Is Acupuncture the Right Career for You?

Have you always been interested in the world of health care but never felt like careers such as medical doctors or nurses quite fit your criteria? It’s time to experience the magic of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. 

Acupuncture is the perfect field for those who feel a deep calling to become a healer, work integratively alongside other healthcare professionals, and form personal relationships with their patients and support them in their journey towards vibrant health. 

Classically, there are eight branches to Chinese medicine including bodywork such as Tui Na and Qi Gong, diet, exercise, meditation, moxibustion, herbal medicine, Feng Shui, and acupuncture. This holistic system of medicine has been alive and well for nearly 3,000 years and the types of therapies used are specific to each individual person. At Bastyr, one can choose an acupuncture only program, or a program that incorporates Chinese herbal medicine as well. 

Acupuncturists aim to restore the body’s homeostasis, what we call balancing the “Yin and Yang” by inserting thin needles along energetic meridians to bring blood and “qi” (energy) flow to specific organ systems. We believe our bodies are innately designed to heal themselves when given the right tools and conditions. Commonly, patients will be prescribed herbs, lifestyle recommendations, and dietary advice in addition to an acupuncture treatment. 

After graduating with a degree in public health, I knew I wanted to be in the medical profession but did not resonate with the path of a standard medical doctor. In watching myself and my family be gaslighted by the allopathic medical system, I knew there had to be a better alternative. A few years later, after taking a bit of time to work, travel, refine my interests and experience healing from an acupuncturist firsthand, I knew this was the right career for me. It felt like the perfect intersection of medicine and spirit. Approaching my last year in the program, I still feel the same way.

If you would like more information about becoming a licensed acupuncturist through Bastyr University, send your information over to the admissions department here.

About the Author

Ivy Garrett is a Bastyr student in the Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine program. She loves all things creative: writing, photography, painting, and movement in addition to herbal and energetic medicine. She has a particular interest in Women's Health and looks forward to pursuing this field more after graduation.