On August 19th—the 9th Chinese Doctors’ Day—Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) held its 2026 new-hire orientation and postdoctoral induction ceremony. Academician Zhao Yupei, Honorary President of PUMCH, alongside all leadership members present, attended the event. On this special occasion dedicated to physicians, 470 new employees and postdoctoral researchers officially joined the PUMCH family, embarking on a mission to heal and protect.

▲All attendees took a solemn oath

At 7:30 a.m., the ceremony commenced with an introductory video “Centennial PUMCH: All for the People”, which guided the audience through PUMCH’s illustrious, century-old history, vividly bringing to life the enduring ethos of the hospital’s generations of medical professionals: “Rigor, Excellence, Diligence and Dedication”.

During the ceremony, Academician Zhao Yupei, President Zhang Shuyang, and Vice President Wu Peixin presented hospital badges to the representatives of the new employees and postdoctoral researchers. This modest badge carries the profound legacy and glory of the century-old institution, officially making each new member a guardian of this medical powerhouse.

▲Academician Zhao Yupei, President Zhang Shuyang, and Vice President Wu Peixin presented badges to representatives of new employees and postdocs

Led by Dr. Ping Lu from the Department of General Surgery, all attendees raised their right hand to make a solemn vow to protect life and health. Resounding through the venue, their powerful oaths echoed in every corner of the room.

President Zhang Shuyang extended warm welcome to the newcomers and heartfelt Doctors' Day greetings to the entire PUMCH community. “The warmth you bring to your patients defines the warmth the public associates with PUMCH!” Citing the inspiring stories of PUMCH pioneers such as Professor Zeng Xianjiu, Academician Liu Tonghua, and Professor Fang Qi who dedicated decades to clinical excellence and rigorous self-discipline, she encouraged the new colleagues to uphold fine traditions and carry forward the PUMCH spirit. First, she urged them to embrace the hospital’s founding mission and step up as the new generation of “PUMCHers”. Working for PUMCH means committing to a lifelong, patriotic career of serving the people and the country. She called on the newcomers to truly understand, identify with, and love the hospital, anchoring their personal goals in the nation’s broader pursuits. Second, she challenged them to hone their expertise and lay the groundwork for the hospital’s high-quality development. She also reminded them never to compromise on PUMCH’s core tenets of “basic theory, knowledge and skills, and rigorous requirements, approaches and attitude”. President Zhang also encouraged them to seize this historic opportunity, push their professional limits, sharpen their skills through hands-on practice, ultimately doing their part to drive the hospital’s sustained high-quality development. Finally, she stressed the importance of cultivating compassion and staying dedicated to public health. Upholding PUMCH’s reputation means striving to be exemplary healers. Through constant self-reflection and strict discipline, they must always put patients first and write a brilliant new chapter in the ongoing mission of building a Healthy China.

Vice President Wu Peixin delivered a speech titled “Shouldering the Mission of Healthcare with the Country in Mind”. He recounted PUMCH’s 105-year history of advancing in lockstep with the Party and the nation. He then presented in greater detail the hospital’s endeavors and achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Driven by the goal of becoming a national powerhouse leading China's medical development, PUMCH has established a new development framework featuring “one hospital, multiple campuses, and an integrated network”, propelling its high-quality growth to new heights.

Vice President Wu encouraged new staff members with three key expectations. First, they should be great physicians that serve the country and its people: medical professionals should align their personal destinies with national rejuvenation, step forward when the country calls, stand firm on major principles, and pursue excellence in everyday roles. Second, they should stay grounded on their journey of pursuing both moral integrity and clinical mastery—upholding high ethical standards in public, professional, and personal life, honing skills, adhering strictly to professional boundaries, and cherishing PUMCH’s honor. Third, they must aim high and strive for excellence. They should set their sights on leading the forefront of medicine, hone their expertise by conquering complex and critical conditions, and realize their personal value by scaling academic peaks. With sharp vision and steady steps, they will carve out their own success and make history in the broader mission of building a Healthy China.

▲Representatives of PUMCH physicians awarded national, municipal, and district-level honors over the past year

In celebration of Doctors’ Day, representatives of the new employees presented flowers to physicians who received national, municipal, and district-level awards over the past year, paying high tribute to their achievements. Academician Zhu Lan, Director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, spoke as a representative of the award-winning physicians. She offered her new colleagues three pieces of advice: "enjoy the joy of being a healer," "cultivate one or two hobbies outside your specialty," and "‘great love’ takes us further". She encouraged them to "dedicate yourself to your craft with passion, explore relentlessly, and always surpass yourself, and together we can continue to burnish the brand of PUMCH."

Dr. Zhang Xueyang from the Department of Internal Medicine and Nurse Zhang Wantong from the Department of Nursing spoke on behalf of the new employees. Using the diagnosis and treatment of a complex, critical case as a thread, Dr. Zhang Xueyang shared his three-phase growth trajectory during his three-year clinical postdoctoral training: from "finding his footing" and "achieving miracles through collaboration" to confronting "the future and his responsibility." Nurse Zhang Wantong expressed the collective resolve of the new nurses—rooted in both the warmth and professionalism of nursing—to "become warm-hearted PUMCH nurses worthy of trust."

To conclude the ceremony, all new employees joined in singing the anthem “Centennial PUMCH: All for the People”. As they sang, the torch of the PUMCH spirit was passed down, and a new generation of PUMCHers stood ready for the journey ahead. The orientation ceremony was hosted by Vice President Du Bin.

This year’s Chinese Doctors’ Day theme is "Character and Competence: The Foundation of Medical Excellence". On this day dedicated to honoring healers and celebrating life, a new cohort of PUMCHers received the baton from their predecessors, embarking on a new journey to safeguard people’s health. Following the ceremony, the hospital will conduct a week-long onboarding training. Vice President Yang Dungan, Vice President Du Bin, and other leaders will deliver lectures. The hospital has also scheduled specialized courses on medical humanism, mental health, and talent policies to help new employees quickly fit into, understand, and contribute to PUMCH.

▲Event highlights

Written by Chen Xiao

Pictures courtesy of Sun Liang

Edited by Xiao Xiong

Chief editor Duan Wenli

Supervised by Wu Peixin