Clinical Study Tours to China
Since 2013 I have been leading Chinese Medicine practitioners and students to Nanjing China to learn directly from Professor Huang Huang and his senior students.
See photos from the Nanjing Study Tours at the bottom of the page.
The purpose of these clinically intensive study tours is to help practitioners and students gain a large amount of clinical experience and confidence to prescribe classical herbal formulas in a short time.
This is achieved by observing the treatment of several hundred patients each week being treated by very experienced Jing Fang (经方: Classical Chinese Herbal Formulae) practitioners such as Professor Huang Huang and other Doctors from the Nanjing International Jing Fang Research Institute. Commonly after two weeks on the study tour the confidence level of participants to prescribe classical Chinese herbal formulas greatly improves.
A frequently heard comment from former participants of the study tour is that they felt they learnt more in two weeks of the study tour than in months or years of study during their formal education:
“I felt like I learnt more in two weeks with Dr Huang Huang than from my many years of university study”
Eli Huang Sydney Chinese Medicine practitioner
A second week is important so that we can have the opportunity to see the follow up treatment of patients and observe how Dr Huang or other Jing Fang Doctors may continue, modify or change a treatment prescription for a patient using classical Chinese herbal formulas. This can be a very valuable exercise.
The study tour includes:
Clinical observation of live patients with Professor Huang Huang and other senior Jing Fang Doctors.
A short Q&A session with Professor Huang Huang at the end of each clinic.
Lectures with Professor Huang Huang and other senior Jing Fang Doctors.
Case Study Analysis meetings with Professor Huang Huang.
Participant discussion groups between study tour members and myself, often including other direct students of Prof. Huang Huang.
English interpretation is included for all sessions with Prof. Huang and other senior Doctors from Nanjing.
Clinic observation with Professor Huang Huang 黄煌教授
Typically there are several days each week observing with Professor Huang Huang in his own clinic. In addition to this we may also observe in the clinics of other senior Jing Fang Doctors in Nanjing.
Normally Dr Huang is extremely busy in his clinic, however during our study tour Dr Huang limits the number of patients he sees so that he has time to explain his thinking process in selecting a particular classical formula. Or Dr Huang may point out an important diagnostic indicator by observing the live patient. This includes Abdominal Diagnosis and Tongue Diagnosis, as well as other diagnostic evidence methods that Dr Huang has accumulated over 49 years of careful clinical practice such as diagnosis of the face, hands, legs, eyes, nose, throat, and the overall body constitution.
Usually questions are kept until the end of the Clinic, however you are perfectly free to ask questions to myself during the clinics. Often Dr Huang will hear your question and give an answer straight away, or instruct us to ask the question again at the end of the clinic. Many Chinese Medicine Doctors in the hospitals in China only say a few words to students observing them in clinic. Dr Huang goes out of his way to teach and inspire students observing with him in his clinic.
A short Q&A with Professor Huang Huang at the end of each clinic
During clinical observation with Dr Huang several questions may arise. Smaller simple questions such as the names of the formula or herbal ingredients can be asked immediately during the clinics to myself. If our interpreter or myself can answer other simple questions quickly, we will go ahead and do so during the clinic. Other questions such as why Dr Huang chose a particular formula for a certain patient may be asked at the end of each clinic (if we don’t know), but these questions can be noted down during the clinic so that we may make reference to the patient number and treatment used.
Dr Huang normally gives us the key reasons for his choice of a particular formula as he treats his patients. Short burning questions can be asked at the conclusion of the clinic however, if the question requires a longer explanation Dr Huang may direct us to ask the question again during lecture times.
Lectures with Professor Huang Huang and other senior Jing Fang Doctors
Lectures on the application of classical herbal formulas (Jing Fang) and the treatment of various diseases are always a part of the study tour. The topic of these lectures is flexible and is pre-arranged before the study tour in order to meet the wishes of the study tour participants. For example, if the majority of the study tour participants wish to go into more depth about the clinical treatment of Gynaecological or Skin Diseases, lectures on these topics can be pre-arranged. Dr Huang will also ask his gynaecology or skin disease patients to come into the clinic during the time we are in Nanjing with him.
Lecture topics may also be based around certain formulas or formula families. For example if study tour participants are interested to learn more about the effective clinical application and safe use of Fu Zi 附子 formulas, we can let Dr Huang know in advance and relevant lectures can be arranged, plus Dr Huang will attempt to bring some of his long- term patients that are taking a Fu Zi formula to his clinic for us to observe.
Case Study Analysis Meetings with Professor Huang Huang
Clinical cases discussed directly with Professor Huang during these meetings may include patients from your own clinic that you seek guidance with, or an interesting case you observed Dr Huang treat, a family member you are treating, or a case study from a historically famous Jing Fang Doctor. Normally these discussions are pre-arranged as a part of lecture times with Professor Huang. Inevitably when explaining his thoughts on treating a particular patient, Dr Huang will elaborate on the treatment of a particular disease or the diagnosis of a particular Formula Pattern or Single Herb pattern.
Participant discussion groups
These are open and casual discussion groups between the study tour participants and myself to insure that everyone is following what is happening in Dr Huang’s clinic. This is also a time to discuss clinical cases or questions that we have found interesting by observing in Dr Huang’s clinic. These clinical cases or questions we can also note down and discuss later with Dr Huang.
Over the years I have observed many misunderstandings about Dr Huang’s style of practicing Jing Fang. These discussion groups are often a valuable way to gain a deeper insight into how Dr Huang practices clinical medicine through discussion with experienced practitioners that have been given permission by Professor Huang Huang to teach his methods. This includes discussion with myself and sometimes with other direct students of Professor Huang when available.
The discussion groups rely completely upon group interaction and participation by members of the study tour. As long as you are respectful, there are no wrong questions and no need to be embarrassed to ask a simple question even if you have been practicing Chinese medicine for many years. We all learn in different ways and have a different timing to our learning processes. What is important is to clarify and deepen your understanding of Jing Fang for yourself in order to directly benefit the quality of lives of your patients and family. Sometimes a very simple question can open up a profound understanding of classical Chinese herbal formulas.
English interpretation
Clinic observation and lectures with Doctor Huang Huang or other Doctors are conducted in Chinese with an English language interpreter during every session.
This interpreter is always a close student of Professor Huang Huang. The person I normally use is also a very experienced Jing Fang practitioner and long time direct student of Professor Huang. If at any time the interpretation is unclear to you, please let us know and we will do our best to clarify the point.
During Dr Huang’s clinic the interpreter and myself will be reading off the clinic computer, or Dr Huang’s own writing but often Dr Huang will read out his prescription for us to make it easy.
To assist participants during the clinics with Dr Huang I provide them with a quick reference Jing Fang formula guide exclusively created for members of the study tour. This easy to use reference includes commonly used formulas in Dr Huang’s clinic and formula ingredients with Dr Huang Huang’s common clinical dosages listed.
Fees
The fee for the two-week study tour includes all tuition and English interpretation. It does not include flights or accommodation. This fee is subject to change each year. Please enquire with me directly via email for up-to-date details of the current year.
How many people are on the study tour?
There is a minimum number of 8 participants needed to conduct a Nanjing study tour. Commonly there are 9-14 people joining the study tour. Several participants have enjoyed the study tour so much that they wished to return a second or third time to Nanjing to study closely with Dr Huang.
If you have a group of 10 or more practitioners or students and wish to arrange a private study tour for your group, please send me an enquiry and I can check on Dr Huang Huang’s availability.
Accommodation
For hotels in Nanjing it is essential to pre-arrange your own accommodation via one of the well-known booking websites. However, in years past I have been able to arrange a special discount rate at the local Sheraton Hotel for study tour participants. If this discount is currently running, I can assist in booking the dates at the Sheraton Hotel on Hanzhong Road.
For any enquires about the study tour please contact me directly on: jingfangaustralia@gmail.com
