A physician needs to possess a moral conscience, ethical conduct, and a compassionate attitude towards those in need of attention.
- The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine

A CLASSICAL TRAINING IN CHINA'S MEDICAL & MARTIAL ARTS TRADITIONS

Throughout the many thousand year history of Traditional Chinese Medicine only a doctor with inner cultivation has been viewed as able to heal patients. Dr. Tan's rare background combines a mastery of China s ancient healing and martial arts along with in-depth training in modern Western medicine.

MEETING THE HIGHTEST STANDARDS OF HIS PROFESSION

Dr. Tan earned his medical degree at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, one of China s top-ranked medical schools.

A commitment to offer the highest quality of care led Dr. Tan to also study Western medicine. He completed advance training as an orthopedic surgeon at People's Hospital of Sichuan Province. Dr. Tan worked as a full-time associate professor and senior orthopedic surgeon for 10 years at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which was known for its pioneering work integrating Eastern and Western medicine, and as director and chief physician at a major orthopedic center in the city of Dachuan .

His writings and academic papers are still used as textbooks in Traditional Chinese Medical schools in China . Dr. Tan's publications address Traditional Chinese Medicine for the treatment of various conditions, from pain management to neurological, internal, adrenal, and immunological disorders, cancer patient support, men and women's health, anti-aging as well as wellbeing.

During his more than 20 years of practice, Dr. Tan has trained hundreds of doctors of TCM. He is a member of the American Academy of Pain Management and a fellow of the American Society of Acupuncturists.

AN EXCEPTIONAL COMMITMENT TO HIS PATIENTS

Dr. Tan was invited to the U.S. to teach and practice the philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1996. He then has been practicing as a licensed acupuncturist in Santa Monica, where he enriched the lives of thousands of patients. Dr. Tan has a holistic approach to wellness and a unique ability to advise and treat patients who draw upon the merits of both Eastern and Western medicine.

A gold medal winner in martial arts competitions among students from TCM schools across China , Dr. Tan is a Kung Fu master known for his compassionate care and exceptional skills. He lives in Santa Monica with his wife and two daughters.

If an illness is called incurable, it does not mean the condition can not be cured. It only means we have not found the right way. The sky is much bigger than that viewed by a frog in a deep well. Restoring and maintaining optimal health requires teamwork between the patient and doctor. This relationship is not one of a parent and child but a true partnership. -- Xiaomei Cai

A STRONG AND UNIQUE BACKGROUND

As a child if anyone in the family, a neighbor or someone from her hometown fell ill, Dr. Cai's father, a self-taught herbalist, would take his daughter with him into the forest or along the riverbank in search of the right plant, grass or root to cure the sick person's ailment. This folk wisdom, spirit of service and concern for others inspired Dr. Cai to become a doctor and instilled in her a deep appreciation for the power of traditional medicine.

Dr. Cai's grew up during a time of political chaos in China, a turbulent period when the culture's ancient wisdom and traditions were scorned. Despite this, her parents taught their daughter about traditional Chinese philosophy and culture and took her on secret pilgrimages to sacred Buddhist and Taoist temples and shrines. 

These ideas and values influenced Dr. Cai's decision as an adult to study Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). After five years of full-time study at one of China's most prestigious medical schools of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dr. Cai graduated with top honors and received her Medical Degree.

In ancient China, it was said only a doctor with the highest personal cultivation had the chi, or awakened subtle energy, to cure a patient. Dr. Cai felt there was merit to such ideas, and her medical training in Traditional Chinese Medicine included the study and mastery of the ancient Chinese martial arts, such as qigong, gongfu and tai chi chuan. Indeed, Dr. Cai went on to win a silver medal in a national martial competition of Chinese medical students at TCM colleges.

Dr. Cai views exercise and meditation as the best form of preventative medicine.  A key tenant of her practice is her belief in the importance of a holistic approach to healing. Dr. Cai believes deeply in preventative medicine and the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle. 

One of Dr. Cai's passion is her interest and study of women's health issues and gynecology, the field of her post graduate training. During a two-year period of specialty training, she had the opportunity to study and intern with Doctors Liu Minrou, Yang Jialin and Yang Mingjun, some of China's foremost experts in Traditional Chinese Medicine. 

From 1986 to 1997, Dr Cai practiced and taught at Chengdu University's TCM Hospital, a major teaching hospital specializing in integrating Eastern and Western medicine in China. Dr. Cai first worked there as a gynecologist and then as a senior and chief physician overseeing new residents. 

In 1997, Dr. Cai moved to Santa Monica where her strong medical background in China helps inform her acupuncture practice. The knowledge of both Western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine gives her a unique ability to understand and educate her patients and help them to make informed medical decisions. 

This diverse expertise allows Dr. Cai to recommend, when necessary, a mixture of medical modalities, and allows her to advise whatever course of treatment is most beneficial for her patients. 

MEETING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF HER PROFESSION

Dr. Xiaomei Cai has more than 20 years experience as a practicing doctor of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Her knowledge of both Eastern and Western Medicine has earned her the respect of her patients as well as her medical colleagues. Dr. Cai has also conducted extensive medical research and published numerous academic papers and books in the field of TCM. One of the herbal remedies that she researched with a former colleague is now a popular remedy used for treating uterine fibroid tumors in Chinese hospitals.

Dr. Cai is an active member of such professional organizations as the Pacific Coast Fertility Society, the World Alternative Medicine Organization and the American Society of Acupuncturists.  

USING HER KNOWLEDGE TO TEACH OTHERS

Dr. Cai has taught hundreds of medical students, interns, residents and physicians for their advance training in TCM. She has lectured on acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine at Chengdu University of TCM, as well as at various conferences, such as the Resolve Fertility Conference on Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.

She has extensive experience working in the fields of infertility, women's health, immunologic, adrenal and endocrine disorders, cancer patient support, emotional disorders, children's health, internal and skin conditions, pain management as well as general wellbeing.

Dr. Cai lives in Santa Monica with her husband and two daughters.