled their mission of "serving the motherland and the people”. Representing faculties,Zhou Huifang, Changjiang Scholar Distinguished Professor appointed by the Ministry of Education and Chief Ophthalmologist of the Ninth People's Hospital, shared her growth from a student of SJTUSM to an ophthalmologist of the Ninth People's Hospital, and then to professor at SJTUSM. She encouraged the new generation to shoulder the responsibility of national rejuvenation. Their youth will blossom in serving the motherland, the nation, the people, and humanity.Jiang Daiji, a 2023 graduate student majoring in clinical medicine (Pediatrics), spoke as a representative of the senior students, calling on the new students to study, practice, and create through joint efforts. He wishes them a bright future at this prestigious school of medicine!Zhang Youyou, the eight-year French class of 2023 clinical medicine, spoke on behalf of the new students, calling on her peers to contribute as vigorous and courageous medical talents with "ideals, sympathy, skills, and responsibilities", and to realize their dreams of medicine!