Born in 1964 in Wujin, Jiangsu Province, Zhao Qiang entered the medical department of former NantongMedicalCollege in 1981 to study medicine. He is currently the director, professor, doctoral supervisor of cardiac surgery of ShanghaiRuijinHospital.

Dr. Zhao has served as the deputy director of Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, deputy director of Cardiology Department of Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University (formerly Shanghai Medical University), deputy director of China Department of Sida International Heart Center, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, visiting director of Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery of People's Hospital in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, member of Chinese Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, member of American Thoracic Surgeons Society(STS), and member of Standing Committee of Chinese Physicians Association. He is the deputy editor of Modern Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases, editorial board member of The Annual Thoracic Surgery, Chinese Journal of Surgery, and Chinese Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.

Dr. Zhao is a member of the 10th Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, member of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Agricultural and Industrial Democratic Party, deputy director of the Liaison Department, and member of the 10th and 11th CPPCC.

He is an expert for the Medical Accidents Appraisal Committee of the Chinese Medical Association, expert for the Shanghai Medical Malpractice Appraisal Committee, assessing expert for the Overseas Returning Personnel Fund of the Ministry of Education, and expert for the National Science and Technology Research 863 Project.

Dr. Zhao was in charge of and participated in the National Science and Technology Research 863 Project, the Scientific and Technological Research Project of the National 10th Five-Year Plan and 11th Five-Year Plan, Key Research Projects of the National Natural Science Foundation, and Shanghai Science and Technology Commission. He received numerous awards including the Chinese Medical Award, Shanghai Science and Technology Progress Award, Shanghai Medical Science and Technology Award, Shanghai Clinical Medical Achievement Award, and Shanghai Talent Development Fund.