My Journey of becoming a TCM Physician Chapter N: Commercialized TCM vs Real TCM
The space may not be the most modern and conducive, but real TCM doctors are down-to-earth and authentic in their ways.
I was reconnecting with a very old TCM doctor who was running his own little shop and was really inspired to write this post after talking to him and seeing how authentic and down-to-earth these doctors are. Having in the past worked with businessmen whose intentions are impure for setting up TCM clinics and seeing the atrocities, I will skip to talking about the later part of my journey of becoming a TCM Physician where I have seen how commercialized TCM clinics are indeed hollow shells. So a guide for your reference to choosing your TCM doctor the next time you are looking for TCM treatments and a voice for the real heroes out there.
Traits of Commercialized TCM practices:
1. Rely heavily on running ads to attract patients.
2. Influencers are paid to write and promote.
3. Doctors treat with standard protocols so that patients can be rotated amongst many doctors or even therapists.
4. Copy contents for marketing instead of generating their own as they rely on writers who are marketers.
5. Create stories that they are doing business in the name of helping and preserving old traditions.
6. Owners are not TCM doctors themselves.
Basically commercialised TCM practices are businesses that survives on heavy ads marketing and storytelling, not clinics to treat and help people. In these places, real TCM is not there and only the actions of shallow ineffective TCM methods are used to package the business to make it seem innocently ‘doing good’.
TCM is a very personalized practice which each individual patient is treated according to their very own body constitution. Hence the relationship between a doctor and patient is one that commercialized practice can never fulfill.
How to find Real Authentic TCM practices:
1. Ask around for referral for the TCM doctor who can help you, not the company.
2. The TCM doctor owns the practice.
3. Only the TCM doctor you are seeing can refer you out to another doctor or practitioner if there is a need to, not by the front counter or receptionist.
4. Use your wisdom. Commercialized TCM always has that ‘fake’ vibe that feels ‘professionally inauthentic’. Real TCM doctors are down-to-earth.
5. Use your intuition. Affinity will bring you to the doctor who can help you.
If the next time you walk into a shop in the name of TCM practice not knowing which doctor you are looking for, just be aware you may be in for a ride of a business gimmick instead of the authentic medicine.