Third Military Medical University of the Chinese People's Liberation Army

　　The Third Military Medical University of the Chinese People's Liberation Army is located in Chongqing Municipality. This prestigious military medical university, with over 70 years of glorious history and distinctive military characteristics, was among the first group of national key universities established after the founding of the People’s Republic of China and is a comprehensive key construction institution under the PLA’s “2110 Project.”

　　The university was formed in 1954 through the merger of the former Sixth and Seventh Military Medical Universities. The predecessor of the Sixth Military Medical University was the Medical School of the Fourth Field Army and Nanchang Medical College (formerly National Chung Cheng Medical College); the predecessor of the Seventh Military Medical University was the Health School of the Taiyue Military District (which later developed into the Medical University of the Second Field Army). After the merger, it was named the Seventh Military Medical University. In 1969, it was relocated to Shanghai, and moved back to Chongqing in 1975, when it was renamed the Third Military Medical University by the Central Military Commission.

　　The university comprises the Basic Sciences Department, the College of Military Preventive Medicine, the Department of Medical Laboratory Science (School of Pharmacy), the College of High Altitude Military Medicine, the Department of Medical Imaging (College of Biomedical Engineering), the Department of Nursing, the Graduate Management Brigade, the Cadets' Brigade, the Retired Cadres’ Sanatorium, and the Retired Senior Officers’ Sanatorium. It operates three affiliated hospitals: the First Affiliated Hospital (also known as Southwest Hospital), the Second Affiliated Hospital (also known as Xinqiao Hospital), and the Third Affiliated Hospital — the Research Institute of Surgery (also known as Daping Hospital). The campus covers an area of 205.63 hectares (3,084.43 mu), with a total floor space of 1.5513 million square meters. Its instruments and equipment are valued at 1.75 billion yuan. The university library holds 620,000 volumes, subscribes to 30 Chinese and foreign databases, and provides access to over 20,000 electronic journals.

　　The university currently offers 14 undergraduate majors, including Clinical Medicine, Preventive Medicine, Medical Laboratory Science, Medical Imaging, Pathological Diagnosis, Nuclear Medicine, High Altitude Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, Medical Laboratory Technology, Nursing, Pharmacy, Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Biotechnology, and Computer Applications. It enrolls students for four levels of study, including doctoral programs, in medical and related disciplines. The university has 17 national key disciplines, one national key laboratory, four postdoctoral research stations, five first-level disciplines authorized to offer doctoral degrees, 59 doctoral programs, and 71 master’s programs. There are nearly 800 faculty members holding senior professional and technical positions, 188 doctoral supervisors, 365 master’s supervisors, two academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, as well as 217 specially appointed talents such as Yangtze River Scholars Distinguished Professors and recipients of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars. The university has achieved over 1,500 scientific and technological accomplishments, including six first prizes for National Science and Technology Progress Awards (as the primary completing institution).

　　Over the past half-century, the university has closely aligned itself with the needs of the nation and the military, adhering to the educational philosophy of “winning with quality and with distinctiveness.” It has implemented the strategic approach of “uniting the people and pursuing connotative development,” and followed the development strategy focused on “one main line and four priorities.” The university has vigorously developed military medicine, establishing a comprehensive military medical discipline system directly tailored to high-tech warfare. This includes specialties such as Burn Surgery, Radiation Protection Medicine, Field Surgery, Field Internal Medicine, Military Preventive Medicine, High Altitude Military Medicine, and the Prevention and Treatment of New Concept Weapons. It has cultivated a unique military medical focus on war trauma and distinctive educational characteristics. The university has grown into China’s and the PLA’s center for war trauma medicine and serves as a main pillar of the military’s medical defense shield.

　　Looking back and forward, the university motto of “Pragmatism, Innovation, Rigor, and Dedication” continues to inspire generations of students to strive for academic excellence and professional success. Moving ahead, the Third Military Medical University will continue to uphold its proud historical traditions, reinforce and refine the guiding principles of “two victories,” promote scientific development, unite in endeavor, and strive toward the goal of becoming an innovative medical university with distinctive military characteristics, first-class status in China, and international recognition.