90th anniversary of the Beijing Medical University Health Science Centre

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Barbara Nesbitt: Good morning, I’m Barbara Nesbitt; I’m from OBGYN.net. I’m at the AAGL in Miami, Florida, with my good friend, Mary Zoe Philips, and she’s going to tell us about her recent trip to Beijing.

Mary Zoe Philips: It was, it seems like it was yesterday, but it was about three weeks ago that Jordan and I went to Beijing and we celebrated the 90th anniversary of the Beijing Medical University Health Science Centre and there, they had a conference there, besides the big 90th celebration with all the dignitaries of medicine, from the Ministry of Health to political people and it was great seeing all our friends and this was something that was an occasion that really brought back a lot of memories. 

We also went to Tianjin which, I believe, you heard last interview that we created a sister relationship between the University of California Irvine and the University Medical School in Tianjin. These two universities, the medical school in California and the medical school in Tianjin are really now doing a sister relationship, so the family is growing stronger with the beginning of exchanges, not only of doctors and lecturers, but also a development of a new hospital. They are both in the process, both in California and Tianjin, going to build a hospital. They have been discussing the plans this time, where things should be located, how much room for an operating room, what can be added to it, what can’t be added, where things should go, so it was a full day of discussion and then, of course, a small banquet, and I say that with tongue in cheek because after we come back from China, we came back with ten pounds more.

Barbara Nesbitt: So you ate well. Well, we’re going to have the opportunity for Professor Louis Keith to interview your husband, Professor Jordan Philips, about an award that he got while you were there.

Mary Zoe Philips: Oh, yes.

Barbara Nesbitt: And how long were you there, Mary, on this trip?

Mary Zoe Philips: We were there for a total of 37 days. It was a long time because we waited for the Dean and Head of International Relations to come, but we had, we visited friends and we had such a wonderful experience. We stayed at the State Guest House, where the presidents and kings and queens, where they all stay, so I hope that was not a job connection.

Barbara Nesbitt: Well, I see you have another beautiful outfit that I’m sure you got on your last trip there. You look lovely.

Mary Zoe Philips: Well, thank you very much.

Barbara Nesbitt: You’re welcome. So maybe we should let the gentlemen talk.