From June 16 to June 19 of 2014, a delegation from West China Hospital, Sichuan University led by the President Li Weimin visited Mayo Clinic, the top medical institution of the United States as well as Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The delegates from the Administrative Office, the Medical Affairs Department, the Operation Department, the Research Department, the Nursing Department and International Medical Centerl had in-depth exchange of views with their counterparts.

This visit aims at promoting the strategy of “Full Coverage in Six Fields” on the discipline construction and talents cultivation of the hospital, which is featured by the training of high-quality medical students and physicians with international vision, to gradually increase their overseas learning experience, and above all, to make West China Hospital as the center of international exchanges and cooperation in the medical field.

During the visit to Mayo Clinic, the delegation met the attending representatives from the International Department, the International Hospital Service Department and the International Training Department of Mayo and talked about the future cooperation between the two institutions on medical cooperation, nurses training and some other aspects. Mr. Ardell F. Brede, the mayor of the city of Rochester where Mayo is located, received the delegation in the city hall and listened to the introduction to West China Hospital, which is especially focused on the development of translational medicine. After that, Mayor Brede introduced the general situation of the translational medicine in the city of Rochester as well as the plan of the great DMC plan of Mayo and city of Rochester. The delegation also visited the Transplant Center and the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICU) in Mayo, where they met Prof. Scott Nyberg, and Prof. Ognjen Gajic, the director of RICU, and their team to discuss about further cooperation. In the 3-day visit, the delegation also attended the special training entitled "The Application of Project Manager Management System in Mayo Clinic" and “The Information Management of Mayo Clinic”. They were also invited to visit the first air ambulance in the world—Mayo ONE air ambulance team and learned about the management experience in the air ambulance equipments, training, medical staff assessment, teamwork building.etc.

On 19 June, the delegation visited HMS and had in-depth discussion with Prof. David Roberts, the teaching dean of HMS, on how to strengthen joint students training, mutual visit of the faculty, cooperation on scientific research, and other issues. The delegates also visited MGH and met President Peter L. Slavin and Deputy President Andrew L. Warshaw who is incharge of international and regional clinic relations of MGH. Prof. Li Weimin briefed the status-quo of West China Hospital. After the detailed discussion with Prof. Warshaw on the comprehensive cooperation in medical care, education and scientific research, both parties reached initial consensus on promoting mutual visits and enhancing mutual understanding, which laid a solid foundation for further cooperation on medical service and scientific cooperation between the two parties.

The visits to Mayo Clinic, HMS and MGH were really rewarding and fruitful, which promoted mutual understanding, established the mutual trust, and more importantly, contributed to the initial consensus on the cooperation. Pending issues on such cooperation will be followed up in a view to further broaden and deepen potential fields through positive exploration.