Founded in the late 1950s, the Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism of West China Hospital, SCU, is one of the earliest specialties among medical colleges in China. At present, it has developed into a first-class medical specialty in Western China, enjoying great influence in the endocrinology field nationwide. In 2011, it was accredited the national key clinical specialty project unit by the National Health Commission. In 2018, it ranked the 7th in the endocrine division of Chinese Best Hospitals List by Fudan University and ranked the 5th in terms of science and technology evaluation metrics (STEM) of Chinese hospitals by Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.
Medical services: The inpatient section has 93 beds covering 2 medical care units. More than 120,000 outpatients are received and 4,000 inpatients are treated and discharged annually. The Department has conducted a large number of complicated and severe cases and accumulated rich experience in diagnosis and treatment of various endocrine and metabolic diseases, such as hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, pancreatic islet, dyslipidemia, adrenal gland, gonad, parathyroid gland, diabetes, hyperuricemia and gout, metabolic osteopathy and rare diseases.
The Department has more than 30 physicians, including 5 PhD tutors and 12 master tutors. More than half of them have overseas study experiences for over one year in world renowned universities, such as Harvard University, Oxford University, and Stanford University etc.
Subspecialty and Laboratory : The Department has 9 subspecialties, including diabetes obesity, osteoporosis and metabolic osteopathy, hypothalamus pituitary diseases, adrenal diseases, gonadal diseases, thyroid diseases, peripheral vascular diseases and chronic wound (diabetic foot disease), hyperuricemia/gout and rare diseases. It has 4 laboratories, including 3 focusing on scientific research, i.e. the Research Lab of Diabetes and Metabolism, the National Key Laboratory of Biotherapy Lab of Endocrine and Metabolic diseases, the Research Lab of Endocrine and Metabolic and Diseases, and the rest one, the Hormone Testing Center (in cooperation with Laboratory Medicine Department) focusing on clinical work. It also has 1 research center, the metabolism research center of West China Hospital of Sichuan University.
Multi-disciplinary Cooperation Platform: With the patient & disease-centered multi-disciplinary diagnosis and treatment mode (MDT), the Department together with other departments in the hospital, has established the Diabetes Medical Education Center of West China Hospital, Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Diabetes Feet and West China Hospital-Medtronic Education and Training Center for Diabetes Intensive Treatment, etc. In 2004, the Osteoporosis Medical Education Center was established and selected as the “National Osteoporosis Training and Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Cooperation Base” by the Department of Medical Administration of the National Health Commission and the Chinese Medical Doctor Association in 2009, one of the four bases in China. The center for Pituitary Diseases, the center for Adrenal Diseases have also been established.
Elite Talent Team: The Department has 4 academic & technical leaders in Sichuan Province, 5 academic & technical leaders of Sichuan Health Committee, 1 chief expert and 1 leading talent at endocrinology and metabolism disease of Sichuan Health Committee, 1 vice chairman, 3 standing committee members, 6 members (including young members) of Chinese Medical Association and related branches of Chinese Medical Doctor Association.
Regional Leader: The Department not only stresses its own development, but also takes an active part in promoting the development of the disciplines of endocrinology & metabolism in the western region and Sichuan Province, such as holding the annual forum on Endocrinology & Metabolism of Western China, undertaking the annual conference on Endocrinology & Diabetes of Sichuan Medical Association, offering short-term training courses for specialists in diabetes, diabetic foot and osteoporosis, pituitary diseases, adrenal diseases and thyroid diseases, carrying out long-distance training and tele-consultation, offering medical aid in Xinjiang and Tibetan areas, and setting up full-time posts in community providing medical services, etc.
Scientific Research Achievements: In the past 5 years, the Department has published more than 300 academic papers, of which about 130 are included in science citation index (SCI) and over 200 are accepted in some Chinese core journals , and has edited as chief editor (or co-edited) 4 monographs (excluding textbooks). The Department, as the first unit, has won the first prize of Natural Science Award of the National Ministry of Education, the first prize of Sci-tech Progress of Sichuan Province, and the second and third prizes of Chinese Medicine Award of the National Health Commission.
Teaching and Talent Training: In the previous 5 years, the Department has edited 4 national textbooks (as chief editor or co-chief editor), published more than 10 papers in medical education. In addition to undergraduate teaching, the Department also recruits masters, Ph.Ds. and postdoctoral researchers from Chinese mainland, India, Nepal and Southeast Asia, etc. Doctors from nearly 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in Chinese mainland pursue their refresh study here.
National GCP Base for Endocrine Diseases: The department is one of the first batch GCP bases for endocrine diseases approved by the nation. In the previous 5 years, it has leaded 5 clinical trials (Phase I to Phase III) for first class new medication (China criteria) evaluation in Chinese mainland. More than 30 other clinical trials for new medication evaluation have been carried out.
