Professor Lim Shih Hui: Visionary Healer and Pioneer in Integrative Medicine

Professor Lim Shih Hui’s  boundary-pushing approach was evident early in his career. In the 1990s, when anti-seizure medications were limited, Prof Lim pioneered the Epilepsy Surgery Programme, which offered surgical treatment to patients whose seizures could not be controlled by medication. He evaluated over 100 patients for suitability, with those who underwent surgery achieving significantly fewer seizures and dramatically improved quality of life.

Prof Lim launched the ASEAN Neurological Association (ASNA) and Asian Epilepsy Academy (ASEPA) EEG Certification Examination in Asia and Australia.

To improve the diagnosis of epilepsy, he has also elevated the standards in electroencephalography (EEG) interpretation and reporting by establishing the region's first EEG Certification Examination. This has become the gold standard for EEG practice across Asia and Oceania, with over 1,000 medical professionals taking this assessment and approximately 400 obtaining certification.

The Integrative Medicine Pioneer

Prof Lim's recognition of TCM's therapeutic potential decades before integrative medicine became mainstream exemplifies his forward-thinking approach to patient care.

Faced with patients frustrated by the lack of effective treatments for neurological conditions without unpleasant side effects, he embarked on a three-year journey in the 1990s to train in acupuncture. "Learning acupuncture made me a better neurologist," Prof Lim reflects. The diagnostic methods of TCM enhanced his clinical skills, teaching him to observe more closely, listen attentively, ask sharper questions, and uncover root causes, thereby enabling more comprehensive patient assessments.

In 1998, he established the Acupuncture Unit at Singapore General Hospital, demonstrating the value of integrating TCM into Western practices, particularly for post-stroke rehabilitation and pain management for neurological conditions.

What began as one neurologist's quest to better serve his patients proved transformative for Singapore's entire healthcare landscape. This work put him in good stead for his later appointment as Head of the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Branch at the Ministry of Health and Registrar of the TCM Practitioners' Board – positions from which he is systematically integrating evidence-based TCM practices into the national healthcare system.

He has subsequently facilitated the development of Career and Remuneration Guidelines for TCM practitioners and launched competency-based clinical training programmes for newly registered TCM practitioners. Prof Lim has also guided the creation of regulatory sandboxes for testing innovative care models combining evidence-based TCM and standard Western treatment.

From Practitioner to Educator to Administrator

Prof Lim's career exemplifies the evolution of a complete clinician. His philosophy is that good practitioners must also be good educators, and vice versa. His approach to education is deeply personal: "If those whom I teach do not eventually become better than me, I have failed in my attempt to educate them."

Among the many shaped by his mentorship is Dr Tan Zhibin, Associate Consultant, Neurology, NNI, who shares: "Three things stand out about Prof Lim: compassion and respect for his patients and colleagues, keen attention to detail, and his uncanny ability to enliven seemingly mundane subjects. His mentorship has been and continues to be formative for me."

Looking Towards the Future

As Singapore's healthcare system embraces artificial intelligence and advanced technology, Prof Lim remains optimistic yet measured. He envisions a future where AI analyses millions of patient records to enable faster diagnosis and more targeted treatments, but maintains that no technology can replace a clinician's judgement. "The true value of a clinician lies in mastering the basic principles and fundamental skills of clinical examination, because we are treating humans, not machines!"

Despite his impressive achievements and numerous awards, Prof Lim is refreshingly grounded. While receiving his second National Medical Excellence Award (NMEA) National Outstanding Clinician Award in 2025 for clinical excellence in neurology and outstanding leadership, he quips: "The joy of receiving awards, though good, can never be the same as having good health and a harmonious family life. While I deeply appreciate this award, I'm afraid it is not my greatest achievement nor my proudest moment – that honour goes to being promoted to the rank of grandfather four years ago!"

Professor Lim Shih Hui received the National Medical Excellence Award (NMEA) National Outstanding Clinician Award in 2025 – his second NMEA recognition following the National Outstanding Clinician Educator Award in 2015. Other accolades include the Outstanding Fellow Award from the College of Physicians Singapore (2024) and Honorary Fellowship from the Academy of Chinese Medicine Singapore.

This article was adapted from this article first published on the National Neuroscience Institute website.