On September 22, the Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center held a review meeting for its summer rural medical outreach and campus health programmes. Wu Qiang (ShanghaiTech University leadership) and Zhu Chouwen (Center Director) attended, alongside college representatives and center medical staff.

Field‑base representatives reported summer activities across Sichuan, Hubei and Yunnan. Clinicians provided physical examinations, chronic‑disease counselling and health education in remote villages via ShanghaiTech’s social‑practice bases. Participants noted real‑world obstacles such as dialect barriers, local pharmacy drug limitations and prescription‑issuing regulatory constraints. High travel costs and low health awareness among mountain left‑behind residents remain prominent concerns. Practical optimization suggestions were discussed, including pre‑site needs surveys and coordinated staff travel arrangements. Front‑line experience also gave medical practitioners new perspectives on patient communication and community‑oriented care.

The Human Resources Department summarized recent internal and external health initiatives. Supported by Party‑building activities, medical teams delivered community public‑health clinics around Shanghai. On campus, the Caring for Health Along the Medical Journey programme, run jointly with the ShanghaiTech Trade Union, offers expert lectures and one‑on‑one consultations with its expanding multidisciplinary team.

In his speech, Zhu Chouwen emphasized dual values of grassroots outreach: delivering medical resources and training for clinicians. The center will back ShanghaiTech student field programmes, develop sustainable rural support models, and apply field‑learned insights to improve campus health services.

Wu Qiang highlighted that rural healthcare support should avoid one‑off campaigns. He called for research‑to‑practice translation and long‑term university‑local partnerships, encouraging clinicians and students to jointly identify grassroots medical needs and pursue related innovation work.

Scheduled to open at the end of this year, the center will continue supporting outreach in central‑western China through ShanghaiTech practice bases, while sustaining regular campus health education and consultation services for faculty and students.

Participating Medical Staff

Guangyuan (Sichuan): Zhang Yunlu, Cao Yiting, Zheng Shuyue

Ya’an (Sichuan): You Yang

Enshi (Hubei): Zhu Chouwen, Dai Xiyu, Xu Miaomiao

Yunlong (Yunnan): Zhang Xiaoxue, Cheng Xuelin, Ni Jiajia