Peking Union Medical College, known as PUMC, is a public medical college in the Dongcheng district of Beijing. It is also known as the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and is affiliated with the National Health Commission of China. The president is Xunming Ji. The institution is regarded in China as one of the leading centres of medical education and biomedical research.
The history begins in 1906, when the Union Medical College was founded by bringing together six smaller missionary colleges. The Rockefeller Foundation, which was established in 1913, sent a commission in 1913 and 1914 to study medical education in China. Franklin C. McLean was among its members. Wu Lien-teh strongly supported a new medical college in Peking, and the recommendations he made were all adopted. The Rockefeller Foundation formally established Peking Union Medical College in 1917.
The Chinese government nationalised the college in 1951. A major change followed in 2006, when PUMC entered an affiliation with Tsinghua University. Under this arrangement graduates receive diplomas and degrees from both institutions. The link combines the clinical and biomedical tradition of PUMC with the engineering and science of Tsinghua.
The college has a clinical medicine doctoral programme launched in 2018 under a 4+4 model: four years of non-medical undergraduate study, followed by four years of medical training. The programme was the subject of media reports in April 2025, and it drew public criticism about its design and its perceived favouritism toward wealthy families. Applicants should look at the official pages for the current conditions of admission to this and other programmes.
PUMC is also included in the Best Chinese Universities ranking of ShanghaiRanking for medical universities. In the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2024 for subjects, it ranked 34th in the world in biomedical engineering and 2nd in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, and it was among the global top 100 in biological sciences and public health. In the U.S. News and World Report 2025 ranking, it placed 9th in the world in pharmacology and toxicology.
The record used here does not give the number of students or staff. The Peking Union Medical College Hospital, which is closely linked to the college, is a well known clinical centre in Beijing. Fees depend on the programme and the status of the student. Check the current tariff.
Domains taught:
Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Life Sciences, Microbiology and Genetics
Diplomas*:
Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Affiliation with Tsinghua University since 2006, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, under the National Health Commission.
Research:
Pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, biomedical engineering, biological sciences, public health and clinical medicine.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
N/A
Current students***:
N/A
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Founded with Rockefeller Foundation support in 1917, ARWU 2024 second in the world for pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, joint degrees with Tsinghua University.
Cons
Very selective admission, debated 4+4 clinical doctoral model, postgraduate focus, teaching mainly in Chinese.
Best For
Medical and biomedical researchers looking for the most prestigious medical college in China.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
Fujian Medical University overlaps with this institution on microbiology and genetics, bioengineering and life sciences, so the two are easy to compare, and it also offers bachelor's programmes, and enrols about 19,600 students.
Nanjing Medical University is the closest domestic counterpart for bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and life sciences; it also offers bachelor's programmes and covers statistics as well.
Both schools build their programmes around bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and life sciences, and Anhui Medical University is the one to compare first within the country, since it is also a public institution and also offers bachelor's programmes.
Both schools build their programmes around microbiology and genetics, bioengineering and life sciences, and Wenzhou Medical University is the one to compare first within the country, since it is also a public institution and also offers bachelor's programmes.
For students who like the microbiology and genetics, bioengineering and life sciences focus of this institution but want another option nearby, Guangzhou Medical University fits well: it is also a public institution and also offers bachelor's programmes.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Beyond national borders, University of Maryland, Baltimore stands out as a comparable school for bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and life sciences; it teaches at the same levels, namely master's and doctoral, and enrols about 7,137 students.
If this school is on your list for bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in the United States deserves a comparison, because it enrols about 576 students and is also a public institution.
Beyond national borders, Medical University of Innsbruck stands out as a comparable school for bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and life sciences; it is also a public institution and also offers bachelor's programmes.
Looking internationally, Hannover Medical School in Germany is where bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering get a comparable treatment; it enrols about 3,997 students, and is also a public institution.
A foreign alternative with a similar emphasis on bioinformatics, microbiology and genetics and bioengineering is Medical University of Vienna in Austria, and it enrols about 8,000 students, and is also a public institution.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is Peking Union Medical College?
In the Dongcheng district of Beijing, China.
When was it formally established?
In 1917, by the Rockefeller Foundation.
What was its earlier form?
The Union Medical College, founded in 1906 by bringing together six missionary colleges.
When was it nationalised?
In 1951.
What is its other name?
The Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.
Who is the president?
Xunming Ji.
What changed in 2006?
An affiliation with Tsinghua University, so graduates receive diplomas from both institutions.
What is the 4+4 model?
Four years of non-medical undergraduate study followed by four years of medical training, used in the clinical medicine doctoral programme launched in 2018.
How is it ranked in pharmacy?
Second in the world in the ARWU 2024 subject ranking.
What does it cost?
Fees depend on the programme and the status of the student. Check the current tariff.
Biology, Biomedical Sensors, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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