Matthew Lin (林元清)
Matthew Lin (林元清) is a Taiwanese American orthopedic surgeon who built a long practice in Alhambra, California, after immigrating from Taiwan. His story — from a rural Taiwanese town to one of the most rigorous medical training programs in the United States — exemplifies the immigrant physician’s journey.
Identity Snapshot
- English: Matthew Lin
- Also seen: Lin Yuan-qing — Hanyu gloss. TAH #467 uses Matthew Lin.
- Chinese: 林元清
- Born: 1945 (estimated), Ji-Ji (集集), Nantou County, Taiwan
- Ancestry: Sixth-generation Taiwanese American family; ancestors emigrated from Fujian to Ji-Ji, Taiwan
- Education: B.S. (Taiwan), M.D., Taipei Medical College (台北醫學院); Residency: Johns Hopkins University / Baltimore Union Hospital
- Specialty: Orthopedic surgery
- Location: Alhambra, California
- Family: Wife; children (two at time of profile)
Family Background and Early Life
Lin’s family has deep roots in Ji-Ji, a small town in Nantou County, Taiwan, known for timber, camphor, and bananas. His ancestors had emigrated from Fujian to Ji-Ji generations earlier. Ji-Ji’s natural beauty — clear streams and mountains — shaped his childhood.
His father, Lin Zhilian (林智煉), served as director of a local health station. His grandfather (Lin Zhilian’s father) died when he was young, and his mother also passed away early. After completing only three years of elementary school, Lin Zhilian left home to become an apprentice at Dr. Yang Sanfa’s clinic in Zhongliao Township. After three years, feeling there was no future, he traveled alone to Xiamen to seek his fortune.
When Lin Zhilian first arrived in Xiamen, he survived by running a street stall and washing dishes. Through a series of fortunate connections, he found work at the Health Bureau. When a Japanese-run博爱 Hospital (Bo’ai Hospital) in Xiamen was recruiting local physicians, Lin Zhilian’s formal education was insufficient to qualify. He wrote to his former employer, Dr. Yang Sanfa, requesting a certificate confirming that Lin Zhilian had interned and worked at his clinic. With this document, he was allowed to take the exam and passed.
Lin Zhilian went on to serve as a prison doctor. At that time, the Taipei Medical College Dean (魏火曜) and Ren’ai Hospital Director (林柳生) were also working there. His training period was long — 5 years and 8 months — and he received his physician’s license.
His mother, Wu He (吳和), was from Tainan. She traveled to Xiamen to visit relatives, met the physician Lin Zhilian through a friend, and they married in 1943, settling in Xiamen.
Escape from Xiamen
After Japan’s defeat in World War II, local Xiamen residents began targeting Taiwanese people. Many were hunted and killed. Lin Zhilian, having lived in Xiamen for many years, was not initially identified as Taiwanese by locals. However, a neighborhood watchman asked him whether he knew “who the Taiwanese are” and reported him.
Lin Zhilian was in danger. He had to flee. He darkened his face, wrapped a headcloth around himself, and had an old woman lead him, pretending to be a frail old woman. He was trying to board a ship to escape. The situation at the dock was tense — authorities were looking for “Taiwanese traitor Lin Zhilian.” When a soldier asked him his surname, he stammered. The soldier said, “Say you’re surnamed Wu!” and waved him through. He escaped.
In 1949, as the mainland fell to the Communists, the family took the last flight from Xiamen back to Taiwan. They returned to Ji-Ji.
Lin Yuan-qing was born in this period — in Ji-Ji, where he grew up in a relatively carefree childhood. His father, seeing children playing all day, felt this was not the way. Lin Yuan-qing’s uncle worked as a driver for the Mining Corporation in Taipei, so Lin was transferred to Taipei for elementary school at age 6.
Education
Lin attended Ximen Elementary School, then passed the exam for the prestigious Taipei First Middle School (建中), and subsequently entered Taipei Medical College (台北醫學院).
He was not a particularly diligent student. In the year between his second and third year of high school, there were 55 students in his class, and he ranked around 52nd. It was only when his teacher, Professor Lu Shifen, spoke to him earnestly — “You need to work harder, or you won’t get into a university” — that Lin resolved to study hard. He cut his hair short, kept a bucket of water by his desk, and plunged his feet into it whenever drowsiness struck. This method finally worked, and he successfully entered Taipei Medical College.
Lin was grateful to Taipei Medical College for its training. He believed that while the school’s academic standing might not have been as high as National Taiwan University, it offered students enormous room to grow. Students who studied seriously and maintained a humble attitude produced many successful professionals. Many physicians in Los Angeles today graduated from Taipei Medical College, and their contributions to society are widely recognized.
Military Service
After graduating from Taipei Medical College, Lin served his military duty at Kinmen (金門). During this time, his main daily work involved laying sod and planting trees to green the island. At night, local residents would bring them fresh oysters, which they enjoyed. Lin described it as “a very pleasant year.”
In 2014, the World Chinese Business Association held a cruise that stopped at Kinmen. Lin deliberately skipped the scheduled visits and took a taxi to his old base, finding that the local houses and alle hadn’t changed much, but his former military camp was gone without a trace. The old local friends were no longer there — they had moved away. Lin felt deeply regretful.
Internship and Residency
After his military service, Lin worked as an internal medicine physician at Gengxin Hospital (耕莘醫院) for one year. Life was comfortable, and he had considered staying, gaining experience, and then joining his father at the Xin’an Hospital clinic on Xinyi Road — a relaxed career path.
However, after only half a year, three of the four physicians he knew well at the hospital decided to go abroad. They asked Lin if he wanted to join them. Lin didn’t have strong initial interest but, considering the limitations of internal medicine in healthcare, he filled out the form with surgery as his first choice and was fortunately selected by Baltimore Union Memorial Hospital (巴爾地摩紀念醫院) as a surgical intern.
At the time, Lin thought studying abroad would add prestige to his resume and make his future practice look better.
First Case
When Lin arrived at the hospital and checked in, he was immediately assigned to the duty room, where he stayed for over three months. The next morning, the surgical director warmly greeted him and immediately sent him to the operating room. After changing clothes and washing hands, his first patient was a gunshot wound victim. Watching the surgeons’熟练 (skilled) chest and abdominal operations, Lin couldn’t understand what they were saying — “whatever I say, they won’t understand, so it cancels out!” He thought to himself.
Suddenly, the surgeons abandoned their work mid-operation. An anesthesiologist flipped the drape, and Lin discovered the patient had already died. This was Lin’s first case in America — a 100% shock education.
Johns Hopkins Orthopedic Surgery
After settling into his routine, Lin worked hard. When he encountered unfamiliar cases during his consultations, he would automatically go to the library to read materials. He was fortunate to encounter several senior physicians who were eager to teach. One particularly strict senior physician would quiz residents even when patients were on the operating table — if you couldn’t answer, he’d hit you with a clamp. It wasn’t very painful, but it was a matter of face. Lin read through the entire anatomy textbook.
Several excellent orthopedic surgeons came from Johns Hopkins. They trained young doctors rigorously and let them perform surgery. Lin benefited enormously.
One particular case: a posterior shoulder dislocation. Lin had never heard of this and had never seen it. He researched the procedure, went to the anatomy lab to practice on a cadaver, and then proceeded to surgery. The orthopedic chief Dr. Johnson supervised, with the senior resident beside him. Dr. Johnson knew this case was difficult and asked the senior resident to perform it. The senior resident was reluctant, saying, “I’ve never seen this case before.” Dr. Johnson, trying to stimulate him, turned to Lin and said, “Dr. Lin, you do it.”
Relying on his practice, Lin confidently performed the procedure and completed it successfully. His performance impressed Dr. Johnson greatly. After surgery, Dr. Johnson invited him for coffee, praised his work, and asked if he was interested in switching to orthopedic surgery.
Lin knew how competitive orthopedics was — only the top five from medical school could apply, usually only 2-3 positions, yet hundreds of applicants. He replied, “It’s only a dream!” But Dr. Johnson wanted him to submit an application form. Lin did, and was ultimately selected.
At the time, the hospital’s medical resident system admitted 12 first-year residents, narrowed to 6 by year two, 3 by year three, and only 2 by year five. Lin knew his language skills couldn’t compete with native speakers. Sure enough, by year three, he was no longer on the list. He was preparing to pack up and return to Taiwan when Dr. Johnson told him the good news: he had been accepted into the orthopedic surgery residency program jointly run by Johns Hopkins University and Baltimore Union Hospital.
His first year was at Johns Hopkins, the second year rotated through local children’s hospitals, and in his third year, he returned to Baltimore Union Hospital as Chief Resident, specializing in hand surgery. These three years gave Lin a solid foundation.
Family Crisis
Before entering Hopkins in May 1975, Lin received a phone call from his father: the guarantor for their house loan had collapsed, and the bank refused to renew. If the $200,000+ loan couldn’t be repaid by year-end, the house would be auctioned. Lin’s father needed his help.
To raise money, Lin took a part-time emergency room shift at another hospital, working two to three nights a week from 7 PM to 7 AM. By year-end, he had saved about $7,000. At the exchange rate of 1:40, this was enough to help his father through the crisis.
One night during his shift, Lin suddenly felt severe abdominal cramps. Using his medical knowledge, he correctly diagnosed acute appendicitis. But it was deep night, there was no one to cover for him, and he couldn’t leave his post. He gave himself a painkiller injection and endured until morning shift change, then drove home. He told his wife that he had acute appendicitis and to go to the ER. The ER and surgical director performed surgery and found the situation was extremely severe — his appendix was nearly ruptured.
Career in America
Kaiser Hospital
After completing his training, Lin’s first position in Los Angeles was at Kaiser Hospital in Harbor City. Kaiser paid a good salary, but Lin had made a wrong judgment: he bought a house with borrowed money for the down payment, and the loan payments were very tight.
Opening Practice in Alhambra
His classmate Chen Guangyao (陳光耀) told Lin that several orthopedic physicians in Alhambra were looking for partners. Lin drove over to meet Gao Ruizhi (高瑞治) and Lu Hongyuan (陸洪元), who suggested he open a practice in Alhambra.
Lin was dissatisfied with the local clinic environment — the clinic buildings were dilapidated and far from his standards for a modern medical practice. He went home and discussed with his wife. They had two options: sell the current house, reduce financial burden, and stay at Kaiser; or open a practice in Alhambra.
They chose to sell. Lin placed a “Sale by Owner” advertisement in the local newspaper at $190,000. The next weekend, he received 50-60 calls, and some people even knocked on his door saying, “I’ll buy at your price, if you don’t sell, I’ll sue you.” Lin was terrified and stopped answering calls. His wife thought if it was so popular, raising the price might invite lawsuits. They decided not to sell.
In December 1978, Lin resigned from Kaiser and opened a practice in Alhambra.
Early Challenges
On his first day, the dilapidated clinic had zero patients. The next day, an old woman came with a tumor on her hand. Seeing the young-looking physician (少年噹噹) in the old, rundown clinic, she distrusted him and asked, “Did you graduate from medical school?” Lin quickly showed her his diploma and Johns Hopkins training certificate, finally earning her trust. The treatment result was satisfactory.
Slowly, referrals from other physicians increased, and the situation improved.
Lin was open about the difficulties of opening a practice. As a newcomer, orthopedic physicians at the hospital were almost unfriendly — they scrutinized his medical results, looking for ways to challenge him, suspend him, or drive him out.
Lin experienced these challenges firsthand. At one review at Garfield Hospital, physicians unanimously agreed he should be suspended. Lin looked at the case and discovered they were criticizing him using outdated medical techniques. With the same condition, Lin’s operation took 40 minutes while theirs took four hours; his patients were discharged in three days while theirs stayed two weeks. “What right do these physicians have to want to suspend me?”
The Chief of Surgery said both sides had presented their views, confirmed Lin’s treatment was appropriate, and asked the physicians to withdraw their suspension request.
The Supervising Physician Incident
According to regulations, the first six cases of a new physician must have another physician present to supervise and assist. At one surgery at Alhambra Hospital, Lin called eight physicians, all of whom were declined for various reasons. Finally, one physician (Dr. Duncan) agreed to come for a 2 AM surgery.
At 2:30 AM, Dr. Duncan hadn’t arrived. Lin called — he said his car broke down. There was nothing to be done. Lin successfully completed the surgery. At 2:45 AM, while he was suturing, a physician named (Iranian籍) called and said he could come to help. Lin told him the surgery was complete and suturing had begun, but welcomed him anyway.
This physician reported to the surgical department, accusing Lin of performing surgery without a supervising physician. The hospital established a “Special Investigation Committee” of nine orthopedic physicians.
During the hearing:
- One physician asked why Lin refused to help — Lin explained the surgery was already complete and suturing was in progress. The physician understood the situation.
- Another physician questioned why Lin didn’t find a helper. Lin asked each one, “Did I ask you?” They said yes, but “I had no time.” Dr. Duncan’s excuse was “car broke down.”
- The orthopedic chief, hearing the Iranian physician’s complaint with disbelief, warned him not to cause trouble without cause, and ruled the case dismissed.
Lin passed the review. After his first six supervised cases all received excellent evaluations, Lin patiently waited until his eighth case was complete, then applied to the Orthopedic Society for removal of supervision — which was granted without question. To be safe, Lin also confirmed with the surgical department.
Building a Practice
Lin’s practice grew steadily. He built a reputation for efficient, effective surgery and patient care. He became well-known in the Southern California Taiwanese community.
Return to Taiwan
Lin never hid his desire to return to Taiwan. In 2014, the World Chinese Business Association held a cruise that stopped at Kinmen. Lin deliberately skipped the scheduled visits and took a taxi to his old base, finding that the local houses and alleys hadn’t changed much, but his former military camp was gone without a trace.
Network
Pages that link to lin-yuan-ching (lin-yuan-ching):
People (1)
Sources (1)
Source Notes and Confidence
- Content priority A: 2017 TAHS Publication 集集小孩力爭上游 林元清醫師專訪, Part 1, L1585–1878 (~293 lines), compiled by TAHS, text by Edda Huang
- Content priority A: Contains extensive biographical narrative including family history (father’s escape from Xiamen), medical training, Johns Hopkins orthopedic residency, practice challenges, and personal anecdotes
- Hub: |2017 TAHS Publication
- Note: This is a long interview-style profile. The full text contains detailed biographical information including family background, education, military service, residency training, and practice building.