A Sketch of Medicine and Society in the Era of Republican China: Social Service Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital

The Social Service Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital was the first department that ever established medical social work in China. It also was the origin of the practice of medical social work in the mainland and Taiwan of China. A brief introduction of the history and working procedure of the department was given to promote a better understanding of it. The author would like to emphasize the importance of paying attention to the social-psychological causes of diseases as well.