Former AcuMed Student, Surgical Oncologist Meira Pernicone, M.D., discusses the impact that the course and her journey into acupuncture has had for her in her practice of medicine.

Former AcuMed Student, Surgical Oncologist Meira Pernicone, M.D., discusses the impact that the course and her journey into acupuncture has had for her in her practice of medicine.

I have been doing acupuncture for free in my cardiology practice, on employees and patients, carefully selected. It is a little scary how much people both like it, and are helped by it. I am rather astonished.

This course is extremely well taught with a strong commitment to covering the scientific research but an amazing skill set for physicians to use early in the course for treating patients successfully. I now use acupuncture regularly in my practice. There are no side effects and the hands on healing is the most rewarding thing I have every done in my medical career.

After taking the course, I am now spending half of my working clinical time applying acupuncture to my patients. They usually get better in the first acupuncture session!

The course is well organized, with excellent instructors and this style of acupuncture can be easily mastered by busy, western medicine trained physicians. The course has changed my mentality towards patient care. Now, I "think acupuncture at first" for all my patients: it works like magic and they love it.

My overall experience was superb. I have incorporated acupuncture into my practice as part of a balanced approach. I believe the health and wellbeing of my current and future Patients will forever be changed for the better largely due to the high yield results obtained with this palpation based style of acupuncture. What I consider special about the Harvard course is the commitment and dedication to excellence demonstrated by the course teachers/instructors and the passion with which they share their vast knowledge. By far the best course I have attended, bar none!

The impressive team of approachable professionals are there to coach you through the process in a non-intimidating manner. With guest speakers from around the world, and hands on patient volunteers, this truly will be a unique academic adventure that will change your practice. I have taken other acupuncture courses and can say this is the one which is geared to the busy physician which desires to leave with a set of skills that can be Confidently implemented within their practice.

I really enjoy the course. Palpable evaluation and immediate feedback, clear cut method to approach each problem and neuro-anatomical and physiological correlation for most of the concepts. Most of the students there probably don't fully appreciate this yet, not having struggled for several years to make sense of five element theory.

I have to tell you how grateful I am to you for taking the time to speak with me about this course last summer. Everything you said has turned out to be totally true - the course is BRILLIANT; it encompasses the aspects of TCM that I was hoping to learn and I am THRILLED with the concept of Hara diagnosis. I am so excited to know that I can translate this comprehensive knowledge into a successful holistic practice, helping others find the “magic” of the meridians. THANK YOU! I could not be more pleased with the course. You all do a fantastic job. I am so looking forward to the in-person sessions this Spring.

Allison and Joe: First and foremost, I want to thank you so very much for such an incredible opportunity that continues to be honestly more wonderful every day. The AcuMed course came at a time when I was struggling with medicine overall and considering other options, and I have found so much enjoyment from applying it to day-to-day practice, as well as to myself. The way you presented the course was excellent at providing a foundation for basic skills, with an overview of the general landscape and options for further growth. You both have great personalities for teaching, and I just felt so welcomed to learn in a new and often very challenging way.

I first encountered acupuncture in medical school, approaching it skeptically. It wasn’t until I saw hospitalized patients with hyperemesis gravidarum recover enough for discharge after a simple acupuncture treatment that I recognized its impact. Later, during my wife’s pregnancy, an acupuncturist on a cruise provided her effective relief from severe nausea. Busy with residency and fellowship, I set aside acupuncture until teaching brought it back into focus. Dual appointments in Surgery and Neurological Sciences at the University of Vermont reintroduced me to the field through a colleague’s groundbreaking research, leading me to consider how many of my patients could benefit from this approach. I joined AcuMed in fall 2023. The program is intensive but manageable, with a well-organized curriculum and excellent faculty who make complex content digestible. The lectures, including sessions on scientific advancements, improved my approach to patients and bridged traditional anatomy with acupuncture principles. Practical instruction also prepares students for clinical application. The in-person and live-online sessions reinforce learning, making sure we stay on track. The program’s impact has been so positive that I've encouraged two colleagues to join, confident they will gain equally valuable insights to benefit their patients and students.