In an effort to form educational bridges with hospitals outside the United States, three USF Health faculty members spent a week in March touring several university hospitals in southern China.

Kevin Sneed, PharmD, dean of the College of Pharmacy, Robert Deschenes, PhD, chair of the Department of Molecular Medicine, and Shufeng Zhou, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Science, traveled to Zhongshan, Shunde, Shaoguan, and Guangzhou and toured three major hospitals.

“We were very impressed with the commitment to research and patient care we saw at all of the hospitals,” Dr. Sneed said. “They understand the need for access to good healthcare, and they are working to meet those challenges.”

Among the things that impressed him, Dr. Sneed said, was the Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong, which is one of the best cancer hospitals in China.

“They have outstanding research practices occurring in numerous areas, including biomarker identification and drug discovery initiatives. As their research and health care systems continue to grow, I want USF to collaborate right along with them.”

In appreciation for coming to facilities and for the educational relationships to come, hospital officials presented the team with two gifts for the university: a 24-karat gold-plated flower in a framed case from the Xiaolan Hospital, affiliated with the Southern Medical University, and a silk scarf from Xiao-Wu Chen, MD, PhD, president of the First People’s Hospital of Shunde Guangdong, also affiliated with the Southern Medical University.

Story by Sarah A. Worth, photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Office of Communications