Courtesy of Anthony DeCarlo

Dr. Yan Fuqing, the first Asian person to receive a doctorate of medicine at the Yale School of Medicine in 1909, was honored with a new statue on Wednesday. The bust of Yan, gifted by his grandchildren who are also doctors, was unveiled at the Medical Historical Library within the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library building. The event included academic lectures on Yan’s accomplishments and remarks from event organizers and his grandchildren, and live translators were present to interpret between Mandarin Chinese and English.

Nancy Brown ’81, dean of the Yale School of Medicine, spoke at the unveiling ceremony and highlighted Yan’s role as a medical practitioner, public health advocate, civil servant, educator, and visionary. She emphasized how Yan created a bridge between the United States and China for medical professionals. After graduating from the School of Medicine, Yan Fuqing oversaw the Hunan-Yale Agreement, which established exchanges of English instructors and medical personnel between the Yale-China Association and Hunan Medical College. He also played a significant role in the founding of the Shanghai Medical College at Fudan University and Xiangya School of Medicine at Central South University.

During the event, Yan Fuqing’s grandchildren spoke of his inspirational character and how he brought Yale’s motto of “educate and nurture creative leaders in medicine and science” to his motherland. His passion and willingness to serve influenced many of his students to become leading experts in the medical field of China. The event also highlighted the longstanding bilateral relations between Yale, Fudan University, and Central South University, and the role Dr. Yan played in inspiring these relationships.

The importance of cultural exchange between nations, particularly between the United States and China, was emphasized by Gary Locke, former U.S. ambassador to China. He highlighted the significance of understanding each other’s perspectives, viewpoints, culture, and history in solving global issues. Qin Yan, a professor of pathology at the medical school and president of the Asian Faculty Association at Yale, expressed hope that local collaborations between cities like New Haven and Changsha could pave the way for more large-scale exchanges of innovation and medical advances.

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According to Brown, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, up to 10 percent of graduating medical students from Yale completed a clinical rotation at Xiangya School of Medicine. Faculty, like Yan Fuqing, also mentor postdoctoral trainees who graduated from the two Chinese institutions that Yan helped establish. The event not only celebrated Yan’s accomplishments but also marked a positive trajectory in representation for Asian and Asian American faculty at Yale.

The Yale-China Association, founded in 1901, has played a crucial role in fostering and maintaining the relationship between Yale and Chinese institutions, facilitating academic and cultural exchanges.