SINGAPORE - Growing up, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was always a part of Mr Justin Goh’s life.
His grandmother often had a pot of herbal tea brewing on the stove. On warm days, she ladled out glasses of “cooling” chrysanthemum tea and barley drinks for the family.
And when two of his relatives were diagnosed with cancer, they consumed TCM herbs while undergoing chemotherapy, in the hope of reducing the side effects of the treatment.
Seeing how TCM could bring comfort to the ill, the 25-year-old’s interest was piqued.
Mr Goh is now in his third year of studies at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), where he is reading for a double degree in TCM and biomedical science.
He is one of many young Singaporeans who are opting to pursue a degree in the traditional treatment modality.
In August 2024, NTU enrolled its inaugural batch for its four-year Bachelor of Chinese Medicine programme. Now a standalone degree, it is the first locally conferred undergraduate programme accredited by the Ministry of Health’s TCM board.
A renewed focus on TCM
This new degree programme is part of a nationwide shift towards integrating TCM with modern, Western-based medicine.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in October 2024 that the ministry is seeking to incorporate TCM in public clinics and hospitals, as part of an expanded Healthier SG programme.
In a similar vein, the university’s renewed curriculum adopts a modern spin on TCM education, infusing elements of contemporary medical science into its lessons.
Associate Professor Linda Zhong, the director of the NTU TCM programme, told The Straits Times:“We are discussing the possibility of having Western medicine modules taught by the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.
“This includes topics such as anatomy, physiology, internal medicine, and pathology and diagnosis.”
The new programme, which takes in 25 to 30 students per cohort, is determinedly different from its predecessor.
Prof Zhong said: “In the single-degree programme, there are more clinical modules and training components, and more components on prevention and healthcare with Chinese medicine.”
The single-degree programme also offers additional opportunities for clinical internships, including locally at the Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution and Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital, and internationally at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and the Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong.
Why study TCM?
Despite the pre-eminence of Western medicine, there remains a place for TCM in Singapore.
Ms Kon Zi Ting, 21, a freshman enrolled in the new NTU programme, said: “I feel like in Singapore’s multicultural society – where East meets West –there are many people who trust TCM. It can be seen in our environment, where there are so many TCM clinics in Singapore.”
Ms Ling Qiu Ru, 31, is the owner of one such clinic, Tat Fong Chinese Medical Hall.
She took over its operations in early 2021 when her mentor, Dr Kiu Teck Hin, retired at the age of 70.
She estimates that 25 per cent more young people have shown up at her clinic, which specialises in sports and spinal injuries, since 2021.
More people are starting to regard TCM as a form of alternative medicine, Ms Ling said.
She said: “If you don’t require surgery for a physical injury, Western doctors may usually refer you to physiotherapy since there’s not much more they can do for you.
“So some patients realise that by doing acupuncture or tui na (a form of massage therapy), they can better solve the issue at hand.”
Her clients now come from increasingly diverse backgrounds, ranging from white-collar workers to foreign construction and domestic workers. One in five of her patients is also non-Chinese.
She said: “As the clinic is located in Marsiling, it is near Kranji, where there are foreign worker dormitories and several construction projects. Some supervisors bring their workers over when they get workplace injuries.”
Despite rising demand, some remain sceptical about the efficacy of the treatment modality.
According to Ms Ling, most Western doctors do not recommend TCM to their patients.
“It’s very sad because not just medical professionals, but also some members of the public, feel that TCM treatment is more of a placebo effect or pseudoscience,” she said.
The desire to scientifically prove the effectiveness of TCM was what led some students like Mr Goh to the field. He hopes to further his studies after graduation by studying for a PhD in acupuncture or specialising in digestive illnesses, which he said many Singaporeans tend to suffer from.
Mr Goh said: “TCM has existed for almost 2,000 years – the fact that it is still standing today means that the treatment works. By attaching scientific evidence to a TCM treatment, it may make it more widely accepted.”
A difficult but worthwhile profession
Despite the passionate disciples TCM draws, a career as a practitioner in Singapore remains a tough one to sustain.
Ms Ling, who graduated from the NTU double-degree programme in 2018, estimates that only a quarter of her batchmates remain in the TCM industry today.
The main reasons? Long working hours and low pay, she said.
When she first joined the industry as a TCM practitioner in 2019, her starting salary was $2,500.
After three months of probation, it was raised to $2,800.
Career advancement opportunities in the industry are also limited, she added, which may prompt those seeking a stable, high-paying job to eventually leave the field.
Ms Ling said: “After working for two or three years, you feel like you’re not moving along in society.
“Everyone else has career advancements, and their salary keeps increasing with bonuses and promotions, but yet you’re stuck in the same area.”
Though Ms Ling’s pay cheque has increased since assuming ownership of the TCM clinic, she has to work long hours to ensure the business stays afloat.
She opens the clinic from 9am to 8.30pm from Monday to Saturday, receiving patients at all hours, save for a lunch and dinner break, which are an hour each.
But even with the gruelling hours, Ms Ling has no intention to leave the field. She hopes to eventually recruit another professional – hailing from a programme like NTU’s – to join the clinic.
This is good news to Mr Jeffrey Nursalim, a 44-year-old patient of Ms Ling’s.
After suffering a leg injury from a fall last December, Mr Nursalim sought out both Western and TCM treatments, but found that the latter offered him greater relief.
He said: “My injury brings more soreness and blunt pain. For these kinds of injuries, I need to go for TCM, as there are some things that Western medicine practitioners just don’t understand.”
To him, it is crucial to preserve the traditional healing form.
Mr Nursalim said: “In Singapore, because we speak English more, people may be more familiar with Western culture.
“But there are some things in the Chinese world – like TCM – that are useful, and have deep cultural roots and traditional values.”
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