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Treatment in Many Tongues
Communication is the strong point of Dr Gary Chew, who can speak
with his patients in English, Mandarin, four or five Chinese
dialects, Malay or Khmer.
Dr Chew is from multilingual Singapore, where he earned a MBBS
degree in medicine some 20 years ago. Singapore, he says, offers the
highest standard of medicine in the region. He has practiced in
hospitals in his native country, in the Army there and in various
group practices. His MMC Medical Clinic at 406D Monivong Boulevard
has been open for more than one year.
The practice, which also features Cambodian Dr Prak Sophonneary, is
permanently on call and offers primary medical care, minor surgery
and vaccinations. Medications are imported, most often brought by Dr
Chew from Malaysia.
Although he is Asian, Dr Chew explains that his training in
Singapore was on the British model. Occasionally, he sees a patient
who wants a traditional Chinese medication, but in general his
prescriptions are for Western medicine and he refers cases when
necessary to Western doctors.
“But if they really want a traditional medication, we give them
that—and also a Western-style drug that we know will work.” he
explains with a laugh.
—Elizabeth Wright
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