From June 28 to July 1, Prof. Markus Wolfgang Büchler, the President of Heidelberg University Hospital, paid a visit to Nanjing Medical University to receive a honorary doctoral degree in response to the invitation of Prof. Miao Yi, the Director of Pancreas Center of the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University
Prof. Büchler is the current President of Heidelberg University Hospital, the Director of Surgery Department from University of Heidelberg, the lifetime professor of University of Heidelberg, the Director of European Pancreas Center, the Chairman of German Surgery Committee (2011-2012). He founded Surgical Clinical Research Center of University of Heidelberg, and presided over multiple European multi-center clinical and experimental studies. In recent years, he published more than 600 papers on Am J Surg, Surgery, Lancet Oncol, Ann Surg, JAMA, Lancet and other publications. He also first reported Bern surgery, artery first approach for pancreaticoducdenectomy and other new techniques, with a H-index up to 106.
On June 28, Prof. Büchler was invited to pay a visit to Jiangning Campus of Nanjing Medical University and had a conversation with President Shen Hongbing. On behalf of the University, President Shen expressed our warmest welcome to the arrival of Prof. Büchler and introduced the general conditions of Nanjing Medical University. Prof. Büchler presented his engagement in medical education and medical activities in multiple countries, especially his cooperation with Prof. Miao Yi's team. During the conversation, both parties reached preliminary consensus on future exchanges and cooperation.
On June 30, on the 2016 Graduation Ceremony of Nanjing Medical University, President Shen Hongbing awarded to Prof. Büchler a honorary doctorate degree approved by the State Council Academic Degree Committee. This was the first time that Nanjing Medical University awarded such a degree, as well as the first honorary doctor in the medical field in China. Prof. Büchler also gave a speech on the Ceremony and inspired the graduates to stride forward and move on with his own experience.
After the Graduation Ceremony, Prof. Tang Jinhai, the Director of the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, met with Prof. Büchler. Director Tang extended warm welcome to the arrival of Prof. Büchler and they exchanged ideas on future cooperation of these two hospitals.
In the afternoon of June 30, in response to the invitation of Prof. Miao Yi, Prof. Büchler paid a visit to our Hospital and gave a lecture called "Dream Job: Surgeon". Hundreds of medical personnel attended the lecture, including many students from School of International Students School. Prof. Büchler made retrospection on the development history of surgery and displayed to us the efforts and contributions made by surgeons in the process of fighting against diseases. He said that surgeons are a highly respected profession in a developed society. In the meantime, combined with the current situation of medical system in Germany, Prof. Büchler analyzed the problems and challenges in the surgery development and surgeon cultivation. He expressed that, a surgeon had to spend nearly 90 hours on intensive clinical work each week, which undermined his/her devotion to scientific research work. In the meantime, relatively low salary was another factor that killed the willingness and ambition of surgeons, leading to a shrinking number of surgeons. Surgery is of very high risk. Prof. Büchler specially emphasized the significance of integrity and leadership to the cultivation of surgeons in the future, and placed much hope on the growth of young surgeons.
