In the early 1970s, Taiwanese society was in a period of turmoil with the United States establishing diplomatic relations with China and a complex international landscape. Young Chen Weizuo made a bold decision to abandon his job at the Rong Hospital and embark on a journey to study in the United States. For this outstanding scholar from a young age, the United States was considered a holy land for medical research. However, the reality turned out to be a challenging journey of self-improvement. With the mindset of “caution and innovation,” he not only stood firm in the face of discrimination in a foreign land but also achieved extraordinary success in the medical field with an innovative theory that changed the global treatment model for kidney disease.
Upon arriving in the United States, Chen Weizuo faced challenges in language, culture, and systems. His passion for academia gradually shifted towards a more patient-centric clinical practice.
In 1972, after passing the United States Medical Licensing Examination (ECFMG), Chen Weizuo traveled to St. Luke’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio to serve as a clinical intern and resident physician.
“At the beginning, my English was not fluent. I was asked daily to correct my accent, and some patients even refused to let me examine them, citing ‘incomplete records,'” recalled Chen Weizuo.
As the only Chinese resident physician in the hospital, he personally experienced the widespread racial discrimination in the United States at the time. He was only allowed to sit in the back of the bus with African Americans, and clinically, he mostly treated low-income and African American patients. However, every hospital bed became a test and trial for him. This challenging experience taught Chen Weizuo to remain calm and professional in adversity, laying a solid foundation for his subsequent rise in the medical field.
In July 1976, Chen Weizuo moved to the renowned Cleveland Clinic Main Campus to apply for a position in the Nephrology department.
The chief of the Blood Dialysis Division who interviewed Chen Weizuo was Japanese-American Professor Akira Nakamoto. Chen Weizuo’s father, Chen Chengzhi, graduated from Kyoto Sangyo University in Japan and spoke fluent and elegant Japanese. With such a background, Chen Weizuo formed a rapport with Professor Nakamoto, receiving guidance and opportunities. Nakamoto reminded him to learn from every failure, and this advice deeply resonated with Chen Weizuo, becoming the driving force behind his innovations.
At the time, the immature technology in dialysis treatment caused patients immense pain and had an extremely low survival rate, with most patients not surviving more than two years. Chen Weizuo carefully observed and shifted his focus to innovation and research. He thinking outside the box, invented an automatic sodium concentration variation dialysis system (Sodium Variation System). This technology not only improved the quality of life for patients but also completely transformed the treatment model for kidney disease patients worldwide.
This innovative theory and research obtained patents in the United States and worldwide in 1978 and 1981, respectively. However, Chen Weizuo donated this patent to the U.S. government “without charge” because he had applied for government funding during the research period, accelerating the dissemination of the technology.
He humbly stated, “If I charged $1 for each use, I might be wealthier than Bill Gates now. But being able to help so many patients, easing their pain, is the greatest reward.”
During his six years of clinical practice, teaching, and research, Chen Weizuo published a total of 26 papers. One of his papers on the “balanced sodium concentration” theory has been cited over 315,000 times. At the age of 37, he was awarded the Fellowship of the American College of Physicians (FACP), becoming one of the few recipients of this honor at such a young age.
Although he later grew weary of the politicization in academia, Chen Weizuo moved to a hospital in Central California to practice and founded multiple private dialysis centers, becoming the first Taiwanese physician to independently operate a private dialysis center in the United States. He laid a solid foundation in the medical field and provided a more comfortable treatment environment for patients.
In addition to his outstanding achievements in the field of medicine, Chen Weizuo’s leadership qualities and worldly wisdom stem from his experiences in Taiwan during his youth.
He participated in the Youth Salvation Corps led by Chiang Ching-kuo, where he, along with other outstanding students, received comprehensive leadership and social skills training. This experience taught him how to observe human nature, deal with conflicts, and make judgments in complex environments. It became his essential confidence when facing various challenges in the American medical environment.
Chen Weizuo recalled his shock when he first saw a televised “Congressional Questioning of the President” in the United States. “I was shocked. I thought, how can one criticize the president on TV?” In Taiwan at that time, criticizing political leaders could lead to dire consequences. It was then that Chen Weizuo truly realized that the government’s power comes from the people, not authority.
Despite being in a foreign land, Chen Weizuo always cared about Taiwan’s future, actively following political and democratic developments in Taiwan from overseas. He supported Taiwan’s self-determination and democratic progress, participating in various discussions and actions, and generously contributing funds to the early overseas Taiwanese democratic movements.
Today, Chen Weizuo’s research benefits the global community, serving as a role model for future Taiwanese Americans. He regards his life as “having more than those below and less than those above,” thankful for the intelligence given by the heavens and the encouragement from his family.
He advises young students that a career in medicine must be fueled by “interest.” “Medical school is tough to get into, internships are hard work, and facing patients’ pain can be overwhelming at times.” However, he emphasizes that the sense of achievement in alleviating patients’ pain is an indescribable joy.
From a young physician arriving in America to a globally renowned innovator and practitioner, Chen Weizuo proves that adversity can lead to innovative and extraordinary achievements in life. He exemplifies a sense of responsibility and a mission beyond his professional field. ◇