In our daily lives, we need to constantly make decisions to move forward. For me, embarking on Chinese Medicine journey was one of the best choices in my life. I am Goh Si Woei and I was lost when I needed to decide on my future career after completing my secondary school years. It was my dad who suggested that I should study Chinese Medicine. While looking for available programmes in Malaysia, we found that IMU Chinese Medicine programme is taught in English. My dad was incredibly surprised, he thought this is a great move to connect traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with an internationalised world.
That was the starting point of my journey. Looking back to the years as an IMU student, the knowledge and skills I gained through lectures, problem-based learning (PBL), workshops, hands-on practical, as well as experiences gained in student clinics had prepared me to become a competent Chinese Medicine practitioner.
Many faculty members offered their continuous and unconditional support physically and spiritually during my studies. They had encouraged me to continue to strive for the best. The ding with my course-mates had also made the challenging journey seems shorter and memorable too.
For me, one of the greatest miracles of all is bringing life into the world. I wish I can be part of it. With this belief, I continued pursuing my master’s in Chinese Medicine Gynaecology at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SHUTCM).
Since I graduated from IMU with flying colours, I was offered a full China government scholarship to study and research on treating infertility. Under the guidance of my supervisor Prof Fu Jin Rong, while conducting the research, there are some days when we see pregnant women, other days, we see adolescents and other days, we see grandmothers. Seeing how Chinese Medicine can help them to conceive, to have regular menstruation, and to overcome menopause is really engaging.
I also had the opportunity to practise under Prof Li Xiang Yun, a veteran Chinese medicine gynaecology TCM practitioner, as well as Prof Zhang Zai Liang, the famous classic literature expert in Shanghai.
My perceptions in treating various diseases were broadened by their vast and great understanding of TCM. I have gained much experience while learning under their supervision. Studying abroad is tough, especially when you are homesick. I am grateful to have my China seniors and juniors to walk along this path with me. They took care of me when I was still new in Shanghai. Without their unconditional friendship, I might not be able graduate successfully on time. The TCM field is challenging. It requires you to put in efforts and long hours of work in order to excel in the field, and those hours are tough. However, I still love TCM. In 2019, I graduated from SHUTCM with an outstanding graduate award.
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Upon returning to Malaysia, with passion in Chinese medicine, I thought joining IMU is one of the best choices. The knowledge and skills that I have learned throughout the years can be passed on to future generations of Chinese Medicine students, and I can further develop myself too. This is a great milestone in my life. I am grateful to work together with my colleagues who were my lecturers before. I work and learn simultaneously. In addition to the usual teaching-learning activities, I undertake various workshops and courses to enhance my other roles such as researcher, facilitator, assessor, etc. I also have the opportunity to practise as a Chinese Medicine practitioner at the IMU Chinese Medicine Clinic to serve and care for my patients. The recovery of patients has always inspired and reminded me of my passion for Chinese Medicine. Since March 2020, Covid-19 has disrupted the way we use to deliver our teaching-learning activities. Face-to-face classes are not allowed, and we have to move nearly everything online. Students are adjusting themselves to online classes. So do the lecturers. Teaching, engaging and motivating students during online classes is different and much more challenging than having real contact in a physical class.
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Related article: IMU Chinese Medicine Graduates Awarded Full Chinese Scholarship
