China honored 10 model medical workers on the country's seventh Doctors' Day, which fell on Monday, and named them "the most beautiful doctors". Five of those honored — four doctors and one nurse — shared their experiences at a news conference on Thursday.

Jiang Nan, head of the cardiovascular surgery department of Tianjin Chest Hospital

My expertise in cardiac surgery means that I deal with more risks and challenges than general surgeons. We must be extremely careful in our daily work, discussing cases before operations, analyzing disease characteristics of patients, formulating meticulous plans and preparing for emergencies. It is also vital to keep calm and steady when an unexpected incident occurs, and such composure and confidence stem from continuous training and the accumulation of experience. The field of cardiac surgery is constantly evolving and producing new technologies. We must continue learning and exploring new surgical methods proactively to benefit patients.

Yu Jiajun, a rural doctor at an island health clinic in Anhui province

There are more than 200 residents living on the island, and the majority of them are elderly or people having difficulties moving around. The most common chronic diseases among them are cardiovascular illnesses and pain in the lower back and legs. Thanks to the initiation of a family doctor program and increasing awareness of healthy lifestyles, incidences of these chronic conditions are declining. Whenever a patient makes a phone call, I drive a boat to reach them. I remember that one evening, my boat hit a hill and I nearly fell into the water on my ride to see a patient. Because of inconvenient transportation, I have learned to drive several types of boats.

Lin Lizhu, director of the Lingnan Cancer Institute of the First Affiliated Hospital of the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine in Guangdong province

To promote prevention, as well as early diagnosis and treatment of cancer, it is important to spread knowledge among the public about early symptoms of cancer, and why and how tumors grow. I have published books and held lectures aimed at increasing public awareness of the disease. A crucial component of traditional Chinese medicine is disease prevention. We are striving to encourage people to adopt healthier habits and lifestyles in their daily lives and pass on our professional knowledge to them.

Hou Xinlin, deputy director of the children's medical center of Peking University First Hospital in Beijing

The quality of healthcare services in the Xizang autonomous region was lagging, prompting the nation to launch a drive in 2016 to send groups of medical workers from developed regions there. When I first came to Xizang (as a medical worker), I received a 3-year-old boy who bled profusely due to a torn oral mucosa, and he was later diagnosed with hemophilia A, a disease that had never been identified across the entire region. Through decades of continuous medical aid directed to the region, the Xizang Autonomous Region People's Hospital has built a treatment center for hemophilia A and other rare diseases, and all children suffering from the disease can receive effective and consistent treatment locally.

Deng Baofeng, chief of the nursing department of Beijing Geriatric Hospital

I have been working in the field of nursing for nearly four decades. Taking care of seniors, whether at home, elderly care homes or hospitals is no easy task. It is important to be professional when coping with the problems of the elderly, such as falls, incontinence, irritability and insomnia. We should communicate effectively with the elderly, and more importantly, we should strive to understand them and treat them with respect and integrate sincerity, compassion and filial piety into all aspects of care, so that the elderly can truly feel safe, comfortable and happy.