The Department of Medical history and Philosophy of Peking University (PKU) is an interdisciplinary teaching and academic research institution, with the authorization to award the first level doctoral degree in History of Science and Technology. The department aims at exploring new research directions and methods of medical history and medical philosophy through the study of the development of medicine, the complex interaction between cognitive medicine and society, politics, economy, culture, etc., so as to make unique contributions to the understanding and development of the medicine and health in China. The main research fields of the department include the history of medical thought, the history of medical social culture, the comparative history of Chinese and western medicine, the history of modern Chinese medicine, the history of global health, the history of health care policy and system, etc. It enrolls doctoral and master degree students, as well as postdoctoral candidates in the history of science and technology. The main courses offered are: History of Science and Technology, Philosophy of Science, Scientific Technology and Social studies, Medical History, Problems and Methods of Modern Medical History Research, Chinese Traditional Medical Culture, Special Research Seminar, etc.

The department of Medical history and Philosophy grew out of the Department of Medical History of Peking University (founded in 1946), and is an important training base for Chinese medical history researchers. The department’s PKU Center for Medical History Research is affiliated to the Professional Committee of the Medical History under the China Society of the History of Science and Technology and the Chinese Medical History Committee of the International Medical History Society. It has hosted many international and domestic academic conferences. In 2017, the center and Professional Committee of Medical History successfully hosted the 9th academic conference of the International Society of Medical History. The mainstays of our department also serve as members of the Executive Committee of the International Society of Medical History, which plays an important role in promoting the internationalization of Chinese medical history research.