Change breeds pioneers. Acupuncture's pioneer is Miriam Lee, who fought
hard to establish acupuncture as licensed medical care in California.
When Roberta Leong speaks of Lee, her face lights up in admiration and
respect of her idol. "I had the great privilege of knowing Miriam, first as
her patient and then as my mentor," she says.
"Miriam helped many people. She successfully treated patients whose ailments
conventional medicine couldn't cure."
With a psychology degree and an acupuncture degree, Lee runs her own busy
practice that provides acupuncture, Chinese herbal services and massage therapy.
She also maintains a website where her patients can learn more about the
concepts and practical applications of Asian medicine. "This work is very
rewarding for the persistent and hard-working individual. Persistence is key
-- it takes two to three years to really get grounded professionally after
getting licensed. Having some money saved up can really ease this transition
period."
Bob Damone lists some other basics involved in Chinese medicine. "When
you work in a private practice setting, be prepared for some serious paperwork.
Another reality of running a small business is the need to constantly market
your services."
Many years ago, Damone embarked on a journey into the world of Chinese
medicine -- its language, customs and overall philosophy. He studied Taoist
philosophy. He earned a master's degree from the American College of Traditional
Chinese Medicine, and capped it off with a graduate clinical internship in
internal medicine at the Guangzhou Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese
Medicine in China.
Damone has strong feelings about how to prepare for this profession: "Study
Chinese language, philosophy, history and culture. Learn all you can about
Western medicine. Become a registered nurse if possible before pursuing this
career. Study Chinese meditation, exercise, tai ji quan or other martial arts."
This man practices what he preaches. In addition to teaching, Damone translates
traditional Chinese medical material into English. Before accepting a teaching
position at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, he was chief professor
of herbal studies at the American Institute of Oriental Medicine.
"The saddest thing that I have had to deal with is seeing patients die
of severe illnesses," says Damone. "I had a 50-year-old male die of pancreatic
cancer a few years back. He tried to hang on to witness the birth of his first
grandchild, but didn't make it.
"I treated many patients with HIV disease in the early 1990s;
most of them died before their time. This was also extremely sad. Doctors
of all kinds should be prepared to face death in their patients."
Kate Turner took a different path into Chinese medicine -- the New England
Institute of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. "I just knew early on that
I had a gift for healing. I love to see patients who commit themselves to
changing the pattern of their lives and thus often heal themselves in the
process."
But like the principles of yin and yang, there's another side of the coin.
"I am saddened by those patients who won't take the responsibility of changing
their lifestyles, and remain victims of their fears. For them, there is no
significant and enduring improvement."