 |
From left: Dr. Peiqi Zhao, party secretary at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, receives a UNMC T-shirt from Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D. |
 |
Dr. Zhao snaps a picture of UNMC’s da Vinci Surgical System. |
 |
Dr. Zhao and Tom Rosenquist, Ph.D., vice chancellor for research, outside of his laboratory in the Durham Research Center. |
 |
From left: UNMC’s Jialin Zheng, M.D., explains a Chinese scroll to Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey while Xiaoning Zou, Zhen Xia and Dr. Zhao look on. Fahey received the scroll as a gift of appreciation for meeting with the delegation. |
 |
From left: Dr. Zhao with Henry Doorly Zoo Director Lee Simmons, D.V.M., and Zhen Zia in front the zoo’s penguin display. |
“They want to go back to their hotel and take a rest,” said a smiling Jialin Zheng, M.D., director of the UNMC Asia Pacific Rim Development Program (APRDP), as the visitors ate lunch and took in a view of Omaha from the eighth floor of the Durham Research Center.
But the delegation still had to see a few more spots on campus, go downtown to meet with Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey, take a VIP tour of the Henry Doorly Zoo led by the zoo’s director, Lee Simmons, D.V.M., and have dinner with UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., at the Omaha Country Club.
Such was life for the SJTUSM delegation during their recent two-day visit to UNMC.
The delegation was led by Dr. Peiqi Zhao, a cardiologist who serves as party secretary for SJTUSM — a role that equates to being a board of regents chairperson in the United States.
Dr. Zhao also holds the position of vice party secretary of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, one of the top five universities in China.
Aside from getting a first-hand look at UNMC’s research and clinical enterprises, the delegation also met with Dr. Maurer and other medical center leaders about existing and future partnership activities between the schools.
“Shanghai Jiao Tong University has many sister relationships with schools in the (United States) and our experience in Omaha tells us that UNMC is our best friend,” said Xiaoning Zou, an associate professor and director of international cooperation at SJTUSM, on behalf of Dr. Zhao. “We are sure that our collaborations will be very promising on the basis of this deep friendship.”
Joining Dr. Zhao on the visit to Omaha were Zou, Zhen Xia, associate professor and director of The Medical Journal of SJTUSM, and Min Hu, associate professor and director of the party office.
For the past three years, UNMC and SJTUSM have partnered in exchange programs that involve medical and nursing student exchanges.
In September, Gov. Dave Heineman will lead a delegation to China. During this trip, UNMC officials will sign an agreement with SJTUSM that will establish another round of collaborations.
The partnership, which was forged thanks to the efforts of Dr. Zheng and the APRDP, has allowed for student and faculty exchanges. Most recently, four nursing students from SJTUSM completed a month-long stint at UNMC.
“Having an active collaboration with other prestigious medical institutions in China and Asia certainly follows Chancellor Maurer’s mission of establishing UNMC’s reputation as one of the world’s leading institutions for biomedical research, health care and education,” Dr. Zheng said. “Our partnership with SJTUSM has been a fruitful endeavor. Our students and faculty members enjoyed their visits at SJTUSM and their exchanges with colleagues in Shanghai. Likewise, SJTUSM medical and nursing students rate UNMC as their first choice when it comes to completing clinical rotations and observations at medical schools in the United States.
“This suggests what a world-class institution we can be, which is mainly due the delicate work done by the faculty members, clinical supervisors and staff members,” Dr. Zheng said.
During their fast-paced UNMC trip, the Chinese delegation visited with College of Medicine Dean John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D., Vice Chancellor for Research Tom Rosenquist, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance Don Leuenberger, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Rubens Pamies, M.D., other UNMC administrators and some Chinese students/faculty members at UNMC.
“During this time of increased global collaboration, establishing partnerships with high-caliber institutions such as SJTUSM is critical in UNMC’s mission of becoming a world-class academic health sciences center,” Dr. Rosenquist said.
The Chinese visitors got a first-hand look at the da Vinci Surgical System and miniature surgical robots developed by scientists from UNMC and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
They visited UNMC’s Olson Center for Women’s Health and talked with Carl Smith, M.D., chairman of the UNMC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The Chinese visitors also were able to see newly delivered quadruplets that were delivered and cared for by UNMC physicians.
|
|
“The robot for surgery reflects your creation of the combination between medicine and engineering,” Zou said.
Dr. Maurer said he was happy the SJTUSM officials visited UNMC and Omaha.
“We were thrilled to show our Chinese colleagues the exciting developments taking place at UNMC,” Dr. Maurer said. “Such visits help our institutions become more familiar with each other and that can only help strengthen our partnerships and collaborations.”