To the new acupuncture students and new acupuncture interns… You’ve looked forward to this new step in your acupuncture school journey and feel giddy, excited, scared, nervous, anxious…all of it! It’s finally time to being working in clinic and practicing with actual patients!

As a new acupuncture student, embrace all of your feelings. A good friend once told me that nervousness really just means that you’re excited. And of course you are! This is the whole reason you embarked on this journey through acupuncture school - to practice acupuncture, am I right?

In this article, I want to share with you some of the things that have really helped me become comfortable as I began learning and practicing in student acupuncture clinic.

Study your acupuncture points!

This should go without saying… and when I say study, I mean physically get used to feeling the points on a body. If you don’t have anyone who’s comfortable with you palpating them, at the very least, you should try to practice locating acupuncture points on yourself.

Supervisors know you won’t be able to locate every single acupuncture point on your first day of clinic. However, you should still do your best to memorize the general location of each point.

For example, we should know where ST-36 Zusanli is: on the lateral aspect of the lower leg, 3 cun below the patella. But where is ST-37? If you don’t remember, you can at least hint that you know the general location and ask, “Is ST-37 two cun or three cun below ST-36?” And that makes you look a lot more competent than having no clue. And if you have no clue, try not to be too hard on yourself. Just ask for help.

2. Dress for the Job.

When you dress well, you feel good about yourself. You may wish to wear scrubs. I like to wear medical pants and a plain white shirt. People generally make subconscious judgements on everything they see- so make sure you look presentable.

It should go without saying, but brush your hair, brush your teeth, keep make-up moderate, don’t wear chunky jewelry or watches, and cut your nails (welcome to the club of bodyworkers that will forever be cutting their nails as long as you’re in this profession, haha). Keep your nails clean- while I like to garden, dirt under the fingernails doesn’t give a good impression as an acupuncturist.

Wear shoes and find a lab coat that is comfy (and if you’re like me, keeps you warm in the cold AC). Keep pens, masks, and possibly a little notebook to write in on you. Put your phone on silent. Make sure you smell decent, not like food or body odor. Lastly, wear a nametag if applicable. People like to know who they’re working with.

3. Nourish yourself.

I’ve heard and seen so many students who’ve dragged themselves into clinic on minimal hours of sleep, relying on coffee and fast food to get them through the day. Whether your school emphasizes diet or not, Chinese medicine is an energy-based medicine. If you intend on healing people, wouldn’t it make sense to have a nourishing breakfast and a calm sense of center before working all day in clinic?

A practitioner is ultimately working with Qi and can either receive or transmit Qi to their patient. I personally do not drink coffee when I’m working with patients (coffee loving acupuncturists always shudder when I mention this). You’d be amazed at how good it feels to work with your own Qi, rather than the “False Qi” that coffee provides.

To me, Chinese medicine and Qi cultivation go hand-in-hand. I highly recommend incorporating your own taijijuan or qigong practice. After all, isn’t this the medicine we’re learning about? Would it make sense to walk the talk? Taijijuan and Qigong have been fundamental in building my confidence and sense of center.

If you aren’t into Qi (big question mark here) or limited on time (still, no excuse) - be sure to at least find a meditative practice that works for you, like breath practice. Your breath can save you from moments of overwhelm, anxiety, or intense patients. Breathing deeply will only help you as a practitioner.

4. Actively listen.

Ask the right questions. There will be times when you’ll be excited and want to share your thoughts with fellow students, teachers, and patients. One bit of advice that has never failed me is to actively listen. You are at a humble chapter of your life story and will show respect to all you work with if you actively listen. If you must talk, be sure to ask the right questions. Ask the person for their name. Don’t interrupt a student, teacher, or patient - save your remarks, comments, etc. for when they’ve finished their thought. Chances are the information they’re divulging is important. My teacher would say, we have two ears and one mouth- so listen twice as much as you speak.

5. Be kind.

This is my #1 rule. It has helped me in the hundreds of weekly flights back and forth from Maui (where I live) to Oahu (where my school is located). From TSA to airport workers, office staff, other students, and especially patients- be the light that shines through. If people are rude, be kind anyway. In this field, many patients are sick, tired, emotionally overwhelmed, in pain, and can be straight up grumpy. Do your best to see with eyes of compassion and don’t let things get under your skin. Ask for help if you need it. Ask other students, teachers, and office staff what you can do to help. Truly learn people’s names and their lives. Genuinely show that you care. People are your greatest resources and will help you grow much more than spending hours in a library. Trust me. Give compliments (that you mean!) and most of all, be kind to yourself! Which leads me to the last point…

6. Don’t underestimate yourself.

You have come so far to get where you are today. You have and will continue to face challenges that will help you grow. Do not under any circumstances underestimate yourself. Do not tell patients that you aren’t sure or don’t know what you’re doing (even if its true). Don’t demean yourself, even jokingly. We all experience imposter syndrome at some point, but don’t let yourself believe any self-depreciating thoughts. Let those thoughts come, and let them go.

Love yourself for the decision that you made and the courage it takes to learn this complex healing modality. Learn from your mistakes and have a good support system that you can express your uncertainties to. Don’t project negative self-limiting beliefs with others, especially not in front of patients.

It’s easy to fall into fear and feeling like you’re not good enough. Believe in yourself and trust that you are learning exactly what you are capable of learning, and you are exactly where you are meant to be. Soon the confidence will come naturally. Remember to stay humble when it does! Like my teacher says, “you are someone very special- and yet, no one special at all”.

Leave your fear and insecurity at the door when you enter clinic. People can feel it, even subconsciously. Be open to learning and know that the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.

Questions? Please reach out! I love providing support for other acupuncturists and acupuncture students. Send me an email at meghaneh@hawaii.edu and let’s connect!

~Meghane

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