GIFT Health Science and Technology Pilot Class Explores Medical-Engineering Integration Through Clinical Immersion and Industry Visits
In early November, 2025, students from the Elite Talent Pilot Program (Health Science and Technology) at Global Institute of Future Technology (GIFT) visited the Shanghai Children's Medical Center (SCMC) for a hands-on course titled “Innovation and Practice in Clinical Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Technologies.” The activity aimed to show students real clinical advances, help them identify their interest in combining medicine and engineering, and prepare them for interdisciplinary research and careers in healthcare.
1. Clinical Lectures and VR Simulations
Students attended talks by top clinicians. SCMC Senior heart surgeon Dr. Jinfen Liu spoke about virtual simulation in children's heart surgery, covering computational modeling, 3D‑printed surgical guides, VR training, and AI‑enhanced diagnostics. Associate Researcher Dr. Jinlong Liu talked about how AI helps plan surgeries and assess blood flow in congenital heart disease. The session also included visits to a VR lab where students experienced force‑feedback devices and an immersive CAVE system.
Dr. Huiwen Chen, director of heart surgery, explained the department's focus on neonatal and complex congenital heart surgery highlighting its leading diagnosis and treatment methods. Dr. Guocheng Shi, a clinician‑researcher, presented “AI-Powered Heart Sound Auscultation,” demonstrating how AI‑powered acoustic analysis enables early detection of congenital heart defects in remote areas—an example of how cross‑disciplinary innovation can address real‑world health disparities.
2. Industry Visit: From R&D to Commercialization
Students visited the MicroPort Medical Engineering Experience Center to learn about innovations such as bioresorbable stents, robotic surgical systems, neuro‑modulation interfaces, and AI‑based diagnostic devices. An expert from MicroPort delivered a lecture on managing quality throughout the medical device lifecycle, explaining the steps from ideas and design to validation and maintenance. This visit helped students link clinical needs with technology development and product creation, strengthening their systematic thinking.
3. Class Meeting
On November 9, the pilot class held its fall semester meeting with Prof. Huifang Zhou, Chair of the SCMC Council, and Prof. Weiliang Xia, Associate Dean of GIFT, who both served as class advisors. Prof. Zhou encouraged students to adopt a clinical‑problem‑oriented mindset and build skills in both medicine and engineering. Prof. Xia motivated students to make full use of academic, clinical, and industry resources of SJTU and SCMC to identify their career paths and develop interdisciplinary perspectives.
Students shared reflections from their learning experiences, covering topics such as international exchanges and project development.
The activity has provided students with a coherent pathway from clinical exposure to technical understanding, industrial insight, and professional commitment. GIFT will continue to strengthen its integrated medical‑engineering education to cultivate future leaders in healthcare innovation.
