Following the Call to Heal

Jennifer Williams is driven by a calling. She had an inkling of her future vocation very early in her life: It was simply to heal people. As an adult, Williams felt herself gravitate naturally to the field of Chinese medicine, and she has gone on to bring acupuncture to hundreds of people who might not …

Breaking the Mold by Following the Family Tradition

There was not a precise moment that Xiaolong Alcocer discovered acupuncture—because there was never a time when he wasn’t living and breathing it. Alcocer’s Chinese mother and Mexican father are both acupuncturists. In fact, four generations preceding Alococer on his mother’s side had treated acupuncture patients out of the family’s home in Mexico for years. …

How the Transitional Doctorate Helped Build Amy Mager’s Credentials and Recognition in Her Community

Not long after acupuncturist Amy Mager graduated from PCOM, she found herself testifying in front of a committee of Massachusetts legislators. It was a common enough task for Mager, who serves on the boards of both the Acupuncture Society of Massachusetts and the American Society of Acupuncturists. But something was different this time. “They were …

How a Former Journalist Transitioned into a Career in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

Many people who have found their calling can look back and pinpoint the moment they realized what they were meant to do with their lives or their careers. For acupuncturist Dr. Dana Fine, that career in acupuncture and Chinese medicine began with a broken foot. “My dad gave me acupuncture treatments for six weeks,†Fine …

From Fighter to Healer: How Dr. Kenneth Hoffman Began His Acupuncture Career

Dr. Kenneth Hoffman has a sign in his acupuncture office that reads, “Fight me if you wish, but remember, I’m old for a reason.†It’s not meant to be intimidating or threatening; rather, it reminds his students and young staff that he has been around for a while—and that he knows what he’s doing. “It’s …