Established in 1914, Xiangya School of Medicine was the first Sino-foreign joint medical school in China. Xiangya is renowned for its outstanding levels of excellence in teaching, research, and healthcare, earning it widespread praise from the Chinese people. Known as “South Xiangya”, it has produced numerous influential medical experts, both at home and abroad, such as Zhang Xiaoqian, Tang Feifan, Xie Shaowen, and Li Zhenpian.

Xiangya School of Medicine currently comprises six second-level schools: the School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xiangya School of Public Health, Xiangya School of Nursing, Xiangya School of Stomatology, Xiangya School of Pharmacy, and the School of Life Sciences. Additionally, it operates four affiliated hospitals that are directly administered by the School, namely Xiangya Hospital, Xiangya Second Hospital, Xiangya Third Hospital, and Xiangya Stomatological Hospital. The School also has four non-directly affiliated hospitals, including Xiangya School of Medicine Affiliated Haikou Hospital, Changsha Hospital, Zhuzhou Hospital, and Changde Hospital.

As we enter a new phase of historical development, Xiangya School of Medicine is facing the new challenges of innovation and development in medical education, and the need to build a high-quality medical education system. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the School is committed to the fundamental task of cultivating top-notch and innovative medical talents, and promoting high-quality development in medical disciplines.

To achieve this goal, Xiangya School of Medicine is focusing on deepening reforms, strengthening personnel, promoting synergy between medical education and practice, and opening up and integrating. It is also dedicated to implementing the “Healthy China” and Hunan’s “Three Highs and Four News” strategies, as well as building a world-class university with Chinese characteristics. This mission will drive Xiangya School of Medicine towards global excellence and enhance its competitiveness and influence.

Xiangya School of Medicine is continuously improving its governance system and governance capabilities, aiming to enhance the quality and overall level of medical education, and provide strong support for promoting education and health in China. The School’s commitment to this mission will be a powerful force in advancing the nation’s goal of becoming an education superpower and promoting the development of a healthy China.

Faculty: Xiangya School of Medicine follows the strategy of strengthening the school with talent and has a robust faculty. It currently has almost 10,000 faculty and staff members, including 3 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering. Moreover, it boasts 8 recipients of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, 39 recipients of the National “Thousand Youth Talents Program”, 7 recipients of the National “Thousand Talents Program”, 4 national-level teaching masters, 3 chief scientists of the Program 973, and 2 outstanding young experts of the National “Ten Thousand Talents Program”. Additionally, it has 3 national-level teaching teams and 2 innovation teams of the Ministry of Education. Furthermore, 18 members (including 5 vice chairpersons) were selected as members of the Education Steering Committee for Medical Education by the Ministry of Education (2018-2022), making it second in the country.

Academic Strengths: In terms of academic programs, Xiangya School of Medicine has 8 doctoral programs, 9 master’s programs, and 7 professional degree programs in first-level disciplines. It has 15 national-level research platforms, including 3 national clinical research centers (for elderly diseases, mental and psychological disorders, and metabolic disorders), 3 national engineering research centers, 2 international scientific and technological cooperation bases, 3 engineering laboratories, and 4 university-level discipline innovation and talent introduction bases. The School has 9 national key disciplines (including 1 discipline under national cultivation) and 80 national clinical key specialties and construction projects, ranking among the top universities of higher medical education in China.

In the latest round of evaluation for first-level disciplines conducted by the Ministry of Education, the School’s nursing program was rated as an A+ discipline, while clinical medicine and basic medicine were rated as A- disciplines. In terms of Essential Science Indicators (ESI), 7 medical disciplines rank among the top 1% globally, with clinical medicine, and Pharmacology and Toxicology ranking among the top 1‰. In 2012, the School was approved by the Ministry of Education and the National Health Commission as one of the first pilot institutions to implement the “Excellent Doctor Education and Training Program”. It has won the special prize in the national final of the Clinical Skills Competition for College Students for six consecutive years, ranking the first in the country.

The School continues to carry out the “8-Year Medical Student Leading Talent Training Innovative Driving Plan” international exchange program, sending over 50% of 8-year medical students to study at world-class universities such as Yale University, the University of Michigan, Cornell University, the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Southern California. Xiangya School of Medicine is the first in China to establish a systematic, continuous, and large-scale mechanism for international joint training of medical students, and has become the largest “innovative talent international cooperation training project” in the country. With the successful implementation of this project, the School has expanded its dual-degree programs, such as the MD+PhD program at the University of Michigan and the MD+MPH program at Yale University, and doctoral programs at the University of Manchester and the University of Galway, enriching the talent training model.

The teaching building group of Xiangya New Campus, of which the Xiaqian Building and Fuqing Building were awarded the “China Construction Engineering Luban Award” (National Quality Project) in 2003