I count myself very fortunate in that I got fed up with the garbage classes being shoveled out by Pacific College of Oriental Medicine [relatively] early. You know it’s bad when you’re paying over $1,000 per class and you can’t help but compare it to the Learning Annex/University of Phoenix Online in course quality. On top of that, you’re in a class environment where ‘western’ medicine is the big, bad bogeyman out to trample on the underdog that is Eastern medicine. Even one defense of western medicine or questioning this line of thinking is enough to turn the wrath of the fanatics upon you, as they sagely nod and agree over how the evil ‘that establishment’ is.
Acupuncture is not a cure-all (despite one teacher actually telling the class that it can cure cancer — HONEST TO GOODNESS!). It’s neither mystical nor magical. If you gave the average Chinese or easterner a choice between western medicine and Chinese medicine, they’d probably go for western medicine.
In any case, I’d like to share with you 3 real life stories of L.Acs I know and how they’re living (I am protecting their identities so am being purposefully vague):
1) 35 year old acupuncture grad — got incorporated, business accounts set up, and seriously looked into starting her practice. Unfortunately, after the 6 month grace period, student loans became due and she had to find a real job to afford the $800 or so a month to pay them back. If she didn’t have a partner helping her out financially (that’s right, she is NOT financially independent), she’d be in default.
2) 28 year old acupuncture grad — spent the first year or so trying to make a living in NYC before giving up. He had a small handful of clients but not enough to sustain him. After selling as much of his belongings as he could, moved out of state to try and practice acupuncture in a less crowded location but still can’t make a living. He is thinking about going back to school.
3) 40 year old acupuncture grad — not earning enough to live on as an acupuncturist so subsidizing with work as a massage therapist and also selling products on the side. Even all of these activities are not enough to rent her own space.
If you think that having a massage license on top of the acupuncture license will give you an edge that you can fall back on, think again. While my massage therapist friends are faring better than the acupuncturist friends, not a single one of them can afford their own apartment.
Pacific College of Oriental Medicine NY Issues 
Posted by goodmedicineforbadschools on July 2, 2012 at 5:59 pm
Thank you for the blog post. I think it is worth mentioning the behavior of those people in the acupuncture business making the largest incomes. These slicksters are engaged in businesses that have very little to do with the work of practicing medicine.
When the slicksters nominally practice acupuncture, they aim to hold onto wealthy clients who come in for relaxation, the quest to look younger, and their egomaniacal belief that they should be giving birth to children at an age when AARP is inviting them to join. They also sell their own lines of supplements, and work the seminar circuit for the sake of fleecing acupuncture students, other acupuncture practitioners, and the general public.
A very clear picture emerges when one spends enough time spent observing this profession. The person who has made a killing through acupuncture spends very little time treating disease and a great deal of time lifting wallets.
Real medicine is real work, western or eastern. The acupuncture schools, the (non-community) practice of acupuncture, and all the associated slimebags charging a fee to the student who has suckered themselves into this hell, are definitely not preparing people for work. The environment at acupuncture schools tells all. These businesses are demonstrating the parasitism, lack of professionalism, lack of regulation, and generally unhealthy environment that is the acupuncture business.
Denial of reality among students and acupuncturists is intense – and self-serving for the schools. Many students seem unable to accept that the schools are private businesses making money off of them. Basic reality is that acupuncture schools give their scam victim students, most of whom are unprepared for work in medicine, an abysmal education and a license to enter into a profession full of sleazy Sinophile con-artists. And then we all get to pay off the loans we took out to buy this bridge.
Posted by I liked this co… « Pacific College of Oriental Medicine NY Issues on July 3, 2012 at 2:47 am
[…] Posted July 3, 2012 by pcomacupuncturetransparancy in Uncategorized. Leave a Comment I liked this commentator’s view from the trenches so much that I’m reposting as an public service message. Keep in mind that acupuncture schools will pretty much accept ANYONE with money — even if they clearly can’t cut it intellectually. I find this to be absolutely ‘ABHORRABLE’*! Posted by goodmedicineforbadschools on July 2, 2012 at 5:59 pmedit […]
Posted by darcystockton on July 18, 2012 at 2:33 am
I have to say, I’m a massage therapist, went to Swedish and paid way to much for school but, I’ve managed to do pretty well. I’ve been doing soley massage half of the year I’ve been out and I’m making 65-70k doing only massage. However this is changing, and I’m going to have to cut back because recently injured myself performing massage and it looks like I have to go back to school for something else and from where I am now and my prior two degrees it’s looking like acupuncture is the only option (where I would offer acupuncture and massage). I am terrified of the loans. I feel like I’m between a rock..
Posted by Anonymous on July 19, 2012 at 10:52 pm
The massage therapists have it tough — while they could make $65-70K (and you’re doing really well for yourself), they would be killing themselves physically. Instead, they’re opting for the part time retail job for the benefits and doing massage on the side. If you’re considering acupuncture school, please do your research. Other than the acupuncture school administrators and some teachers who have made a killing writing books and developing a following, I really don’t know of a single successful acupuncturist who’s really earning a living at it.
Posted by darcystockton on July 20, 2012 at 2:51 am
Yeah that’s pretty much it.. I’ve been working way too much (5 days a week, with one shift where I’m potentially massaging 11 hours total without more than two half an hour breaks), which has landed me in the position I’m in. Meaning, instead of regular shifts at the spa I work at, I’m looking at working as a sub and putting together piece meat privately. I have a hard time considering PCOM because the expense is so high and Tri-state isn’t on the approved CA list of schools (where I’m from and will probably go back to).
The only way I could even consider it is if I can manage to pay at least 15k out of my pocket now, as I go.
I have an application in to NYCHP that I’ll put through but probably defer enrollment on until I can consider all options. Even THEIR prices have gone up considerably.. I just cannot believe how these schools are able to increase their tuitions so much just in the past three or so years I’ve been considering this.. especially when people have such a hard time making a living doing acupuncture.
I actually, traded with an acupuncturist today who I share office space with and a quick google search showed that she apprenticed instead of going for a formal education. Is that even an option anymore?