The Department of Respiratory Medicine (now the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine) at The Second Norman Bethune Hospital of Jilin University traces its origins back to the Respiratory Disease Division of Internal Medicine established in 1936. Through the dedicated efforts of several generations led by prominent figures such as He Guozhi, Lin Shuqing, Li Shufang, Ma Zhongsen, and Zhang Jie, the department has maintained a leading position in the field of respiratory medicine in Jilin Province for decades and enjoys a renowned reputation nationwide.
The department is the only Respiratory Disease Research Institute in Jilin Province, one of the first national clinical pharmacology bases for respiratory medicine, the first pulmonary function training base in Northeast China, a training center for diagnostic and interventional bronchoscopy, the Jilin University-Sydney University Joint Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, one of the first national key clinical specialty construction projects in respiratory medicine designated by the National Health and Family Planning Commission, and one of the first key clinical respiratory specialties under the "11th Five-Year" and "12th Five-Year" plans 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 an innovative medical education center for talent development and a clinical translational medicine research center.
The department has 66 medical staff, including 43 nurses, 3 technicians, and 21 physicians. Among the physicians, there are 4 doctoral supervisors, 6 professors (one under the age of 45), 4 associate professors (one under the age of 40), 6 attending physicians, and 7 master's supervisors. It was among the first to establish master's and doctoral programs, and all physicians hold at least a master's degree, with 5 postdoctoral fellows and 10 doctoral degree holders. Fifteen physicians have overseas study experience. The department has also 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, infection, critical care, pulmonary vascular disease, sleep disorder monitoring, and interventional respiratory medicine—experiencing rapid and balanced growth. Its capability in diagnosing and treating complex and critical respiratory illnesses is highly acclaimed in the national respiratory community. Under the leadership of Professor Ma Zhongsen, the department played a key role in addressing public health emergencies such as SARS and H1N1 influenza, receiving multiple commendations from government departments including the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, as well as widespread public recognition and praise.
Professor Zhang Jie, the department director, holds 19 concurrent positions, including serving as a member of the Respiratory Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, a member of the Oncology Group of the Chinese Medical Association, a member of the Committee of the Respiratory Physician Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, a member of the China Lung Cancer Prevention and Treatment Alliance, a 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 Society for Zoonotic Diseases Research. She also serves on the editorial boards of 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 diagnostic and interventional bronchoscopy 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 procedures, maintaining a leading position in bronchoscopic diagnosis and treatment within the province.
In clinical research, the department aligns with advanced international and domestic standards. Its primary research focuses 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 in global epidemiological surveys and international multicenter clinical studies on the prevention and treatment of asthma and COPD. As a member of the China Asthma Alliance, it has formally joined the International Australasian Severe Asthma Network to study asthma pathogenesis and establish research collaborations. It also engages in international exchange and 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 creation 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 total research funding amounts to approximately 12 million RMB, with an additional 10 million RMB 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, in recent years, standardized residency training. 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 Jilin Provincial精品课程 (Provincial Excellence Course), Jilin Provincial Outstanding Teaching Team, and the Ministry of Education's China University精品视频课程 (Excellence 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 its solemn commitment to "embracing compassion, contributing wisdom, practicing sacred duties, and safeguarding health." With a sincere attitude, scientific理念, and exquisite skills, it will protect the health of patients and contribute to the development of China's healthcare industry.
