From December 8–11, the Global Health Institute (GHI) welcomed an administrative delegation from Zhejiang University Affiliated Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital (SRRSH). The delegation included Mrs. Jin Min, Vice Chairman of the Council at SRRSH; Ding Guoqing, MD, Vice President for Brand Promotion and Urologist at SRRSH; Ruan Hengchao, MD, Assistant Dean of Zhejiang University School of Medicine (ZUSM); Sun Xiaonan, MD, Director of the Radiology Oncology Department at SRRSH; and Mr. Xu Chao, Executive Deputy Director of Administration at SRRSH.
Meetings with LLUH School of Medicine
During their visit, the delegation met with Loma Linda University School of Medicine leadership, including Tammi Thomas, MD, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine, and Kevin Codorniz, MD, Associate Dean of Clinical Education, to explore educational collaborations. One major focus was the development of elective rotations for ZUSM medical students at LLU, giving students an opportunity to engage in patient care, interprofessional collaboration, and innovative training within a U.S. academic medical center.
Proton Therapy Collaboration
A central focus of the delegation’s visit was SRRSH’s planned proton therapy center. The delegation met with LLUH’s proton therapy leadership team, including Jerry Slater, MD, Chair of Radiation Medicine; Philip Elston-Hurdle, MBA, RT, Director of Radiation Medicine; Abiel GhebreMedhin, PhD, DABR, Lead Physicist and Program Director for Proton Therapy; Bryan Zook, Director of Business Operations; and Jesse Richards, Manager of Proton Therapy. Together, they discussed operational management, quality assurance, radiation safety protocols, staffing, workflow, and equipment acceptance procedures, providing SRRSH with guidance to establish a high-quality clinical program.
Educational collaboration to develop proton expertise at SRRSH was a key topic. Delegation members explored opportunities for micro-credential programs, postgraduate degrees, and two-year residency training for proton therapy physicists. Curriculum discussions covered training for both doctors and physicists.
A Legacy of Collaboration
An objective of the delegation’s visit was to learn about the values of LLUH, many of which have also been embedded into the culture at SRRSH. SRRSH's motto, "Giving you sincerity, confidence, and love," demonstrates the hospital's commitment to cultivating excellence and trust with those that they serve. SRRSH was originally established over thirty years ago to integrate Western and Chinese hospital management practices. Through this visit, LLUH and SRRSH strengthened their shared commitment to advancing medical education, pioneering clinical innovations, and improving healthcare outcomes.