The 8th Shanghai Sino-US Family Medicine Symposium starts in Jiading district of Shanghai on Oct 23, with the participation of dozens of Chinese and American practitioners. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn]

Residents in Nanxiang and Anting towns, Jiading district of Shanghai have an opportunity to receive diagnosis or treatment from American medical experts on Oct 23.

The experts are attendees of the 8th Shanghai Sino-US Family Medicine Symposium, an annual event organized by Tongji University School of Medicine to promote medical exchanges.

The American experts went to community health service centers in Nanxiang and Anting to show how they diagnose and treat patients and to share their views regarding certain typical medical cases with local medical workers.

At the Anting Social Welfare Institute, an American expert made careful inquiries regarding the illness and living conditions of two patients who suffered from varicose vein of lower limb and coronary heart disease and gave them suggestions on drug use and treatment.

Shen Xiaojie, a local doctor, said that the American doctor paid more attention to patients' mood and inquired on the patients' appetite, exercise frequency, and the current conditions of their children.

Shen added that she will attach greater importance to patients' mental health just like the American doctors.

The arrival of the symposium in Jiading this year was due to the partnerships built between Nanxiang and Anting community health service centers and Tongji University School of Medicine this July.

During the cooperation, Jiading government will give strong support and use university resources to build high-quality medical professional teams and improve local medical services.

It sets up a goal of building a three-tier training model of high-level medical personnel from Tongji University School of Medicine to affiliated hospitals to affiliated community health service centers within three years.

The establishment of Tongji University School of Medicine-affiliated community health service centers is the first of its kind in China. The first batch that joins the project includes ten community health service centers in Jiading, Yangpu, Putuo, Jing'an districts, and Pudong New Area.