For him, it is not only a treatment technique, but also a way to listen to the patient's body, with both knowledge and empathy of a doctor who has dedicated more than four decades to traditional medicine.
Dr. Vu's fate with the medical profession did not start with a great decision, but from very ordinary questions in his childhood. He once wondered why duck meat was eaten with ginger, and his father explained that it was the balance of yin, yang, cold, and heat. Those simple explanations sowed in him the first seeds of traditional medicine thinking.
The image of a compatriot doctor respected by his family also became a motivation for him to pursue this path. "Traditional medicine for me is both a predestined relationship and a choice nurtured from a very early age," he shared.
In 1995, he graduated with a doctorate in Traditional Medicine from Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy. Another important milestone came in 2005, when he completed the specialist doctor II program, thereby clearly defining a specialized direction with massage and acupressure methods.
In traditional medicine, there are many different specialties. But Dr. Vu chose a very specific path for himself: going deep into the field of massage and acupressure. For him, this is a non-drug treatment method, safe, flexible and rich in human values.
I am always wondering if I can help patients reduce pain without relying on medicine. Massage and acupressure are the solution," he said.
Through many years of practice, he has witnessed many patients fall into the vortex of dependence on pain relievers, even suffering serious consequences due to drug abuse. Those experiences further strengthened his belief in natural treatments, helping the body recover from its internal mechanisms.
For him, the effectiveness of treatment comes not only from technique, but also from understanding. Sometimes, a timely word can also become a "medicine" to help patients gain more faith and motivation to recover.
Not only a doctor, BS.CKII Huynh Tan Vu is also a dedicated lecturer, who has spent many years teaching at Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy. He believes that traditional medicine doctors need to converge three roles: doctor, teacher and life teacher.
Doctors to treat diseases with expertise and heart. Teachers to pass on knowledge and experience to future generations. And life masters to understand people, empathize with circumstances, and from there practice the profession in a humane way.
That philosophy is also entrusted by him through research works and professional books, from massage and acupressure, qigong yoga to basic documents on traditional medicine. For him, sharing knowledge is a way to extend the value of the profession, beyond the scope of the clinic.
After more than 40 years of attachment to the profession, what keeps Dr. Vu here is not fame or achievements, but the humanistic values of traditional medicine. He believes that this is not only a method of healing, but also a philosophy of life, helping people understand their bodies and live in harmony with nature.
If I could choose again, I would still choose the medical profession, still choose traditional medicine," he said, with the calmness of a person who has found the path of his life.
In the midst of modern life, where medical technology is constantly developing, Dr. Huynh Tan Vu still quietly preserves traditional values. With his hands, knowledge and belief, he not only treats diseases, but also contributes to preserving a medical heritage, which has nurtured him, and is also what he chose to dedicate his whole life.
