Driving Acupuncture Forward: NESA Dean Tapped for Top Accreditation Role

Honestly, I was so impressed by the whole structure of the University and its commitment to health sciences and integrative medicine. I thought, there’s no way I can’t take the job. This is how I influence the profession moving forward. The University had the foresight to add acupuncture in 2016, and I was committed to making sure that we had the best acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine programs and to moving the profession forward. I was really honored, and I was quickly welcomed into the NESA family.

You mentioned ACAHM Commissioner is the last leadership position you were hoping to hold. Why?

When I first started working in acupuncture, my aspiration was to represent whatever college I was working at on the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, which I’m still involved with. I’ve also been a part of the National Certification Board for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (NCBAHM), serving as Chair of the Biomedicine exam development committee writing questions for the national certification board exams that are used for licensure in almost every state. Ultimately, I was invited to become a commissioner for them. I was very happy doing that work.

One year after I became NCBAHM commissioner, I became the president of a now-closed acupuncture school. I became entrenched in the work and discovered that I really liked accreditation, standards, and the idea of assessing how well a program is performing. Then, I became involved with the ACAHM, joining different committees within the agency. I’ve been a task force member and a site visitor. I helped to develop the master's and doctoral standards for the profession. For several years, I’ve been contributing to this organization in one way or another.

Recently, the ACAHM invited me to submit my CV for commissioner consideration. I’ve done so a few times in the past. This time around, I submitted and, lo and behold, they appointed me as a commissioner.

What will your responsibilities be as a commissioner?

There are 12 commissioners. After visiting schools for accreditation or reaccreditation, the site visitors submit a detailed report to the commissioners, and it's our job to go through it to ensure the site visitors are accurately understanding and interpreting the standards and criteria. We also ensure the reports are accurate, up to date, et cetera.

Will you review NESA’s future accreditation?

No, I would not be assigned NESA. There are about 50 acupuncture schools in the country. There might be 10 schools up for reaccreditation at a given meeting. Commissioners are divided into small groups, and each group is assigned three or so reports to review. Then, the commissioners will come together to come to a consensus. My group would not be assigned NESA in that process.

How does your work with the ACAHM inform your work at NESA?

My work as a commissioner will directly relate to NESA’s goals and learning outcomes. In my opinion, it will influence my work at the University at every level. It will also allow me to more fully understand and influence the direction of the profession. We’re making progress toward this, but I want to see the acupuncture profession be widely respected and regarded as a high-level profession. By having input into the standards that drive our education, I will have some say in how our profession advances. Finally, it will sharpen and deepen my ability to guide NESA to refine and advance our high-caliber programs, meeting and exceeding accreditation standards.

As you prepare to work to advance the acupuncture profession, can you reflect on how it has transformed since you started your career?

When I graduated from acupuncture school in 1999, there were no jobs. Period. Private practice was the only option. Now, the field has many, many more job opportunities. There are hospitals and integrative medical settings incorporating acupuncture into standard operating procedures. Our students complete placements in top hospitals in Massachusetts.

Acupuncture is truly becoming integrated into the healthcare system. First, we were called alternative, then complementary, and now integrative healthcare. It’s a great thing for our profession and for our students.