On the morning of April 23, 2026 (U.S. time), the Annual Meeting of the American Surgical Association (ASA) took place in Washington, D.C. Professor Zheng Minhua, from the Department of Surgery at Ruijin Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, was elected as an Honorary Fellow of the American Surgical Association in recognition of his outstanding contributions to advancing the field of surgery and his exceptional standing within the international surgical community.
Prior to this, Professor Zheng had already been elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (FRCS Eng). Now, he has been awarded the prestigious American Surgical Association Honorary Fellowship.
Founded in 1880, the ASA is the oldest and most prestigious surgical organization in the United States.Over its 146-year history, only 120 doctors worldwide have received this distinguished honor. The association brings together members from all corners of the globe and awards annual scientific prizes to foster excellence in surgery, thereby raising the standards of clinical diagnosis and treatment.
As a pioneer and a founding figure in minimally invasive surgery in China, Professor Zheng Minhua performed China’s first laparoscopic rectal cancer resection, the first laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy, and the world’s first laparoscopic simultaneous radical surgeries for both gastric and colorectal cancers in 1993.He was a driving force behind the establishment of the Greater China Laparoscopic Colorectal Institute (GCLCI), significantly advancing the adoption of laparoscopic colorectal surgery across China. Continuously innovating, he has refined minimally invasive techniques and developed a range of gastrointestinal minimally invasive procedures and laparoscopic surgical instruments.
Professor Zheng holds over 20 national patents and has led projects that have garnered prestigious awards, including theFirst-Class National Science and Technology Progress Award from the Ministry of Education, theFirst-Class Science and Technology Progress Award from Shanghai, and the Second-Class Chinese Medical Science and Technology Award. He also founded the Shanghai Minimally Invasive Surgery Clinical Medical Center, known as the“Cradle of Minimally Invasive Surgery in China,” which has trained thousands of minimally invasive surgeons. In 2016, he successfully hosted the 15th World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery, which solidified China’s international standing in minimally invasive surgery. Professor Zheng has been recognized with numerous honors, including National Advanced Worker, the National May Day Labor Medal, a Young and Middle-aged Expert with Outstanding Contributions from the National Health Commission,Shanghai’s Top Ten Doctors, and Shanghai’s Leading Talent, among others.
Professor Zheng’s election as an Honorary Fellow of the American Surgical Association is not only a testament to his personal academic achievements and expertise but also highlights the growing influence of Chinese surgical professionals on the global medical stage.
In recent years, Ruijin Hospital has continued to align its key disciplines with global academic developments. This latest honor for Professor Zheng will further promote collaboration and exchange between the hospital’s Department of Surgery and international academic platforms.
“In medical education, humanism comes first, and technology follows,”Professor Zheng often advises young doctors. He consistently encourages the next generation to approach medicine from the patient’s perspective and to prioritize patient needs as the starting and ending points of medical innovation.
Let us extend our heartfelt congratulations to Professor Zheng Minhua on this well-deserved recognition!
