The Department of Thoracic Surgery at First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University is a National Clinical Key Specialty, the Chongqing Pulmonary Tumor Comprehensive Treatment Center, and the Chongqing Specialized Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Pulmonary Nodule and Early Lung Cancer. Established by the renowned thoracic surgeon Professor LIN Shangqing, the department is one of the earliest thoracic surgery departments founded in New China. In 1985, it was approved by the state as a discipline authorized to confer professional master’s degrees. In 2005, it was granted the authority to award doctoral degrees in surgery. In 2011, the department was recognized as a National Clinical Key Specialty by the Ministry of Health. After more than 50 years of solid development, it now operates two wards: the Chest and Heart Surgery （Cardiothoracic Surgery） Ward at the Yuanjiagang Campus and the Thoracic Surgery Ward at the Jinshan Campus, with a total of approximately 161 beds. At the Jinshan Campus, 48 beds are currently available - including single, double, and triple rooms - and the facility is equipped with multiple 3D and 2D thoracoscopic systems, as well as high-frequency ultrasound surgical integrated equipment to meet the personalized treatment needs.
The department has a robust faculty with a well-structured talent pool and abundant reserve talent. It currently comprises one Chongqing Outstanding Expert in Middle-aged and Young Professionals, and three Chongqing’s High-End Young and Mid-Aged Medical Talents. There are a total of 159 staff members: 39 physicians, of whom 16 hold senior titles, 39 have a master’s degree or higher, and 20 hold a doctoral degree; 14 of the physicians have received international training. There are 117 nurses, including 2 deputy chief nurses, 16 head nurses, and 72 staff nurses, with 3 holding a master’s degree.
The department pioneered radical surgeries for single-incision thoracoscopic lung cancer and minimally invasive esophageal cancer in Chongqing. Its treatment scope includes mediastinal tumors, myasthenia gravis, and pneumothorax, among other common thoracic conditions. Recognized for its robust clinical technical capabilities and distinct medical features, the department holds a prominent position nationally and in the Southwestern region. It performs more than 4,000 thoracic surgeries annually, with its surgical techniques ranking among the best nationwide and has led lung nodule surgeries in Chongqing for six consecutive years. The Jinshan Campus also serves as the Specialized Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Chongqing Pulmonary Nodule and Early Lung Cancer.
While providing high-quality clinical services, the department is also committed to advancing its specialty through basic and clinical research. To date, it has published over 800 academic papers in domestic and international journals (with more than 200 indexed by SCI) and has contributed to more than 15 books. It has received several provincial and ministerial awards, including 7 National Natural Science Foundation grants, 38 provincial and municipal research fund projects, 25 university-level research projects, 2 provincial and municipal Scientific and Technological Progress Awards, and 11 national patents.
The department remains patient-centered, committed to providing safe, high-quality, and satisfying services with care, meticulousness, responsibility, and compassion. Its goal is to establish itself as a top-tier thoracic surgery department in China through scientific management, continuous innovation, and the provision of exceptional treatment for common thoracic diseases.
