In our daily practices in TCM clinics, we also apply this treatment on our patients, whether they suffer from shoulder stiffness or back pain, flank pain or muscle soreness, we use cupping to help them. Feel free to come to us for any of our services.
It has been a really busy and fulfilling month in August, 2016. Three foreign exchange students came to out department to know more about TCM daily practice. One from Germany (whole month), one from Poland (only 3 days), one from Slovakia (only 3 days). It’s really interesting to introducing them how we practice TCM on our patients. I also attended CGCM last week.
Starting from September, aside from the clinic sessions I have and the scheduled teaching courses to younger doctors and students, I will also give an “anatomy and physiology” (western medicine, 2 cedits/ 5 total) courses in the university, that will be a whole new challenge for me. Will be busy as a bee!
Here’s a lecture introducing TCM and integrative medicine to medical students in National Defence Medical Center. We just started a series of well-designed TCM courses, total 20 credits in two years, for medical students starting from this semester.
It’s a pity that this lecture was delivered in Mandarin. I would encourage anyone who’s interested in TCM and/or integrative medicine to watch this one hour video if you also speak Mandarin. If you have any question, feel free to ask me.
Seminar on the Teaching Method of Integrative Medicine for Cancer Patients
There will be a seminar on the teaching method of how integrative medicine can be practiced on cancer patients. Doctors will demonstrate how they approach cancer patients with the thinking process of both western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine to residents and interns. Welcome to join us.
Date and Time: Nov. 6th 8:30-12:00 am
Place: National Taiwan University Hospital International Convention Center, Room 401
Here’s the new clinic hour starting from January 2017.
Two new hours starting from January 2017: Neihu Main Facility: Switch from Friday afternoon to Monday afternoon Tingchou Branch (Gongguan): Starting a new clinic hour on Friday afternoon
It’s about the end of 2016. And I’ve been continuously blogging for the past 50+ weeks about the new patient I’ve seen.
I saw 3,200+ person-time patients this year. I have to say that I love this job!
For the most things I’ve done here, it is not about money but about exploring more possibility in my life. Besides seeing patients, I also have to teach younger doctors and medical/nursing students, deliver speeches to general public and other paramedics, do some office administration and learn more about team work.
I admit that sometimes it’s not easy to handle human relationship, with my colleagues, my patients, my students, my family and friends, etc. Every job that has something to do with other people is not easy. This is also why I cherish these opportunities my job has offered me. This job provides me lots of opportunities to practice communicating with others, in order to help them. I’m very grateful for this. I hope I can become a better and better TCM doctor year by year.
“In a recent NCCIH Integrative Medicine Research Lecture, Peter Wayne, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School, spoke about the role of tai chi in preserving and rehabilitating some age- and chronic disease-related mental and physical decline. Dr. Wayne is research director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.”
I just finish teaching TCM to nursing students for the past two months. It’s always very fulfill and exciting for me to give lectures for four hours every week at school. I’m very passionate about teaching TCM. Today I accidentally ran into a group of students who I taught last year, they’re now having their internship in TSGH. Thankfully, they recognized me in an exciting manner. They are my first class of students and I taught them whole-heartedly.
Later in August, we will have an exchange medical student coming from Slovenia to learn TCM in our department. A month ago, a patient came from NYC to visit me and we had some great chat. I love this job!
If anyone out there is interested in TCM and want to know more about it, feel free to contact me, I can give you a lecture or just do some discussion. It will be fun.
Hi Dr, Hsieh,
Good Day!
I happen to stumble upon your thread. It seems so interesting to experience acupunture treatment. I just want to share my case, I got a spinal surgery back in August of 2012. I had undergone this operation due to spinal compression. Bone spurs started growing out of my vertebrae and pressing into my spinal nerve. I got fursed from T10 to T12. From that time, I wasn’t able to walk normally. I can’t even feel waist down to my toes. Good thing I can still control my bowel movements(Urinating and deficating). I get around with my crutches, quad cane, or sometimes my wheelchair. I was hoping that after my operation I could walk normally again. But instead, it was the other way around. I walk but very very slow and I have to look at the ground coz I can’t feel them legs of mine. I have even a hard time bending my right leg. Moreover, I also have this gouty athritis, and it is quite irritating when I get an attack. I was wondering if acupuncture could help treat my problems?
By the way, I am going through Physical Therapy here at Taipei Medical University Hospital. Therapy has been almost 4 years now.
What’s the cause of your spinal compression? How was the result of the image study in the following years after spinal fusion?
We’ve been treating spinal injury patients with acupuncture and/or herbal medicine. The main theory is to strengthen the qi and blood circulation in your lower limbs as well as to adjust your body constitution. The result of treatment depends on the severity of injuries. Some showed gradual improvements, some didn’t.
You can do both rehabilitation and acupuncture at the same day, which is what some of my patients do. Most importantly, don’t just do rehab in hospital/clinic, when you go home, try to keep doing rehab on your own if possible. Sometimes we would teach our patients to do some Tao-yin, like yoga or Tai-chi to strengthen their bodies. The road of recovery will be long, sometimes not getting worse is even satisfied. Wish you all the best!
August would be my last month working in TSGH in 2017
I plan to take at least a few months off since my wife is going to have her dissertation defense before the end of 2017 fall semester. I will bring my family with her to U.S. to help her graduate. What about me? I decided to take USMLE
Why would I decide to take USMLE?
I met a patient from NYC on this late March and I told him that I’d like to practice TCM in U.S. when I have a chance in the future. This patient knows lots of TCM practitioners, a.k.a. acupuncturists and Qi-gong masters in NYC and he suggested me that the best path to a most stable and successive long-term outcome is to obtain an MD license.
I think it’s a very good suggestion. Although I spend 7 years to study both western medicine and Chinese medicine in medical school, it’s harder for me to take USMLE since I’ve graduated for 7 years and I practiced TCM ever since. However, luckily I worked in a medical center in Taiwan, we had lots of chance to work with western medicine doctors, which is helpful for updating my western medical knowledge. After 1-2 months thinking about all the possibilities, I decided to give it a shot before I was too old to do so. I believe I can pass the exam and get good grades by study harder. I’m willing to learn more and more, whether it’s modern medicine or traditional Chinese medicine. I want to pick up what I’ve learned before and complete the residency of family medicine. I want to experience the different medical practicing environment, it would be fun. My dream used to be an acupuncturist, now it just upgrades into working in one of these integrative medical centers if I obtain an M.D. license.
So I applied for ECFMG certification and I just got the Step 2 CK & CS exam scheduling permit last week. Chances are that it will take 1-2 years for me to pass Step 1, Step 2 CK, Step 2 CS and hopefully, it won’t take too long for me to match for residency training. I’d love to become a family doctor, it’s very similar to what I’ve been practicing here as a doctor of Chinese medicine in Tri-service General Hospital in Taiwan.
It’s time to say goodbye to all my friends here in Taiwan. I will leave Taiwan in late August. I want to thank those who came to my clinic and bring some challenge to me. Although some of the challenges might not be easy to solve, I enjoyed brain storming. Thank those foreigners who came to my clinic. Thank you for chatting with me, bringing me new ideas, sharing your life experiences and let me practice taking history in English. I really appreciate it.
If you’ve never tried acupuncture and/or herbal medicine and you would like to give it a try, I’ll still be here until my 33rd birthday, Aug 25th. I can refer you to my colleagues after I leave. Thanks! Have a great summer!
Sorry for the long delay. Would you recommend someone from Taipei Medical University Hospital who does the same thing you do? I would appreciate your recommendations.
I’m glad to come back to Taipei after 10 months living in the U.S. Now there are two doctors in my family. It’s quite a journey for us.
The reason why we came back can’t be explained in short. I’d be glad to share my experience with you if you come to see me.
I’m licensed as an acupuncturist in Wisconsin as well as an East Asian Medicine Practitioner in Washington. I participated in some continuing education courses, made friends with some acupuncturists and went to see their clinics and observed how they practice. It’s always nice to make new friends and see something new.
Now I will do my best to become the best TCM doctor. We’re so glad to come back. Home! Sweet home!
For medical consultation/treatment information, please visit my blog: Joey-TCM
Haven’t updated my clinic hours for two months. However, I just updated my East Asia Medicine Practitioner license and received the new card from Washington, USA. I’m also glad to shadow an acupuncturist friend from the U.S. next month.
I hope we can all make acupuncture/herbal medicine useful to patients from all over the world.
I will have two clinic sections in the evening 6-9pm on Monday and Thursday starting this November. If you want to do acupuncture twice a week and you can’t come in the daytime because of working, it would be more flexible for you to come and give TCM a shot.
Do you have any recommendations for TCM practitioners in the US that do the same thing you do in Taiwan, especially in California? I’ve had multiple family members go to you in Taipei and you’ve done a great job.
Hello Joey. My family really loves trsditional and accupuncture. It has really helped us in the past.
We are currently living in Tainan and will. E here for three years studying at NCKU. Do you know any doctors down south?
I had a friend who was learning accupuncture in Kaohsiung ten years ago. Her teacher really helped me when I was in a car accident back than. However, I have been unable to regain contact. Besides, with two little girls, school and work schedules, travel, even just to Kaohsiung is complicated.
Thank you for your advice!
-Carlos
PS: my wife has chronic back pain and accupuncture is the only thing that has ever helped.
She was Improving with it in Mexico, but has gotten worse since we left and she stopped treatment.
It’s quite a journey for us.