On the evening of February 20, the opening ceremony and orientation of the First Clinical School of Tongji Medical College was held. President Prof. HU Yu delivered an inspiring first speech to the “doctors-to-be”. He told the young medical students that in the new era of soaring development, the Union Hospital will continue the fine tradition of shouldering heavy responsibilities, setting great aspirations. They should learn to be virtuous, to understand “the great medical spirit”, to develop great talent, to practice “benevolent heart and benevolent skills”, and to devote themselves to the construction of a “healthy China”. Next, presided over by Madam LIU Yaling, Secretary of the Student Party Committee of the First Clinical School, the robe-giving ceremony and the review of Hippocratic Oath were carried out in sequence. The simple ceremonies and solemn commitments are an important moment for the 2019 class of the First Clinical School students on their journey to clinical practice.

On February 20, Prof. LIU Jihong, the Dean of the Second Clinical School and the President of Tongji Hospital, brought a course on "inheriting the spirit of mutual aid" at the spring opening ceremony for students who are about to start their clinical medical study. He encouraged everyone to be ambitious, to act for the times, and be virtuous in life. “Today's theme made me feel the profound history of the Tongji Hospital, and I also feel the high expectations on me and my classmates. Today is the first class of the new semester, and it is also my first step towards the sacred cause of medicine!” After the opening ceremony, students shared their thoughts and feelings.

In the fight against COVID-19, medical staff are the true soldiers and heroes on the battlefield, where countless touching deeds happened. These stories were introduced to the class by Mrs. Meng Heng of the School of Public Health as a vivid textbook of "medical psychology" in the first lesson of the semester. The students who attended the class either shed tears or were deeply encouraged, to always take saving the lives and healing the wounded as their solemn duty.