The Department of Respiratory Medicine (now the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine) at The Second Norman Bethune Hospital of Jilin University originated from the Respiratory Disease Division of the Department of Internal Medicine, established in 1936. Through decades of dedicated efforts by generations led by He Guozhi, Lin Shuqing, Li Shufang, Ma Zhongsen, Zhang Jie, and others, the discipline has consistently maintained a leading position in the respiratory field of Jilin Province and has earned nationwide recognition.

The department is the only Respiratory Disease Research Institute in Jilin Province, one of the first national clinical pharmacology bases for respiratory specialties, the first pulmonary function training base in Northeast China, a training center for respiratory endoscopy diagnosis and interventional therapy, the Jilin University-Sydney University Joint Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, one of the first national key clinical specialty construction projects for respiratory diseases under the National Health Commission, and one of the first key clinical respiratory specialties under the "11th Five-Year Plan" and "12th Five-Year Plan" of the Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Jilin Provincial Health Department, and Changchun Municipal Health Bureau. It has become a veritable consultation and treatment center for complex and critical respiratory illnesses in Jilin Province, aligning with international and domestic first-class standards, as well as a center for innovative talent cultivation in medical education and clinical translational research.

The department has 66 medical staff, including 43 nurses, 3 technicians, and 21 doctors. Among the doctors, there are 4 PhD supervisors, 6 professors (1 under 45 years old), 4 associate professors (1 under 40 years old), 6 attending physicians, and 7 master's supervisors. It was one of the earliest departments to establish master's and doctoral programs. All doctors hold at least a master's degree, with 5 postdoctoral fellows and 10 PhD holders. Fifteen doctors have overseas study experience. The department has appointed 5 visiting professors from abroad and 5 collaborative postgraduate supervisors.

The department has developed a well-structured professional group system, with nine specialized groups—interstitial lung disease, COPD, asthma, lung cancer, infections, critical care, pulmonary vascular disease, sleep disorder monitoring, and interventional respiratory medicine—experiencing rapid and balanced development. Its capability in diagnosing and treating complex and critical respiratory illnesses is highly regarded nationwide. Under the leadership of Professor Ma Zhongsen, the department played a key role in addressing public health emergencies such as SARS and H1N1 influenza, earning multiple commendations from government departments including the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, as well as widespread public praise and recognition.

Professor Zhang Jie, Head of the Department, holds 19 concurrent positions, including Member of the Respiratory Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, Member of the Oncology Group of the Chinese Medical Association, Member of the Committee of the Respiratory Physician Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Member of the China Lung Cancer Prevention and Treatment Alliance, Member of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), Standing Committee Member of the Diagnostics Branch of the National Higher Education Society, Council Member of the Jilin Branch of the Chinese Society of Immunology, Vice Chairperson of the Respiratory Physician Branch of the Jilin Medical Doctor Association, Vice Chairperson of the Respiratory Medicine Branch of the Jilin Medical Association, Vice Chairperson of the Tuberculosis Branch of the Jilin Medical Association, and Executive Council Member of the Jilin Zoonotic Disease Research Society. She also serves as an editorial board member for publications such as the Chinese Journal of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, Chinese Journal of Practical Internal Medicine, Chinese Journal of Immunology, the Chinese version of Annals of Oncology (Lung Cancer Special Issue), and the Chinese version of Chest.

The department was the first in the province to introduce invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation therapies. It is the only department in Jilin Province where respiratory physicians perform interventional treatments for lung diseases. Its respiratory endoscopy diagnosis, treatment, and interventional techniques rank first in the province and are advanced by national and international standards. Over the years, the department has performed tens of thousands of fiberoptic bronchoscopies and hundreds of tracheal and pulmonary vascular interventional surgeries, maintaining a leading position in respiratory endoscopy diagnosis and treatment within the province.

The department's clinical research is aligned with international and domestic advanced levels. Its main research directions include the clinical treatment, molecular pathogenesis, and targeted therapy of diffuse interstitial lung disease (pulmonary fibrosis), lung cancer, pulmonary embolism, severe infectious diseases, asthma, and COPD. The department collaborates with top international and domestic experts on global epidemiological surveys and international multicenter clinical studies for the prevention and treatment of asthma and COPD. As a member of the China Asthma Alliance, it has officially joined the International Australasian Severe Asthma Network to study the pathogenesis of asthma. It also engages in international collaborative research with three key laboratories at top universities in the United States, Canada, and Australia, facilitating 26 student exchanges, remote consultations for complex cases, and the establishment of teaching and research collaboration platforms.

Since its establishment, the department has undertaken 19 National Natural Science Foundation projects, 62 provincial and ministerial-level research projects, 46 international and domestic multicenter large-scale epidemiological surveys and clinical trials, and 3 projects under the National 12th Five-Year Plan. It has received 38 provincial and ministerial-level awards for scientific and technological progress, 16 medical achievement awards, published over 200 papers, including 58 SCI-indexed articles, and obtained 2 national patents. The department has secured approximately 12 million yuan in research funding and over 10 million yuan in special funds for national and provincial key specialties.

The department's teaching work has excelled in the Ministry of Education's higher education teaching assessments and international education accreditations. Since 1984, it has undertaken teaching tasks for internal medicine and physical diagnostics for five-year, seven-year, and eight-year programs, as well as for international students, postgraduate trainees, and standardized residency training in recent years. It has undertaken 6 provincial and Jilin University teaching reform projects, published 2 teaching reform papers, and compiled 11 textbooks. The department has received 5 Jilin University Outstanding Teaching Achievement Awards, along with honors such as Provincial-Level Quality Courses, Provincial-Level Outstanding Teaching Teams, and the Ministry of Education's National University Quality Video Course. In 2014, it was selected for the editorial committee of the national 12th Five-Year Plan textbook Clinical Diagnostics.

The Department of Respiratory Medicine will continue to uphold the fine tradition of "being pragmatic and striving for excellence, fostering innovation and harmony," fulfilling the solemn commitment of "embracing compassion, offering wisdom, fulfilling sacred duties, and building a city of health." With a sincere attitude, scientific理念, and精湛的技术, it will safeguard the health of patients and contribute to the development of China's healthcare industry.