Young Medical Student’s Tragic Death Sparks National Outrage in China
A Promising Life Cut Short: What Really Happened?
The tragic suicide of Duan Jingyi, a graduate student at Dalian Medical University, has ignited outrage and raised serious concerns about the mental health struggles and systemic issues faced by medical trainees in China. On February 13, 2025, the first day after the Lantern Festival, Duan was found dead in her rented apartment after using charcoal burning—a distressingly painful method. Days have passed since her passing, yet neither Dalian Medical University nor the hospital where she interned has made any public statement or reached out to her grieving family.
Academic Pressure and Betrayal: Allegations Against the Advisor
Duan’s relatives have come forward with troubling accusations against her academic advisor, Zhang Weiniu. According to insiders, Zhang, who had recently transferred to Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital, allegedly reassigned Duan’s thesis data to another student, rendering her unable to complete her dissertation and leaving her with no path to graduation. This, coupled with intense criticism, threats, and belittlement from Zhang, is believed to have pushed her into despair.
Her devastated father revealed heart-wrenching details of Duan’s final moments. At 4:24 PM on February 13, she ordered vitamins, indicating she was still making efforts to care for her health. However, after receiving continued pressure regarding her thesis data, she purchased charcoal at 5:03 PM—a tragic turning point. He also raised several pressing questions:
- Did Zhang really give Duan’s research data to someone else, leaving her unable to complete her paper?
- If Zhang had already relocated to Shanghai, why did he refuse Duan’s request to change advisors?
- Why did Duan have to seek external, paid guidance for her thesis due to a lack of mentorship from Zhang?
- Why was she placed in distant accommodations, forcing her to rent a private apartment where she was completely isolated?
A Growing Crisis: The Silent Epidemic of Medical Student Suicides
Duan’s death is not an isolated case. Over the past few years, China’s rigorous medical training program, known as “standardized residency training”, has seen an alarming number of suicides among young doctors and medical students. The following tragic incidents highlight a systemic crisis:
- 2017: A medical trainee at Shandong University Qilu Hospital died by injecting anesthesia drugs.
- 2022: A female graduate student at Xi’an Jiaotong University’s affiliated hospital ended her life by cutting her carotid artery.
- 2023: A student at Harbin Medical University left behind a note stating, “I’m exhausted.”
- 2024: Multiple suicides, including a 26-year-old female graduate student at Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital who took her life on Lantern Festival.
- 2025: A urology graduate student at Sun Yat-sen University’s Fifth Hospital died by suicide in January.
These deaths paint a grim picture of the emotional and psychological toll of medical training in China.
The Hidden Struggles of Medical Trainees: What’s Going Wrong?
China’s standardized residency training system was introduced in 2014 with the goal of improving clinical skills and ensuring high-quality medical care. However, its execution has led to significant challenges:
- Brutal Workloads and Meager Pay: Many medical trainees face excessive workloads but receive minimal compensation. Reports suggest that nearly 30% of trainees earn less than 1,000 RMB (approximately $140) per month, with some earning nothing at all.
- Trapped in a System That Doesn’t Protect Them: Trainees exist in a gray area—not officially employed, yet no longer students—making it difficult for them to secure rights, benefits, or fair treatment.
- Exploitation Instead of Mentorship: Many trainees report that their advisors provide little guidance, with some even exploiting them for research work. Cases of mistreatment and academic bullying are not uncommon.
- Mental Health Crisis Among Young Doctors: The intense pressure, lack of support, and poor working conditions have led to rising mental health concerns, with suicide being an extreme outcome in some cases.
Reforming a Broken System: What Needs to Change?
While China’s medical training system was designed with good intentions, its flaws have become evident over time. Many training hospitals do not follow proper standards, leaving students struggling. Financial constraints have also limited improvements, with insufficient funding impacting both training quality and student welfare.
The alarming frequency of suicides among medical trainees calls for urgent reform. Universities, hospitals, and policymakers must take responsibility to:
- Ensure fair treatment and adequate pay for trainees.
- Strengthen mental health support systems.
- Address mentor-student power dynamics to prevent academic exploitation.
- Implement a clear system for reporting and addressing grievances.
A Call for Action: Preventing the Next Tragedy
Without meaningful changes, China risks losing not only talented young doctors but also public trust in its medical education system. The death of Duan Jingyi is yet another tragic reminder that the well-being of medical students cannot continue to be ignored.