By Steve Chee, MD, Student in the Master’s Program at Emperor’s College
I have been interested in Chinese medicine since I was a kid. And even before I applied to allopathic medical school, I knew I wasn’t only going to be practicing traditional Western medicine. But I didn’t completely foresee that I would be enrolling in a master’s program for acupuncture and Oriental medicine. It’s been an interesting journey for me professionally and personally, and I have explored many different paths from various forms of yoga, meditation, and Reiki to name a few over the years. Yet, I kept returning to Chinese medicine. Let me explain.
A Trip to China
Steve Chee, MD
In the summer after my first year of medical school, I went to China with a qi gung master to get exposure to Chinese medicine. It was an amazing trip seeing how this ancient medicine was being utilized in a modern society from seeing herbs being infused intravenously to patients in a hospital to seeing hundreds of people practice qi gung or tai chi in parks near a bustling downtown cityscape. It was a transformative experience.
The Liver Does What?
I decided I wanted to learn more and began studying Chinese medicine in Hong Kong for a year between my third year and fourth year of medical school. Boy, was I in for a shock! I found it extremely difficult and just could not wrap my head around it all. What do you mean the liver helps with the flow of energy in the body? What is this energy? This was totally different than what I had been learning in allopathic medical school. It was quite disheartening as I realized it would be too difficult to study it. That was eleven years ago.
An Awakening
I went on to complete medical school and my residency training in Family Medicine. I was working full-time at a community health center for the under-served and as fulfilling as the work was, I was also having a difficult time managing the stress. To cope, I began to practice yoga and meditation. On a meditation retreat, I awakened into an experience and realization that we are all love; that energy is flowing within and around everything and everyone connecting us all. It was amazing. As a Western trained physician, it went beyond anything that I could explain medically and yet from the depths of my heart it was one of the most real experiences of my life.
Back to Chinese Medicine
After many years of exploring other healing paths, my interest in Chinese medicine remained in the background. A year ago, I enrolled in some of Emperor’s College Opening Series classes, and I was amazed to see how after my experiences in meditation the ways Chinese medicine had truly “come alive.” I began to see that Chinese medicine theory isn’t just abstract ideas, but referencing experiences that are occurring continuously all the time.
And I was also so grateful that learning it didn’t agitate me like it had eleven years ago! I decided to apply and have begun taking regular classes this past fall. As a physician, there are other routes available to learning this medicine but I wanted to get an in-depth experience and education because I truly want to integrate the breadth of Chinese medicine into my clinical practice.
Dr. Steve Chee received his medical degree from Oregon Health & Science University. He completed his residency training in Family Medicine at Glendale Adventist Medical Center where he also served as Chief Resident. He has also received a degree in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica and is currently serving as faculty in their Consciousness, Health, and Healing program. He also is currently part of a group medical practice, Huntington Family Medicine, in Pasadena.