The art of traditional Chinese acupuncture is alive and well in Palm Bay, Florida, in the office of Dr. Hsiu S. Chen. This third generation acupuncture doctor came to the U.S. in 1987 with the dream of bringing classical Chinese medicine to the America people.

She began her medical training at a young age when her father gave her lessons after school and in the holidays. He was a specialist in nose and ear treatments but Dr. Chen remembers that after World War II he "gave prescriptions and treatments to people with no charge." So under his tutelage the young Dr. Chen was exposed to a large variety of "prescriptions and herbals." It was here at home where she obtained her love for medicine and decided to follow in the footsteps of her father and grandmother.
While attending Medical College in Hong Kong, Dr. Chen studied under various teachers including Dr. Hsiu, the most respected acupuncture doctor in Taipei. However, acupuncture is not Dr. Chen's only knowledge; herbal lore is the backbone of Chinese medicine and was also studied in depth with the Chinese medical plant association. In 1987 Dr. Chen completed the Chinese Physician and Acupuncture Exam, and then in 1994 she gained the title of Master of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Dr. Chen currently maintains her doctor's license in Taiwan, where she normally stays for part of the year. She also is a licensed acupuncturist in the state of Florida and has a regular clientele that she treats with herbs and acupuncture in her home office. She accepts new patients on a limited basis; however, her focus at the moment is on research. Dr. Chen has researched and patented the "Emily" line of herbal remedies, which she sells in China and Taiwan and soon will export to Japan and Korea. Despite the overseas business, Dr. Chen plans to remain in Palm Bay because she "likes the friendly people and nice weather." In the mild climate she would like to start a small farm to grow herbs for research purposes as well as to produce remedies from.

Aside from medicine Dr. Chen is also knowledgeable in Feng Shui. Many people ask her advice on issues such as arranging the living quarters for the best health and the best days for good luck. Dr. Chen recalls times when a patient was not responding to medicine "nothing helped the sickness. Then I had patient draw a picture of the bedroom and I told him where to put the furniture for best health. After that the person got better."