Recommended Words
Having read many experiences from seniors recently, I have gained a lot and hope that freshmen can also benefit from this article.
Original Link
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/WVuxNgxQdNSXRPqkeV69Wg
Main Text
This article is written for first-year students studying traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and it is also suitable for underclassmen.
It’s been a while since I last wrote; my writing may be poor, so please bear with me, fellow students.
“The sea of medicine is vast and boundless; I hope we can soon find our own ferry crossing and enjoy the scenic views on the shore.”
This article contains 4,483 words, roughly a 15-minute quick read.
Welcome to the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and congratulations on starting your college life and a brand-new journey.
This public account is called “Seeking the Ferry in the Sea of Medicine” because when I first created it, I was somewhat confused. I hope everyone can “find their own ferry crossing as soon as possible,” which I say both to you and to my former self.
It has been two years since the account’s creation. I stayed at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from my junior year to my fifth year, gaining deeper understanding and gradually clarifying many things. With new students enrolling recently, I felt the urge to write this post for freshmen, to share what I think juniors should know early on. I hope I can provide some positive guidance, break down barriers to information exchange, and fulfill what a senior student should do.
This article is divided into two major parts: one is about goals — how to make your college life meaningful; the other is about methods — for those aiming to be clinical doctors, what is the most efficient way to achieve this goal or at least approach it without detours.
This is a lengthy article with many links at the end. Freshmen who want to read everything thoroughly and understand each main content might need to set aside several days. If new students find these contents hard to understand at first, they can bookmark it, find some free time, and read through it completely in a quiet environment.
Part One: Goals
When we are at a certain stage of life, an ideal state is to be clear about what we want at this stage, and what kind of person we want to become, what career to pursue, and what goals to achieve by the end of this stage. If you can clarify this as soon as possible, your life afterward will be filled with a strong sense of direction and faith.
Compared with most majors, a characteristic of TCM-related majors is that they emphasize “passion” as a premise. Some students, due to various causes, truly like TCM from the heart, actively want to learn and understand it, and therefore come to the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Such students are lucky. From one perspective, during your previous stage — high school — you successfully reached your goals. In the upcoming college years, you only need to stick to your goals, stay true to your original aspiration, and find good methods to pursue and realize it. Although the road may be winding, the future is bright and visible.
Naturally, there are some students who, perhaps because of poor results in the national college entrance exam or lacking clear preferences while following others’ advice, for various reasons enter TCM majors without much expectation. These students, who do not have that “love” for TCM, may feel more tired and uncomfortable when facing the harsh pressure in medical majors without the support of faith.
For these students, my advice is to find your own goal and sense of direction as early as possible. It does not have to be TCM, it can be very pragmatic, and entirely up to you. If you find studying difficult, don’t worry too much. If you can’t do research, then don’t; if you don’t want clinical work, don’t; if you want to make money, figure out a way; if you want to change careers, do it quickly—none of this is a problem. But you must have your own ideas.
Your goal should not be born out of anxiety or a mentality like “Other students are so good at this, I can’t fall behind; I must do this too.” It should come from within yourself, be truly yours, something you are willing to invest your time, money, and energy in. It should be your own active choice, not a “task” you follow passively.
A younger student majoring in integrated Chinese and Western medicine once raised this question on Zhihu:
I answered that question and am posting it here, hoping it can serve as a spiritual preventive medicine to avoid similar anxious and restless states:
As mentioned, “clinical capability,” “scientific research and innovation,” “academic performance,” and “extracurricular activities” are four developmental dimensions for TCM students in college. One counterintuitive thing that must be emphasized is that except for the last dimension, the other three have no correlation and are completely independent — especially “clinical capability” and “academic performance.” Some students may be excellent academically, winning numerous scholarships, but lack clinical ability; others may rank at the bottom academically yet can effectively solve clinical problems and treat diseases.
Among these four dimensions, I value clinical ability the most because it is the fundamental skill for me as a “doctor”; I place the least importance on “academic performance” because I see no use for GPA beyond “competing for scholarships and guaranteed postgraduate admissions.” I am not taking postgraduate exams, nor do I care about scholarships or honors; patients’ recognition is the greatest honor to me. Regarding scientific research and innovation, I used to participate in some projects but later realized I didn’t enjoy them and naturally gave them up; extracurricular activities are even further from my goal of "becoming a doctor” and are unnecessary.
All this verbosity is not about “how my goals are,” but rather about “having a goal.” It is important that you find your direction as early as possible. When you ask yourself, “Which direction will I develop in?” or “What do I plan to do in the future?” you should be able to fluently state your own plan or at least offer some viewpoints.
You must have your own ideas, and it’s best to have your own goals.
Otherwise, by the time you graduate, you may find that besides a bachelor’s degree in TCM, you have little to show for these five years; it will be hard to find a job and embarrassing to rely on your family. How miserable that would be. Complaining about TCM employment conditions then will be too late.
Part Two: Methods
The above section is for those who do not have much passion for TCM. This section is for those full of enthusiasm for TCM and aiming to be “clinically skilled doctors.”
The “methods to learn clinical skills in TCM” is a well-discussed topic; many excellent senior students have shared valuable views on it. I will share some quality content links at the end and recommend reading them all. But before that, some issues need to be discussed honestly.
- Simply following the educational system step by step is not enough for learning clinical skills.
As mentioned earlier, “clinical capability” and “academic performance” are two completely unrelated things. If you really want to become an excellent clinical doctor, you must spend your spare time learning extracurricular knowledge — reading medical books, following mentors, practicing by yourself, etc.
- Theoretical textbooks are only enough as introductory popular science materials for TCM courses.
Our major courses include four foundations (basic TCM theory, diagnostics, Chinese materia medica, formulas), four classics (Inner Canon of Huangdi, Treatise on Cold Damage, Golden Chamber, Warm Diseases), and teachings of various schools of TCM — these are called theoretical courses (there are also clinical courses, such as internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, etc.). Commonly, these textbooks contain some errors. At the beginning, you can ignore these errors and just get a basic understanding of TCM from the textbooks; later, you must critically evaluate them, discard or transcend certain contents, or even set them aside, then build your own knowledge system by extensively reading ancient medical texts.
“Teachings of Various Schools of TCM” is an especially interesting textbook. It can be regarded as a directory of the main contents of TCM as a discipline. This course is relatively undervalued in the overall curriculum, but putting all schools together forms the comprehensive body of TCM. Behind this course lies the core content of what should be studied in TCM majors. And even what is mentioned in this book is not enough; there are many lesser-known but technically excellent ancient doctors, external medicines, acupuncture, manipulative therapies, and more.
- The content of TCM is very vast and complex.
In terms of technical methods, TCM includes herbal formulas and pulse diagnosis, acupuncture and moxibustion, manipulative therapies, etc. Each method is quite complicated and can effectively treat many diseases. Whether internal diseases, musculoskeletal issues, or dermatology, each technique can treat some conditions. From another angle, for the same disease, such as back pain, some patients respond well to acupuncture, some to manipulative therapy, some to herbal decoctions, some need topical medications, and some need self-exercise… Clearly, multiple approaches can complement each other.
In terms of theoretical styles, there are traditional, modern, and diverse forms; each can treat some diseases… This is the unfortunate reality of TCM and the reason for its “mixed” status. But it also has a positive side — it means TCM remains rich in possibilities and capable of development.
For beginners, the most important point is not to stray. The path of “studying textbooks then delving into teachings of various schools” is the least likely to lead astray in the main body of TCM training. The adage “understand the constant to master change” means first mastering what is “constant,” then exploring the “variable” aspects.
For individuals, the more methods you master, the better. The more you master, the more you can handle; of course, each must be mastered solidly without superficiality. But for most people, mastering one method thoroughly is already very hard; you don’t have to master them all. Focusing and reaching mastery can also be a great achievement.
Produced by Cat Slave Shan Temple, two-character seal “No Harm” (无恙)
The three points above: the first tells you that every gain has its cost; there’s no such thing as getting something for nothing. The second tells you that there are richer, more effective, and practical contents beyond the textbooks worthy of learning, so don’t waste too much energy on textbooks. The third tells you that TCM is more than just formulas and pulses.
Condensed into a sentence: “A learner must extensively study medical sources, diligently and tirelessly; one must not speak of having mastered medicine based on hearsay, lest one deeply deceive oneself.”
These are the main points to emphasize and are relatively unbiased views.
Next, I will share some quality content links that either display learning paths, recount various experiences, or discuss the mental journey in learning, answering common questions for beginners.
Again, I suggest bookmarking and reading through them in your free time.
Before reading, a reminder: My current stance is firmly to pursue a path outside the system, so the content I share will undoubtedly carry some bias against the system inside. Just take note of this now, and don’t immediately believe everything fully. The feelings toward inside and outside the system vary greatly, much like a child crossing a river on a pony—each person’s experience differs significantly. Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth. Keep impressions; observe more in the future; compare your own experiences with what I share; then think for yourself and form your own conclusions.
“Where are the Five Paths?” — My own reflection and thoughts when facing confusion
“Taking a One-Year Break from Standardized Residency Training” — Senior brother’s brave self-rescue amid confusion and contradictions
“First Year of Residency Training, Pressured to the Point My Roommate Took a Leave” — The original intention remains indelible
“Those Years, The TCM We Learned Together” — Student days of Teacher Qian Yunzhu, a TCM master
“[Practical Guide] How TCM University Students Learn to Diagnose and Treat with TCM?” — Senior Brother Jinghua’s Enthusiasm and Learning Methods
“Talk About That TCM Student Life (11,000 words)” — Advice on beginners’ confusion by Senior Brother from Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, very detailed and relatable
“What Happens after Graduating as a TCM Doctor?” — Senior Brother Lichun’s accounts of reality and helplessness of a postdoctoral fellow in TCM at “Little Tsinghua” Sun Yat-sen University
“Differences of ‘TCM’ Inside and Outside the System Today” — Brief description of Senior Brother Lichun’s learning experiences and insights from both inside and outside the system
“Learning Sequence” — Senior Brother Qihuang’s learning path, class of 2013
“Guide for Actions Outside the System” — Detailed analysis and choices from Senior Brother Qihuang, class of 2013
“Annotations and Reviews of Medical Classics (Recommended Reading & Experiences in TCM)” — Teacher Bao Yongsheng, the orthodox method in the core body of TCM curriculum. The content is abundant; beginners don’t need to read it exhaustively, just read sentence by sentence to feel Teacher Bao’s accumulation, experience what it means to be “erudite and knowledgeable,” and appreciate the most neutral and prudent learning method. He is a predecessor in “focusing and reaching mastery” in the core body of TCM.
“Summary of Medical Cases Written” — By Tao Shengyi, currently the most comprehensive representation of TCM I know. Includes formulas and pulses, acupuncture, manipulative therapies, classics, empirical prescriptions, Western medicine, Chinese medicine identification — encompassing almost everything in “medicine.” Most people can master one field excellently, but he is a genius who excels in every major field.
“[Essay] Seven Recommended Public Accounts for Medical Skills” — I compiled recommended public accounts specializing in medical skills. The content that freshmen can barely read quickly is mostly listed here with the above hyperlinks. Some content is too specialized and not suitable for freshmen, so I placed it here first.
Lastly, a reminder: The above shared public account articles only share learning methods and paths. Reading public account articles can broaden your knowledge and raise your awareness but is NOT learning. Never try to replace actual learning with reading essays or casual posts. To truly absorb knowledge, you must turn pages one by one, take each step, write each prescription, insert each needle, and press each person. Skills are honed bit by bit to transform into practical ability.
Some basketball fans watch highlight reels on Bilibili, leading to the joke “Lying on the bed, skills increase in the mind.” But it’s just a joke—if you really want to improve your skills, you have to go to the court and practice.
Transmitting light in the darkness (doge)
For freshmen, I am confident this article will give you above-average insight into some of the things you will face in the future; if you love TCM, you will gain even more. I will also be fortunate to fulfill my wish: to pass the torch from outstanding seniors to motivated juniors, helping newcomers “find their ferry crossing as soon as possible and enjoy the scenic views on the shore.”
A small spark eventually ignites a prairie fire.
Yet another essay without technical content… Time to reflect on my own learning state.