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The TCM physician who modernises ancient remedies with technology
To modernise the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) trade, alumna Leong Weizhen integrates ancient remedies with technology-driven treatments. She also leads her alumni association in advocating for better public awareness of TCM’s benefits.
By Nur Isyana Isaman
As a teenager, Leong Weizhen (SBS/2010) witnessed her grandparents struggle with chronic conditions, including cancer and stroke. She wanted to alleviate their discomfort and began exploring holistic approaches to healthcare.
With a desire to care for her family members and a mother who always dreamt of having a doctor in the household, she enrolled in the Chinese Medicine undergraduate course at NTU Singapore’s School of Biological Sciences in 2005. The bright-eyed student continued to pursue a Master of Science at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine in China under a scholarship and underwent three years of clinical training.
Leong Weizhen was motivated by her family to pursue TCM.
“My education at NTU opened my eyes to the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine, which emphasises prevention and balance in the body, and also made me understand how the integration of Western and Chinese medicine can make tangible differences
to patients,” said Weizhen.
With the vision to implement comprehensive patient care based on TCM, Weizhen established her first private clinic at Jurong East in November 2013, right after returning to Singapore following her postgraduate studies.
“Managing a business was something new. My approach was very much ‘dive in and see how it goes’. Every day brought new challenges, from managing finances to marketing the clinic. The first few years were the hardest,” said the 38-year-old.
Early in her career, Weizhen faced doubts from her patients, who felt she was too young to be a physician. It was also difficult to get new patients as her clinic lacked a unique selling point to stand out from other healthcare providers.
In 2016, she found the answer. She met her business mentor turned co-founder, Beatrice Liu, who revitalised the company and now helms Oriental Remedies Group as its CEO.
The Group grew to five branch clinics in Singapore with 60 employees.
Now, Weizhen is the Group’s Chief Medical Officer and leads nine therapists and 15 physicians -- 80% of the physicians are her juniors from the same NTU programme.
Weizhen also finds time to give back to her alma mater by serving as President of the NTU Chinese Medicine Alumni Association. She plans to roll out mentorship programmes for fellow alumni, where experienced practitioners guide younger graduates, fostering knowledge transfer and enabling professional development.
“We advocate for better public awareness of TCM and its benefits. People need to know that TCM, with its emphasis on promoting balance, prevention and overall wellbeing, can play a significant role in supporting their health,” she added.
Leong Weizhen (third from right) with the current 7th executive committee members of the NTU Chinese Medicine Alumni Association.
TCM meets technology
With full attention on the medical aspect of the business, she found time to upgrade her skills and researched technology-enabled devices and therapies to help her patients.
She underwent formal training in the USA and learned to operate an electro-lymphatic therapy device that uses vibrational, light and electrical waves to stimulate proper flow and drainage of lymph fluids -- this treatment provides relief for patients, especially those suffering from cancer or are recovering from a surgery. She was the first to bring the device to Singapore in 2017.
Today, her clinics also offer two more technology-enhanced therapies aimed at improving patients’ general wellbeing.
“We do not just treat symptoms. We focus on understanding each patient's unique health journey and tailor their treatments accordingly. Our treatments tackle a diverse array of conditions. We see family members visiting the TCM clinic together, so we must offer them a variety of treatments,” she said.
Leong Weizhen (first row, second from left) and her co-founder Beatrice Liu (on Weizhen’s left) with some of their team members at the official opening of their third clinic in Upper Thomson.
Citing the challenges of running her own business, Weizhen said that employing the right people and continuous learning are key to sustaining her expansion plan.
She looks for physicians who have the ability to treat holistically, seeing beyond isolated symptoms. She also appreciates having a reliable team to manage different aspects of the business and practises open communication with her staff.
The company invests significantly in continuous education to keep up with evolving healthcare inventions. Weizhen also develops and conducts in-house training programmes to impart her knowledge to her team.
Leong Weizhen (first from left) conducts in-house training for her team.
The future of TCM
She finds that TCM is becoming more recognised as a key treatment method. In the long run, more needs to be done to increase public awareness of TCM’s benefits and how it can significantly support people’s health by preventing illnesses and boosting wellbeing.
Looking ahead, Weizhen aspires for her company to become a leader in Singapore’s Chinese medicine industry.
“We are working to broaden our range of treatments and therapies with new specialisations and innovations. By investing in research and development, we are improving our practice and contributing to the broader acceptance and integration of Chinese medicine in global healthcare.”
Noting NTU’s strong emphasis on scientific methodology and evidence-based practices, which form the basis of her approach to TCM, she hopes to collaborate with her alma mater on clinical research in the next few years.
Her approach is timely, as the university welcomes its first batch of students taking the Bachelor of Chinese Medicine programme accredited by the Singapore Ministry of Health's Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board this August.
“The new academic programme is a gamechanger for the local healthcare industry. I am excited at the prospect of seeing a new generation of highly skilled TCM practitioners in our industry, which will bolster public confidence in TCM and its ability to complement existing healthcare options,” said Weizhen.
NTU Singapore has established a new TCM Research and Education Fund to accelerate development in the field of Chinese medicine at the university. Supporters who are interested to contribute to this Fund may contact NTU’s University Advancement Office at [email protected] or donate online now.
Photo Credits: Oriental Remedies Group and Leong Weizhen.
