Why Acupuncture Students Should Be Familiar With Acupuncture Research

Editor’s Note: This is the latest column from the Society for Acupuncture Research (www.acupunctureresearch.org). Visit the SAR online columnist page for access to previous articles. This article is submitted by the SAR Special Interest Group in Education (SAR SIG-Edu).

The Society for Acupuncture Research Special Interest Group in Education (SAR SIG-Edu), a small group of dedicated professionals and researchers in acupuncture and herbal medicine (AHM), was formed at the 2019 SAR conference. Our mission is “to improve the teaching and awareness of contemporary acupuncture research in acupuncture schools and among practitioners, empowering AHM practitioners to advocate more effectively for the profession and thereby create greater employment and referral opportunities.”

To advance this mission, we have been developing resources AHM schools can use to strengthen their research curricula. We created a model acupuncture research curriculum, which was vetted by subject-matter experts (acupuncture researchers in oncology, pain management, education, etc.), and published it in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS One (Most, et al., 2024).¹ In addition, we conducted surveys of AHM students (Conboy, et al., 2025)² and program directors (Most, et al., 2025)³ to better understand students’ perspectives and the barriers to teaching acupuncture research.

How Do Acupuncture Students Feel About Research?

Research by Wayne, et al. (2010),⁴ Anderson, et al. (2016, 2019),^5-6 and Conboy, et al. (2025),² has provided valuable insights into the attitudes of acupuncture students toward research. Despite these studies being conducted over 15 years and with different student populations (entry-level master’s students and doctoral students with substantial clinical experience), these studies yielded similar findings.

All studies found that most students believe biomedical research in acupuncture can positively influence public perception, lead to increased insurance reimbursement and improve biomedical referrals. However, Wayne, et al. (2010),⁴ and Anderson, et al. (2016),⁵ also showed that research interest declines as students progress through their acupuncture programs, and that there are concerns about the application of biomedical research to the practice of East Asian medicine (Anderson, et al., 2016, 2019).^5-6

In the more recent study, by Conboy, et al. (2025),² the majority of student survey respondents indicated that biomedical research was beneficial to their clinical practice, with some even expressing interest in participating in research after graduation.

The studies by Anderson, et al. (2014, 2016, 2019),^5-7with AHM students, faculty and experienced clinicians indicated that while all agree on the importance of research to those outside the profession, there are concerns about the relevance and use of research to those practicing the medicine. These concerns relate to paradigm differences associated with biomedicine and East Asian medicine, possible co-optation of AHM, and the lack of appropriate research models to adequately investigate the complexity of real-world AHM practice.

Given these findings, the SAR SIG-Edu recommends addressing these issues as a foundational topic in students’ first acupuncture research course, along with a discussion about the importance of worldview in critically evaluating the value of biomedical research as it applies to East Asian medicine. Early engagement on these topics can help validate concerns about the quality and real-world applicability of the clinical research, clarify doubts, encourage curiosity, and foster a more open and informed dialogue about biomedical research.

Why Familiarity With Research Matters

1. Insurance Reimbursement: Biomedical research has demonstrated that acupuncture is both clinically and cost effective. These findings have contributed to policy changes: Medicare now covers acupuncture for chronic low back pain, several states have extended coverage through Medicaid, and major private insurers cover acupuncture. Such recognition would not have been possible without strong, evidence-based research.

2. Biomedical Referrals and Employment Opportunities: Robust research demonstrating the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating specific conditions has played a key role in integrating acupuncturists into biomedical settings. Today, acupuncturists are employed in leading institutions such as Duke University Hospital, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and within the Kaiser Permanente health system. Such institutions often prefer candidates who have familiarity with research. Continued research and increased awareness of the existing research are essential for expanding these opportunities.

3. Different Types of Research Yield Different Information: As mentioned above, studies have shown that students often view biomedical research methods as incompatible with AHM. This view usually stems from their understanding of the clinical research. Education about other types of research would broaden students’ understanding that different types of acupuncture research serve different purposes to inform clinical practice:

• Basic Science: Explores the physiological mechanisms of acupuncture, including its effects on the fascial, cardiovascular, endocrine, respiratory, and nervous systems.
• Clinical Trials: Evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of specific acupuncture points or treatment protocols for conditions such as hypertension, pain and the side effects of chemotherapy.
• Qualitative Research: Captures patients’ subjective experiences, improvements in quality of life and enhanced well-being.
• Innovative Research Approaches: Adapting research methodology to better reflect the complexity and holistic nature of AHM (e.g., Taylor-Swanson, et al., 2023).⁸

By embracing a broad spectrum of research methodologies, students can appreciate how research can be conducted and applied to practice in ways that honor both biomedical and traditional frameworks.

4. Professional Standards: The Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM) requires AHM programs to include curriculum to “assess research, including hypothesis, design, and methods, both qualitative and quantitative; to describe the role and purposes of outcomes research to modify treatment plans and protocols using new information from current quantitative and qualitative research; and use evidence-based medicine and/or evidence-informed practice to improve the patient care process.”(ACAHM, 2024)⁹

While individual practitioners may hold varying views on the role of research in their practice, familiarity with the growing body of evidence will be essential for many, especially those practicing in integrative or hospital-based settings. Many will also see ways to integrate recent research findings into their treatment planning.

Next Steps

The SAR SIG-Edu is reaching out to interested AHM program leaders to convene a meeting focused on identifying their specific needs for improving research curricula. From this meeting, we will develop our plan for the coming year. Potential initiatives include creating educational presentations (e.g., Vimeo, YouTube, narrated PowerPoints, or podcasts) that programs can incorporate into existing courses, as well as offering support for developing new courses or strengthening current ones. Addressing the student concerns outlined above will be an important first step.

Editor’s Note: Article co-authored by SAR Special Interest Group in Education (SAR SIG-Edu) members Heidi Most, DAc, Dipl. Ac., chair; Belinda Anderson, PhD, MA (Ed.), DAc; Lisa Conboy, MA, MS, ScD; Rosaleen Ostrick, LAc, MPH, MA, MATCM, Dipl. OM; and Rosa Schnyer, DAOM.

References

1. Most H, Conboy L, Ostrick R, Anderson BJ. “Bringing greater research fluency into our educational vision”: a qualitative research study on improving Traditional Chinese Medicine research education. PLoS One, 2024;19(12):e0312083.
2. Conboy L, Most H, Ostrick R, Anderson B. A survey of acupuncture Chinese Herbal Medicine students to identify barriers to teaching and motivations to study acupuncture research. Med Acupunct, 2025 Feb 14;37(1):62-72.
3. Most H, Conboy L, Ostrick R, et al. Unpublished survey of AHM program leadership, 2025.
4. Wayne PM, Hammerschlag R, Savetsky-German J, Chapman TF. Attitudes and interests toward research among students at two colleges of acupuncture and Oriental medicine. Explore, 2010;6(1):22-28.
5. Anderson BJ, Kligler BE, Taylor B, et al. Survey of Chinese medicine students to determine research and evidence based medicine perspectives at Pacic College of Oriental Medicine. Explore, 2016;12(5):366-74.
6. Anderson BJ, Jurawanichkul S, Kligler BE, et al. Interdisciplinary relationship models for complementary and integrative health: perspectives of Chinese medicine practitioners in the United States. J Altern Complement Med, 2019;25(3):288-295.
7. Anderson BJ, Kligler BE, Taylor B, et al. Faculty survey to assess research literacy and evidence-informed practice interest and support at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. J Altern Complement Med, 2014;20(9):705-712.
8. Taylor-Swanson L, Rubin LH, Taromina K, et al. Describing Chinese herbal medicine telehealth care for symptoms related to infectious diseases such as COVID-19: a prospective, longitudinal, descriptive cohort study. Integr Med Res, 2020;9:100618.
9. Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (2024): Comprehensive Standards and Criteria. https://www.acahm.org/resources/comprehensive-standards-and-criteria/