Acupuncture

Distinguished Legacy

A leader in the integrative health medicine field, NESA has been training the next generation of healthcare providers for 40 years. Ours is now the largest acupuncture school operating within a regionally accredited health sciences university.

East-West Connection

By joining MCPHS, NESA connects Eastern medicine with Western health sciences to create the next generation of healthcare providers who embody integrative medicine.

Modern Facilities

Featuring the latest advancements, our brand new facility on the Worcester campus gives students the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to provide safe and effective acupuncture.

Clinical Experience

As a vital part of the acupuncture program, all students complete extensive internship components in biomedical partner facilities located in the greater Boston and Worcester areas.

Multiple Track Options

Both MCPHS degrees include a core curriculum in Chinese Acupuncture Studies with an optional Japanese Acupuncture Styles track for additional expertise. Students in the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine program also study Chinese Herbal Medicine as part of their required curriculum.

Leader in Japanese Acupuncture Education

Our school is a leader in Japanese acupuncture education in the U.S., teaching several different acupuncture styles brought from Japan.

National Board Certification

Upon graduation, students are eligible to sit for national board certification examinations provided by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and to apply for state licensure.

A field of growth

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for health diagnosing and treating practitioners, including acupuncturists, is expected to grow at a faster rate than many other occupations, with a potential 12% increase in jobs needed by 2024. The Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine reports there are approximately 30,000 Acupuncture and Oriental licensees in the U.S.

Well-prepared

With innovative training and immersive clinical opportunities, our graduates are extremely well prepared to enter and advance in the field of acupuncture and oriental medicine. Clinical education experiences are varied so that students are prepared for professional practice in an ever-changing healthcare environment.

Well-paid

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for health diagnosing and treating practitioners, including acupuncturists, was $74,710 in May 2015. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) estimates that the median annual income among Acupuncture and Oriental medicine licensees is $52,000, with some incomes exceeding $100,000.

Our mission is to be the premier source for medical education rooted in the traditions of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for the next generation of healthcare providers.

Vision Statement

While fulfilling our educational mission within our community of scholarship, research, and public service we advocate for patients and for our profession, and commit to a lifelong process of learning to provide excellence in clinical care that promotes wellness and relieves pain and suffering.

Guiding Principles

We commit to the following beliefs:

• Tradition: We honor Traditional Chinese Medicine teachings, materials and methods and apply innovative thinking to drive new discoveries and incorporate lifelong learning with historical wisdom.
• Excellence: We are committed to the highest educational standards for training exceptional acupuncturists who will provide leadership and service locally and globally.
• Integrity: We are bound by the ethical foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine to practice acupuncture and treat all who are in need of healthcare with respect, the highest quality of service and professionalism.
• Diversity: We acknowledge and respect the variety of human experience and foster unity and common purpose both within our college and in the community at large.
• Compassion: We are receptive to the suffering of others and provide relief with benevolence, kindness and tolerance for all who seek care.

Program Learning Objectives

NESA’s carefully designed programs graduate practitioners who:

• Are able to apply the philosophies and theories of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine;
• Can promote wellness, diagnose illness, and develop and implement effective treatment plans for patients;
• Have an acceptable understanding of western medical terminology, pathophysiology and approaches to treating illness and are able to make informed and appropriate referrals;
• Are prepared to establish and maintain successful clinical practices and can participate collaboratively in a variety of clinical settings; 
• Have an awareness and appreciation of research in Chinese Medicine. 

The New England School of Acupuncture is institutionally and programmatically accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM), which is the recognized accrediting agency for freestanding institutions and colleges of acupuncture or Oriental medicine that offer such programs. ACAOM is located at 8941 Aztec Drive, Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55347; phone 952/212-2434; fax 952/657-7068.

In 2015, NESA was re-accredited through 2021.

NESA is an approved program with the California Acupuncture Board.

NESA's MAOM is approved by the state of California's Acupuncture Board (CAB), so that graduates are eligible to sit for Licensure Exams in that state.

In March 2016, New England School of Acupuncture (NESA) became part of MCPHS University.  NESA has been synonymous with excellence in acupuncture education since 1974, making NESA the oldest acupuncture program in the US.  By joining MCPHS, NESA connects Eastern medicine with Western health sciences to create the next generation of healthcare providers who embody integrative medicine. Students who matriculated prior to the fall 2016 semester will complete their program at the Newton Campus.

The facility in Newton has a Teaching Center and Chinese Herbal Medicine Center, servicing area acupuncture patients with low cost treatments.

Download the Newton campus curriculum.