The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University (Northwest Hospital), also known as the Second School of Clinical Medicine of Xi’an Jiaotong University, is a large-scale comprehensive hospital directly governed by Ministry of Education and National Health Commission. As a Class III Grade A hospital—the highest national accreditation for medical institutions in China—it integrates clinical services, education, research, rehabilitation, and preventive care.
Historical Legacy
Founded in 1912 as part of Beijing Medical School, the first national higher medical college in China, and later evolving from the affiliated hospital of Peking University Medical College, the institution was relocated to Shaanxi Province in 1937 during the War of Resistance against Japan. This move preserved China’s higher medical education amid national crisis and established the region’s first university-affiliated hospital, laying the groundwork for modern clinical medicine and medical education in northwest China.
Scale and Capacity
The hospital operates 2,583 inpatient beds, serving over 2.6 million outpatient and emergency visits annually, with more than 130,000 hospital admissions. It employs 4,385 staff members, including over 600 experts with deputy senior or higher professional titles. More than 50 experts receive special allowances from the State Council, and the hospital has 288 scholars holding standing committee positions or higher in provincial medical associations, over 100 leaders in national/international academic societies, and 106 editorial board members of major national journals.
Disciplinary Excellence
With two campuses, eight specialized disease centers, six clinical/research hubs, and 63 clinical/medical technology departments, the hospital offers comprehensive medical disciplines. It is a national project unit for improving diagnosis/treatment of complex diseases, a national regional medical center (focus: Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine), and a pilot “Flagship Hospital” for integrating traditional Chinese and Western medicine. Key institutions include a Ministry of Education Key Laboratory, a National Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biotherapy, a National Complex Disease Diagnosis-Treatment Center (Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine), China’s first Medical Artificial Intelligence Research Institute within a medical institution, and the nation’s first National Engineering Laboratory for Big Data Algorithms and Analysis. It hosts 24 National Key Clinical Specialties, 2 national key disciplines, 16 Shaanxi Provincial Key Clinical Specialties, and 7 provincial medical quality control centers.
Medical Innovations
The hospital has pioneered numerous global/national firsts:
World’s first fully thoracoscopic closure of tracheoesophageal fistula using 3D-printed biodegradable materials
World’s first fluorescent imaging-assisted resection of pediatric teratoma
World’s first rechargeable dual-electrode sacral neuromodulation surgery
China’s first successful treatment of Kimura disease and gestational pemphigoid with dupilumab
Landmark procedures like ex vivo liver resection with autologous liver transplantation (the most complex in liver transplantation) and Shaanxi’s first 5G remote robotic prostatectomy.
Education and Training
As one of China’s first National Clinical Teaching and Training Demonstration Centers, it manages 19 academic departments and 1 teaching division, offering education at postdoctoral, doctoral, master’s, undergraduate, and international student levels. It leads national continuing medical education programs and Shaanxi’s general practitioner training, having educated tens of thousands of medical professionals globally. As a national standardized training base for resident/specialist physicians, it has authored national medical textbooks and won dozens of national/provincial teaching awards. Faculty members have recently earned top prizes in competitions like the National University Young Teachers Competition and the National Teaching Innovation Competition.
Research Achievements
Annually, the hospital secures over 100 research grants, including those from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Since 2000, it has published 50 high-impact academic works, won 15 provincial/national science and technology awards (4 first prizes), and obtained 260 patents. Annual SCI-indexed publications have grown steadily, highlighted by a 2020 Science journal publication with an impact factor of 44.002.
Academic Journals
Three journals managed by the hospital—Chinese Journal of Dermatology and Venereology, Chinese Journal of Child Health Care, and Dermatology Bulletin—are indexed in the Chinese Science Citation Database (CSCD) and major international databases (U.S., UK, Russia, Sweden, Japan).
Medical Technology
State-of-the-art equipment includes a 5T MRI, Da Vinci surgical robots, PET-CT, high-end linear accelerators, and mobile units like a bus-mounted CT and mobile P2 laboratory. These assets enhance both daily care and emergency response capabilities during public health crises.
Social Commitment
As a national regional medical center, the hospital partners with nearly 100 grassroots hospitals through trusteeship, medical consortia, and collaborative networks. It leads rural medical support, targeted assistance, and national emergency missions, including aid to Tibet, Xinjiang, and African nations like Sudan and Malawi. Recognized for its role in disaster relief and pandemic control (e.g., COVID-19), it has received honors such as “National Civilized Unit” and “Shaanxi Advanced Collective in COVID-19 Response.” Staff accolades include the Florence Nightingale Medal, Bethune Medal, National May Day Labor Medal, and “Most Beautiful Doctor” by China’s Ministry of Publicity and National Health Commission.
Future Vision
To address rising healthcare demands, the hospital is expanding its “one hospital, multiple campuses” model. New branches in Luoyang and Xinjiang—part of the national regional medical center initiative—ensure standardized, high-quality care across locations. Guided by the “Xi’an Relocation Spirit”—a legacy of selfless dedication and resilience from the 1950s westward migration of intellectuals—and its motto, “Benevolent Hearts, Skillful Hands, Virtue, and Innovation; Truth-Seeking, Dedication, and Pioneering”, the hospital remains committed to advancing public health and contributing to China’s healthcare goals.
