Founded in 1960, the First Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery is formerly known as the General Surgery Department, belonging to the First Hospital of Bethune Medical University with a glorious tradition. Now it is a national key clinical specialty, key discipline of Jilin University, excellent discipline of the First Hospital of Jilin University, master and doctor of medicine authorized discipline, and mobile station for the post-doctors. It is also Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of General Surgery, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation and Immunity Precision Medicine, the first Endoscopic Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Training Base of Ministry of Health in Jilin Province, Liver Transplantation Center of Jilin University, Organ Transplantation center of First Hospital of Jilin University, Laparoscopic Surgery Center of Jilin Province, Advanced training base for College of Royal Surgeons of Edinburgh, UK and General Surgery of Hong Kong Surgeons College.

The Department has accumulatively undertaken 30 national, provincial and ministerial scientific research projects with scientific research funds of 20 million yuan, published more than 200 academic papers, won third prize of China Medical Science and Technology for one time, prizes of provincial scientific and technological progress for nine times (first prize for one time, second prize for four times and third prize for four times), and 27 medical achievement awards.

There are 91 beds in this department. Every year, approximate 4,000 patients are treated, almost 3,000 operations are performed, and nearly 60% of the operations were performed by minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery. Besides, about 120 cases of liver transplantation are completed in the liver transplantation center annually. Because of timely diagnosis and effective treatment for hepatobiliary, pancreas and spleen diseases, many difficult and critical patients have been treated successfully in this department.