West China Medical Center

West China Medical Center,
Sichuan University
四川大学华西医学中心
Former name
West China Union University (1910–1951)
West China University (1951–1953)
Sichuan Medical College (1953–1985)
West China University of Medical Sciences (1985–2000)
Motto仁智、忠勇、清慎、勤和 (Chinese)
TypePublic
EstablishedMarch 11, 1910 (1910-03-11) (114 years ago)
Parent institution
Sichuan University
PresidentYanrong Li 李言荣
Location
Chengdu
,
Sichuan
,
China

31°33′19″N 105°59′45″E / 31.555161°N 105.995727°E / 31.555161; 105.995727
CampusUrban
Websitewcums.scu.edu.cn
Museum of the West China College of Stomatology, which has a 100-year history

The West China Medical Center, Sichuan University (四川大学华西医学中心), formerly the West China University of Medical Sciences (华西医科大学), is a prestigious world-class public research institution of medical sciences located in Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

The institution was founded as the private West China Union University (華西協合大學) by Western missionaries in 1914, being the earliest modern comprehensive university with medical sciences education in China. It once conducted dual-degree MD, DMD, BA, and BS programs with the State University of New York since 1920s and 1930s. In 1938, the university was accredited by the United States' National Board of Medical Examiners. As of 1949, the university held four colleges specializing in arts, science, medical sciences, and dentistry, with 26 academic departments, 2 professional studies departments, and 7 affiliated teaching hospitals.[1]

In 1951, after the Chinese Civil War, the Sichuan Provincial People's Government took over the university, renaming it as the public West China University (華西大學). Under a higher education institution reformation plan directed by the Central People's Government of China, the university was deprived of other academic departments and turned into Sichuan Medical College (四川医学院) with sole focus on medical studies in 1953. The college was upgraded as West China University of Medical Sciences (华西医科大学) in 1985. Under another reformation ordered by the State Council, the university was incorporated into Sichuan University in 2000 and named the West China Medical Center, Sichuan University.[2]

The institution nowadays holds five schools and four affiliated teaching hospitals. Five schools include School of Basic and Forensic Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine (School of Nursing), School of Dentistry, School of Public Health, and School of Pharmacy. Four affiliated teaching hospitals respectively concentrate on comprehensive medical sciences, women and children's health, dentistry, and occupational disease treatment. Every school and teaching hospital is prefixed with the name "West China."[3]

The institution is now sponsored by the Ministry of Education of China. The West China Hospital, Sichuan University (the institution's principal affiliated teaching hospital) is consistently ranked in the top 3 hospitals in China and the largest comprehensive hospital in the world.[4][5][6][7]

  1. ^ "四川大学档案馆 馆藏华西协合大学档案指南 Sichuan University Archives Guide to Collections of West China Union University [and medical school]" (PDF). Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis. Sichuan University Archives Office of School History. June 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2022-04-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  2. ^ "历史沿革". West China Medical Center, Sichuan University. Archived from the original on 2022-04-19. Retrieved 2022-04-19.
  3. ^ West China Medical Center. "华西医学中心简介". West China Medical Center, Sichuan University. Archived from the original on 2022-08-08. Retrieved 2022-04-19.
  4. ^ West China Hospital. "West China Hospital, Sichuan University ranks the first among all Chinese hospitals for four consecutive years in science & technology influence". PR Newswire (Press release). PR Newswire Association LLC. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  5. ^ Ma, Xiaobei. "2016 China's Hospital Rankings Released: Information Worth Reading". CN-Healthcare. Beijing CN-Healthcare Information & Technology Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on 3 May 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  6. ^ Xu, Qing. "2017 China Hospital Science and Technology Influence Ranking newly released". CN-Healthcare. Beijing CN-Healthcare Information & Technology Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  7. ^ "科室动态 - 四川大学华西医院 - 四川大学华西医院". West China Hospital, Sichuan University. Archived from the original on 2020-10-13. Retrieved 2022-04-19.