Dr. Mingdong Li
BACKGROUND & EDUCATION
Dr. Li earned his medical degrees from Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1982, and later, at the same university he earned his Ph.D. in the field of Chinese Internal Medicine. He also spent two years studying Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) and Orthopedics with Dr. Yu Da-Fang, a renowned professor at the Shanghai University of TCM.
Dr. Li completed his residency at an affiliated hospital of Shanghai University of TCM and then served as an attending physician in the Department of Chinese Internal Medicine in the Shanghai Yu Dian Hospital. He was an honorary professor at Heilonggjiang University of TCM.
In 1988, Dr. Li immigrated to the United States, and in 1989, he received his acupuncture license from the California Acupuncture Board. Since receiving his California license Dr. Li has practiced and been on the faculty of many Universities and Boards.
He was the Department Chair of Chinese Internal Medicine at Royal University and Associate Dean of SAMRA University. Dr. Li was the Clinic Dean at Dongguk Royal University and served on the Board of Directors of the California Acupuncture Medicine Association.
Along with his private practice Dr. Li currently practices and teaches at Center for East-West Medicine in the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where he is conducting a clinical study on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis using Chinese Medicine. He also teaches Chinese Internal Medicine at Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Orthopedics as an active faculty member at Alhambra Medical University.
In Dr. Li wrote and published his book “Chinese Internal Medicine”, in August, 2013 by People’s Medical Publishing House. This book contains forty-nine common diseases as well as annexes or associated pathologies. Each chapter is composed of an overview of the pathology, causative factors, pathogenesis, diagnostic criteria, differential diagnosis, pattern identification and herbal treatment, a summary, a case study, prevention and life-style recommendations and acupuncture treatments for each category of disease. An abundance of classical references are also included.
Dr. Li has more than 30 years clinic practice and teaching experience in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China and in the United States. He has achieved good results in treating Internal Medical disorders, especially in pain management, including cervical or lumbar disc problems, myofascial pain in the neck and lower back pain, fibromyalgia syndrome, emotional disharmony, insomnia, PMS, menopause and chronic fatigue syndrome. To optimize patient care, Dr. Li individualizes the course of treatment for each patient and each treatment may include Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) and Chinese herbal medicine as well as acupuncture. In addition, patients may be instructed in Tai Chi and Qi Gong exercises in order to best serve a patient’s needs. Catherine Aquino feels very fortunate to have had him as a supervisor and teacher when she was studying at Yo San and is so happy to work with him in our clinic.
In addition to his professional work, Dr. Li is an avid practitioner of Tai Chi. He has earned twenty-six gold medals in different national and international Tai Chi competitions. His latest competition was The International Chinese Martial Arts Championship set in Denver, Colorado, where he took home five gold medals and the title of Grand Champion. Dr. Li was a Tai Chi instructor in a published clinical research study performed at UCLA. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of Tai Chi in helping with tension type headaches. Currently, he teaches Tai Chi and Qi Gong at UCLA as well as traditional Chinese medicine colleges in the surrounding area.
