The Department of Joint Surgery at The Second Norman Bethune Hospital of Jilin University is a flagship discipline integrating medical care, education, and research. It is also the construction unit of Jilin Province's only Clinical Medical Research Center for Bone and Joint Diseases (approved by the Jilin Provincial Department of Science and Technology), the leading discipline of Jilin Province's only Digital Medicine Clinical Translation Research Center (Jilin Provincial Development and Reform Commission), and the chair unit of the Orthopedic Branch of the Jilin Provincial Medical Doctor Association, the Digital Medicine Branch of the Jilin Provincial Medical Association, and the Jilin Provincial Digital Medicine Association (first-level society). Currently, the department has 2 doctoral supervisors and 5 master's supervisors, including 5 professors, 1 associate professor, 8 attending physicians, 3 resident physicians, and 21 nurses. The department operates 42 open beds.

Since its establishment, adhering to the principle of "gaining trust through technology and strength, repaying support with sincerity and service," the department has meticulously treated and cared for every patient. It upholds the development philosophy of building an orthopedic medical center with international standards, engaging in extensive exchanges and cooperation with domestic and international hospitals, and has achieved a series of advanced outcomes. The department performs nearly a thousand joint replacement surgeries annually, earning high renown within the province. The oldest patient to undergo joint replacement was 105 years old, and the department has completed 12 cases of simultaneous four-joint replacement—a world first. It has achieved zero infections in joint replacement surgeries for three consecutive years, reaching internationally leading standards.

While focusing on its traditional strengths, the department continuously explores and develops new technologies. In 2014, it established a 3D printing research laboratory and pioneered the world's first 3D printing elbow joint prosthesis replacement and 3D printing wrist joint replacement, among other world-first surgeries, filling the gap in 3D printing technology in Northeast Asia. In recent years, under the leadership of Director Wang Jincheng, the department has undertaken two National Natural Science Foundation projects and multiple provincial-level research projects, with total funding reaching 4.46 million yuan. It has published numerous academic papers and monographs, including over 30 SCI-indexed papers.

Currently, the department implements a sub-specialty medical group system, divided into the Hip Joint Group, Knee Joint Group, Acetabular Dysplasia Group, Bone Tumor Group, and Bone Disease Group.