Cultivating Interdisciplinary “New Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners”: NYCU’s School of Chinese Medicine debuts at Department Expo on February 24

February 24, 2024

NYCU became the first university in Taiwan to establish a Chinese medicine school.

Translated by Elaine Chuang

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) is set to host a department fair during this Saturday’s (February 24) anniversary celebration, providing graduating high school students the opportunity to explore their aspirations. This year marks the inaugural appearance of the newly established School of Chinese Medicine. As the first national university in Taiwan to offer a School of Chinese Medicine, NYCU aims to introduce high school students to the field, emphasizing that Chinese medicine is not only about traditional medical practices but also involves interdisciplinary learning incorporating artificial intelligence and information technology.

In response to the insufficient research capacity and faculty in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in Taiwan, NYCU’s predecessor, Yang Ming Medical College, established the Institute of Traditional Medicine as early as 1991. After years of solidifying its presence in the field of TCM, the Ministry of Education approved establishing the School of Chinese Medicine last year. In the future, the school will primarily affiliate with Taipei Veterans General Hospital for clinical internships, shouldering the responsibility of nurturing cross-disciplinary “New Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners.”

Interdisciplinarity will be a strength and distinctive feature of NYCU’s School of Chinese Medicine.

Tung-Yi Lin, the Executive Secretary of NYCU’s School of Chinese Medicine and current Associate Professor at the Institute of Traditional Medicine expressed that the newly established School of Chinese Medicine will integrate fields such as biotechnology, engineering, artificial intelligence, information technology, technology management, community, and humanities medicine. The goal is to establish a national university Chinese medicine education system based upon the university’s extensive experience in cultivating top-notch medical students. The talent development direction will break away from traditional models, focusing on producing “New Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners” primarily equipped for hospital systems and possessing interdisciplinary characteristics. “Interdisciplinarity will be a strength and distinctive feature of NYCU’s School of Chinese Medicine,” he added.

Currently, most TCM practitioners in Taiwan serve in community-based healthcare. Hospitals, universities, governments, and industries need TCM professionals to drive teaching, research, and research and development (R&D). The newly established School of Chinese Medicine focuses on nurturing TCM professionals required for hospital clinical practices, scientific research, and the biotechnology industry, ultimately advancing Taiwan’s traditional Chinese medicine industry.

The “New Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners” aims to inject vitality into major hospitals and the biotechnology industry. In addition to practicing in communities, this initiative aims to provide students with broader academic perspectives and more development opportunities.

Tung-Yi Lin mentioned that they plan to cultivate TCM professionals with a global perspective and innovative thinking through interdisciplinary collaboration. These practitioners will contribute to advancing medical technology, actively participating in developing traditional Chinese medicine in Taiwan and globally.