晚清为图自强，中国开始军事近代化的历程，包括其军队医疗体系。中国传统的军事医学发展到明清之际，形成了一些工作制度，并在金创骨科等领域趋于成熟，但其在技术上跟不上武器装备的进步，在编制上并无常设医务人员和医疗机构，无法满足近代战争的需要。相比之下，西医在战伤外科上具有极大的优势。鸦片战争以后，清军中开始有个别西医服务。北洋海军进行了军队医疗体系建设的尝试。李鸿章通过与传教士的联系，了解到西医的优越性，并借以建立西式军医培养机构——总督医院医学馆，开始了军医人才培养教育，为军医的近代化奠基。《北洋海军章程》正式以制度的方式确立了军队的医务人员编制。北洋海军并在旅顺、威海和天津组建了军队附属医疗机构。但一方面缺少长远的规划，另一方面缺少必要的人才储备，北洋海军的军队医疗体系漏洞百出，并最终在甲午战争中暴露。甲午战后，人们对西医的态度进一步转变，并呼吁培养西式军医。袁世凯组建新建陆军，一应西化，建立了比较完备的军队医疗卫生体系，军队医疗保障得以制度化、常规化、科学化。同时创建了北洋陆军军医学校，引进德日军医为教习，为日后的军医发展输送了人才。清季新式军队医疗体系的近代化表现了在制度、技术、实践各层面进程的不一致，呈现了传统与现代混合的立体式结构，并且基本上对应了“师夷长技——中体西用——全盘西化”的模式。在救亡图存的现实背景下，西医在军事领域的成功更加打击了本已处境艰难的中医，并借由军队医疗卫生体系接近国家权力高层，占据了国家卫生行政的主导地位。

In the Late Qing Dynasty, China began military modernization process, including its military medicine care system. Traditional Chinese military medicine developed to a high degree in Ming and Qing Dynasties, formed some working system, and matured the technique in trauma care. However, because of falling behind with the development of weapons, and lacking of permanent medical institutions and doctors, traditional Chinese military medicine could not meet the needs of modern wars. In contrast, western medicine had a great advantage in war surgery. Before Beiyang Navy and New Army, western medicine occurred to service the army only as individual phenomenon.The construction of modern military medicine began in Beiyang Navy. Through his communication with the medical missionary, Li Hongzhang realized the importance of western medicine, and built the first western military medicine school, which laid a foundation for the modernization of military medicine. Beiyang Navy Regulations established the military medical strength. And medical institutions were built in Lvshun, Weihai and Tianjin. But in lack of long-term planning and talent reserve, the military medical system of Beiyang Navy faced a lot of problems, and finally failed in the Sino-Japanese War.After war, people changed their attitudes toward western medicine, and called for the education of western military medicine. Yuan Shikai formed the New Army, which followed western armies completely. To make military medicine institutional, regular and scientific, this army established a perfect system of it. Meanwhile, the Beiyang military medicine school conveyed talents for the future development.The modernization of military medicine showed inconsistencies in the process of system, technology and practice, showing the complex mixture of tradition and modern. Also, it fitted the pattern of the way Chinese westernize. In the background of national salvation, western medicine defeated Chinese medicine in the field of military, and got close to the state power, which push it to the leading position in the state health administration.