The Department of Gastroenterology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University was founded in 1957under the leadership of Professor Li Zongming, who relocated from Shanghai First Medical College to Chongqing. Through the unremitting efforts of several generations, the department has now evolved into a distinguished center for granting doctoral and master’s degrees, a national clinical pharmacology base, and a Chongqing Digestive Diseases Diagnosis and Treatment Center, integrating clinical practice, endoscopic diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, scientific research, education and high-quality nursing services. Notably, in recent years, it has made remarkable progress in endoscopic diagnosis and treatment, achieving a level of excellence on par with leading institutions in China.
The Department of Gastroenterology has specialized outpatient clinics, an endoscopy center, and inpatient wards across the Yuanjiagang, Jingwei, and Jinshan Campuses. The Yuanjiagang campus is equipped with 94 beds, and it handles approximately 3,200 inpatient admissions annually. The gastroenterology outpatient department attends to 110,000 visits per year, performing 32,000 gastroscopic examinations and approximately 3,900 endoscopic surgeries annually. These services are among the leading in Western China. In addition to the treatment of common and frequently encountered gastrointestinal diseases, the department excels in management of acute and critically ill patients, including massive gastrointestinal bleeding, acute severe pancreatitis, decompensated cirrhosis, and early-stage gastrointestinal cancer requiring endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). In recent years, the department has continuously invested in the acquisition of cutting-edge endoscopic equipment and technologies. Currently, it boasts Fujifilm and Pentax endoscopic ultrasound systems (both radial and linear scanning), Olympus small-probe ultrasound systems, Fujifilm blue-laser gastrointestinal endoscopes, Olympus 290 gastrointestinal endoscopes, and confocal laser endomicroscopy. The department conducts routine gastrointestinal endoscopic examinations and treatments, including endoscopic hemostasis, dilation, stent placement, and foreign body removal. The department also possesses considerable expertise in minimally invasive endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of biliary and pancreatic diseases as well as gastrointestinal tumors. As a pioneer in Southwest China, the department was the first to perform several advanced procedures, including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic ultrasound-guided pancreatic abscess puncture and drainage, endoscopic debridement, pancreatic cyst ablation, endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD) and endoscopic ultrasound-guided variceal sclerotherapy (EUS-SVD). Additionally, the department performs endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastrointestinal cancers and precancerous lesions, circumferential resection (ESTD), endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE) for gastrointestinal tumors, full-thickness resection (EFTR), and submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection (STER), as well as radial incision for esophageal strictures (ERI). The department also conducts advanced procedures such as stent placements for esophageal cancer, gastrointestinal, biliary tumors, radiation therapy stent insertions, and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA), peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for achalasia, G-POEM for gastroparesis, and endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT), all of which are classified as fourth-level endoscopic surgeries. Furthermore, equipped with capsule endoscopy, capsule gastroscopy, and small bowel endoscopy, the department has made substantial investments in managing chronic diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and has established a multidisciplinary team (MDT), thereby positioning itself at the forefront of healthcare in Western China.
The department boasts an academically accomplished team, predominantly comprised of young and middle-aged academic leaders with substantial academic background. It has successfully secured 8 National Natural Science Foundation grants and over 20 provincial and ministerial research funding projects, totaling 1.97 million RMB in funding. The department has received 5 municipal science and technology progress awards and published over 200 papers in SCI and CSCD journals. Furthermore, the department has trained more than 10 PhD students and over 120 master’s students. Currently, the department has 28 physicians, including 9 senior physicians and 6 associate senior physicians, 10 mid-level physicians, and 3 junior physicians. Of these, 19 hold PhD degrees, 9 hold master’s degrees, with several faculty members having pursued advanced studies at prestigious institutions in the United States and at the University of Hong Kong. The department also employs 50 nurses, including 1 associate senior nurse, 6 mid-level nurses, and 43 junior nurses, among whom 3 hold master’s degrees in nursing, 36 have bachelor’s degrees, and 11 have specialized diplomas. The department prides itself on having a highly skilled and experienced tertiary-level medical team, complemented by a well-trained nursing team, both of which are fully capable of diagnosing, treating, and providing care for a broad spectrum of gastrointestinal diseases. The medical team is renowned for its clinical expertise, rigorous research, and substantial academic influence. Several members hold leadership positions in national, provincial, and municipal medical associations, such as vice-chairperson, committee member, secretary, and group leader. Notably, the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas group plays a leading role in multiple academic societies. Moreover, the department also places a strong emphasis on talent development, continually fostering an exceptional academic and technical talent pipeline, thereby enhancing its academic and professional impact.
The department is also home to a teaching team composed of young and middle-aged faculty members with extensive teaching experience. The team is responsible for imparting knowledge across several academic programs, including the five-year undergraduate program, the 5+3 graduate program, and the nursing undergraduate program, in addition to overseeing clinical internships. Faculty members are dedicated to meticulously studying textbooks, preparing lessons with care, and enhancing their teaching skills. Their instruction is clear, structured, engaging, and concise. Teachers deliver both online and offline lessons with a high degree of dedication, consistently achieving exceptional outcomes and fulfilling their educational mission with excellence.
The department has consistently adhered to the principle of achieving development through innovation and driving innovation through development. It strives to establish itself as a learning-oriented and innovative department, with a particular focus on cultivating a strong talent pipeline. The department frequently organizes study and exchange programs for its medical and nursing staff while continually introducing new equipment, technologies, and talents to enhance both clinical care and research capabilities. By fostering a departmental culture of “harmony, progress, hard work, and dedication”, the department ensures a positive and motivating environment for its medical and nursing teams. Furthermore, through the active promotion of quality nursing practices and a patient-centered approach - treating patients as a family and striving to meet their needs - the department is committed to providing the highest quality care to its patients.