Alumni Insights: Tan Tze Kiat

In today’s post, Tan Tze Kiat shares her journey as a TCM physician in Singapore — a job that is fulfilling despite its challenges.

Could you share more about your career path so far?

I started off as a TCM physician at Singapore Thong Chai Medical Institution. These 4-5years is a period when I honed my clinical skills and expose myself to clinical research. I was later the Team Lead of Metabolism Special Clinic and Team Lead of Herb Drug Interactions Group

This was also where I meet Dr Linn Yeh Ching, who patiently mentored, supported, and guided us in several TCM projects such as topics on Herb Drug interactions etc. A person who I couldn’t thank enough to express my gratitude.

After that, in mind to expose myself to different aspects of TCM industry, I have moved on to private setting, where I get to do nursing home inpatient services and home visits apart from outpatient clinics. Having discovered my interest in multi-disciplinary management in patient care and research, I have recently joined Yishun Health as an acupuncturist under Sports and Exercise Medicine Center at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

Main inspiration/Background behind your choice of career?

When I was much younger, I have chosen the five-years double degree programme in Biomedical Sciences and Chinese Medicine offered by NTU because I literally feel that it is “worthwhile” for its duration and course content.

However, it is when I really started studying, understanding, and applying what I have learned to help patients in need, I grew to appreciate the concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in which comprises of acupuncture. Ultimately, I am grateful to be equipped with the relevant skills set to improve health of patients and my loved ones around me.

Through these 7 years of clinical work, seeing patients recover or getting some relief from treatment administered, have been a constant source of motivation and excitement for me to pursue and preserver on as a TCM Physician and now as an Acupuncturist.

What are some of the challenges you faced?

At different stages of this career, I meet different challenges. Initial stages, I find it difficult to juggle different roles at the same time. In recent years, my challenge was to persevere on in TCM industry. This is also quite a common phenomenal for people who are at their mid-career stage for other industries too. Eventually, I took some time to realign my career goals, life aspirations and my personal qualities, and ultimately, I decided to stay in this field.