This July, after completing three years of residency training, BNBU alumna Yu Mengjie will begin the next chapter of her career at Harvard Medical School’s Massachusetts General Hospital, where she will serve as an attending physician in Internal Medicine.
Yu Mengjie
Class of 2013, Department of Life Sciences
For Yu, whose long-term goal is to advance cancer research and patient care, there could hardly be a better place to start. Ranked among the world's leading research hospitals and located in Boston, a global hub for biomedical innovation, Massachusetts General Hospital represents the culmination of a journey that began nearly a decade ago.
After graduating from Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU), Yu pursued pre-medical studies at Northeastern University, earned her medical degree at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed rigorous residency training in the United States.
Yu graduates from BNBU, 2013
Her path was far from straightforward. Before entering medical school, Yu received an offer from a biotechnology startup in Boston, where she worked alongside graduates of Harvard, Tsinghua, and Johns Hopkins. Drawing on the laboratory and research skills she had developed at BNBU, she contributed to cancer-drug studies involving cell culture, data analysis, and scientific reporting.
Although she enjoyed the work, she felt increasingly distant from the patients she hoped to help.
"When research findings are translated into patient care, that's when they truly matter," she said. Faced with the choice between a promising industry career and medical school, she chose the latter.
Yu with her classmates from the medical school
Medical training brought new challenges every year, from mastering complex scientific concepts to passing a series of demanding licensing examinations. To deepen her understanding, Yu developed a habit of breaking difficult concepts into simple explanations she could teach to others.
"If you can explain it clearly, you probably understand it well," she said.
The same philosophy shaped her approach to patient care. Rather than relying on technical terminology, she takes time to explain diagnoses, treatments, benefits, and risks in everyday language. Her patience and empathy have earned the trust of many patients throughout her residency.
Yu receives a thank-you letter from one of her patients
The experience also reinforced her commitment to oncology. During clinical rotations, she witnessed both the limitations of current treatments and the remarkable progress being made through new therapies and clinical research.
Yu during rotation
Looking ahead, Yu hopes to pursue specialist training in oncology and contribute to the development of new cancer treatments.
From MPRO
Photos provided by the interviewees
Editor: Cecilia Yu
