51社区

Over his 20-year career, Dr. Andrew Yuan, DO 鈥�87, a prominent physiatrist in Fairfield, Connecticut, has concentrated on healing both the physical and emotional needs of his patients. A graduate of 51社区鈥檚 Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Yuan has overcome immense personal challenges and transformed countless lives.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, where his family had emigrated from China, Yuan arrived in the United States at 10 years old, when his father鈥檚 career in textiles sent the family throughout North America. His mother propelled his dream of being in medicine, he says, but that dream was brought to the brink of extinction when Yuan suffered a life-altering accident in which he lost an arm and a leg.

鈥淎ny losses鈥攊ncluding loss of culture, loss of family, as well as loss of physical capability鈥攁lter your perception, your confidence, as well as create a lack of resilience,鈥� Yuan says. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 know if you can climb from the pit we call the abyss. Thank God I was young. I never gave up my dreams. I had to reprogram, relearn and retrofit everything.

鈥淏ut it鈥檚 given me the opportunity to realize that being different 鈥� as well as being somewhat challenged, is always good,鈥� he reflects. 鈥淚t keeps me on my toes and allows me to embrace the challenge with confidence, at the same time having a humble understanding that if it doesn鈥檛 turn out, it鈥檚 OK. Nobody has done this before.鈥�

Yuan views his physical challenges as a sort of alchemy for his pursuit of a career in physiatry. 鈥淲hen I got into medical school, I was elated,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y treating physician who helped me overcome my disability was an orthopedist in rehabilitation. He said, 鈥楢ndy, if you can get into medical school, I will take you out of the match and you will be our resident.鈥� It was a gift.鈥�

Yuan鈥檚 approach to treating patients as a physiatrist goes beyond addressing physical symptoms. Given his osteopathic education, his chief focus is on a person鈥檚 overall well-being, understanding that each patient鈥檚 journey is unique. 鈥淭he first thing I say to a patient in the hospital when the patient has had [an amputation is], 鈥楳y job is not to replace your limb. My job is to protect the limb that you have so you don鈥檛 further damage it.鈥欌��

While he acknowledges this idea is fundamental to osteopathic physiatry, Yuan notes such simplicity can be overlooked in the rush for more technologically advanced solutions to patient鈥檚 problems. 鈥淧atients want the newest technology in an artificial leg, but they [also need to] know how to walk with the other leg,鈥� he says.

Yuan combats this technological disconnection in medicine during his time with patients, noting people seem increasingly hungry for a one-to-one connection. 鈥淣inety to 95 percent of patients who come to see me know that I don鈥檛 use a computer,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey seek me out. They say, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e the first doctor who actually listened to my problem.鈥欌��

He credits his experience at OHIO with providing the basis for his heartfelt and insightful medical practice. 鈥淚t feels like home,鈥� he says of the University. 鈥淔or a person who鈥檚 been different, who is looking for homes, this profession, this town has given me a home. That鈥檚 left an indelible memory for me.鈥�