Foreign TCM doctors in China
A foreigner who practices TCM is still quite novel in China. Kwak Hyeong-seok is a 36-year-old Korean doctor who works at the Beijing Dongwen TCM Clinic. Kwak moved to China in 2004 to study at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine.
According to Kwak, people may think that it is more common for a Korean to learn TCM in China than a Westerner who is less familiar with TCM. But they are wrong.
"The truth is that it takes maybe more courage for people like me because the TCM license is not recognized in Korea, which means that [from the start] I decided never go back," he said.
Kwak was attracted by TCM's efficiency in curing chronic diseases compared with Western medicine. He developed a strong faith in TCM after his brother's chronic rhinitis was cured using TCM.
His work in China is not without its challenges though. Even as an Asian, he too has to overcome certain traditional perceptions about doctors.
"I don't really have advantages when it comes to Chinese patients, because many Chinese prefer a local one," he said.
While not much of a favorite among the Chinese, doctors like Kwak are comparatively more popular among foreigners, especially those who share the same or a similar culture and language.
As a Korean doctor, Kwak is more attractive to patients from Korea and Japan. Kwak thinks his advantage over local TCM doctors lies in his being a foreigner who understands the different cultural backgrounds and has resonance with foreigners. This is important because people may think that TCM is the same throughout East Asia when the truth is that TCM is localized according to the different natural environments and physiques.
"Chinese patients prefer a strong sensation during acupuncture, while Japanese and Koreans are more sensitive and prefer more tender treatment because in Korea and Japan, the needles they use are thinner," he said. His understanding of the difference helps him better treat his patients.
Promoting TCM overseas
Foreign doctors who study TCM have multiple career options. Some, like Kwak, might opt to build their career and family in China, whereas others, like Micunovic, may want to return home.
According to Micunovic, TCM clinics date back decades in the US. He said former US President Richard Nixon introduced the technique after a visit to China, during which he was amazed by TCM.
However, the majority of the clinics in the West are irregular and run by people without proper training or even certification, he said. The stigmatization of TCM as unscientific folk medicine, massage therapy, or even witchcraft abroad has posed problems for the promotion of legitimate TCM practices.
"It took me nearly three years to notarize my bachelor and PhD diplomas from Tianjin University of TCM in Montenegro," said Micunovic.
According to Micunovic, the promotion of TCM can only be gained by removing misconceptions about TCM in the West through education and proper regulations. This is why he is determined to get his TCM license in China and later cooperate with the local health authority back home.
Micunovic also thinks doctors should practice what they preach and show the health benefits of a TCM lifestyle by living it. He is not only a TCM doctor but also a practitioner. According to him, the aim of TCM is to keep relative balance - inside and out, meaning within one's body as well as the environment.
As an athlete, Micunovic gradually gave up strenuous exercise and learned qigong and tai chi. In accordance with TCM theory, he watches what he eats and tries not to waste energy but to accumulate it.
By doing these, he aims to dispel misunderstandings and distrust toward TCM.
"In Chinese medicine, the basic principles are not to try to convince others but to show your results and prove to others," he said.
