Shanghai Children's Medical Center: World-Class Pediatric Care for International Families

Shanghai Children's Medical Center (上海儿童医学中心), or SCMC, is part of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and one of China's top pediatric hospitals. In 2025, they saw about 2,000 international patient visits and gave 17 talks at the World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery. With a shiny new International Medical Service Center that opened near Pudong International Airport, it's becoming easier for medical travelers to access their care.

SCMC at a Glance

Affiliated with: Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

Two campuses: Main campus on Dongfang Road and Zhangjiang campus near Pudong Airport

2025 international patient visits: ~2,000

Pediatric cardiac surgery: 17 presentations at WCPCCS 2025 in Hong Kong

Language support satisfaction: 92%

Key Specialties

Pediatric Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery

SCMC's heart team is known worldwide, especially for fixing complex congenital heart defects. They gave 17 talks at WCPCCS 2025—a sign of their global reputation. They treat kids from all over China and abroad for everything from simple ASD/VSD repairs to tricky neonatal heart surgery.

Pediatric Dermatology

Dr. Deng Dan's team has cared for over 100 international kids, mainly for birthmarks and nevus sebaceus. You'll get bilingual support every step of the way.

Pediatric Neurosurgery

Dr. Xiao Bo's team specializes in selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) for cerebral palsy. In 2025, a child from Bulgaria flew 9,000 km (about 5,600 miles) to SCMC for this surgery, and an Italian neurosurgeon spent 3 weeks there learning the technique—showing SCMC is becoming a global hub for this procedure.

Pediatric Rehabilitation

Dr. Shen Min's team offers full post-surgery rehab with a "medical + humanities" approach that covers both physical healing and emotional health.

Pediatric Oncology & Blood Disorders

Complete care for childhood cancers, available at the Zhangjiang campus.

International Medical Services

SCMC's International Medical Service Department got a big boost when the Zhangjiang campus opened in March 2025:

Full bilingual support from your first call to discharge

Coordinated pathway: A GP hub + specialist model for smooth care

Remote consultation: Online pre-consults and telemedicine for cross-border cases

Non-medical support: Visa help, airport pickup, hotel booking, and transport tips

Cultural sensitivity: Dietary needs, and religious/cultural considerations

Post-discharge: Remote follow-up and rehab guidance

New Zhangjiang Campus

Opened in March 2025, the Zhangjiang campus is just 30 minutes from Pudong International Airport. This dedicated International Medical Service Center was designed with international patients in mind. Contact: 021-38626948 / 021-38626949 | Email: SCMCVIP@scmc.com.cn

International Patient Stories (2025–2026)

Gloria, 5, Chinese-American: Successfully treated for nevus sebaceus with full bilingual support for her non-Chinese-speaking father

Aliya, 11, Bulgaria: Traveled 9,000 km (about 5,600 miles) for SDR surgery for cerebral palsy—with multidisciplinary rehab support

Andy, from Singapore: Treated for scalp nevus sebaceus after his family found SCMC online

Italian neurosurgeon exchange (August 2025): Dr. Carla Richetta completed a 3-week training program in SDR surgery—highlighting SCMC's growing role as an international teaching center

The Bottom Line

Shanghai Children's Medical Center gives international families access to world-class pediatric care, especially in heart surgery, neurosurgery (SDR for cerebral palsy), dermatology, and rehab. With the new Zhangjiang campus near Pudong Airport, dedicated international services with bilingual support, and a growing global reputation from conferences, SCMC is a solid pick for medical tourism families with kids.