Dr. Shih's Orthopedic Notes

Behind the Strength: Dr. Shih's Orthopedic Notes

Dr. Cheng-Min Shih performing spine surgery at Taichung Veterans General Hospital, site title 'Behind the Strength: Dr. Shih's Orthopedic Notes'
PHILOSOPHY

Dr. Shih's Philosophy of Care

01

Precision Diagnosis Comes From Filtering Through Every Layer of Detail

Clarifying the core concern, assessing function, and cross-checking imaging: that's my diagnostic logic. Imaging is the last piece of the puzzle, not a replacement for what the patient actually feels.

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02

Medicine Is a Science Full of Uncertainty, and an Art of Probability

What we're pursuing has never been zero risk. It's a precise decision made with full understanding, and walking with the patient toward the path most likely to restore their quality of life.

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03

Why I Still Ask, “So, What's Bothering You?”

Even with a full prior medical record on file, every visit is, to me, a fresh evaluation, and that's a safeguard for the patient, not a formality.

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ANNOUNCEMENT

Practice News

01

Bringing Taiwan's Healthcare to the World

Joining Taichung Veterans General Hospital's international medical outreach to Canada: exchanges with the University of Toronto, SickKids Hospital, and UBC, and health consultations for overseas Taiwanese communities.

2026-08-12 New
02

Why My Clinic Hours Have Been Changing Lately

I recently attended the JSSR 2026 annual meeting, where my research received the conference's English Presentation Award, comparing traditional posterior minimally invasive fusion with lateral lumbar interbody fusion.

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03

Answering Every Patient's Trust With the Strength of an Entire Team

Our spine surgery team won the Platinum Award at the National Healthcare Quality Award (NHQA) for robotic-assisted minimally invasive anterior surgery for severe spinal deformity, an honor built on years of accumulated team effort.

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SURGERY

Surgical Notes

01

A Doctor's Weekend, Set Aside for Learning

A group of spine surgeons gave up Father's Day and a weekend for a cadaver surgery workshop. The younger doctors were learning, and so were we. For a doctor, there's no graduation day.

2026-08-12 New
02

Medicine Knows No Borders: Cross-Border Conversations in the Operating Room

The operating room welcomed visiting physicians from Thailand and South Korea. Medicine truly has no borders. Everyone in that room was both a friend sharing technique and a teacher offering fresh perspective.

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EDUCATION

Orthopedic Insights

01

Where It Hurts Isn't Always Where the Problem Is

The location of a symptom doesn't necessarily equal the true source of the problem. Good clinical judgment doesn't come from a single symptom or a single image. It comes from looking at the whole person.

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02

Why Do I Still Recommend an X-Ray, Even After You've Had an MRI?

We treat the patient, not the image. Even with an MRI already in hand, I often still recommend an X-ray, because the two answer different questions.

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03

It's Not That the Pain Just Started: It's Just Started Affecting Your Life

Most orthopedic problems don't appear overnight. They build up gradually over years of strain. An early evaluation doesn't mean you'll need treatment or surgery, but it can bring real peace of mind.

2026-08-12 New