Dongcheng Li, AP, EdD, Dipl. OM

Dr. Dongcheng Li, a Florida-licensed acupuncture physician, is a fifth-generation TCM practitioner who trained and studied in China from an early age, earning a medical degree in TCM and master’s degree in Chinese medicine. He came to the U.S. in 2007 and earned another master’s degree (exercise physiology at the University of Texas at Arlington, follwed by a doctoral degree in education at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Li has published nearly 10 books, and teaches acupuncture board licensing exam preparation classes in the U.S. and China.

Previous Articles

Understanding the Challenges of U.S. Acupuncture Practice  (Pt. 8)
January 2024 (Vol. 25, Issue 1)
Understanding the Challenges of U.S. Acupuncture Practice (Pt. 7)
December 2023 (Vol. 24, Issue 12)
Understanding the Challenges of U.S. Acupuncture Practice (Pt. 6)
November 2023 (Vol. 24, Issue 11)
Understanding the Challenges of U.S. Acupuncture Practice (Pt. 5)
October 2023 (Vol. 24, Issue 10)
Understanding the Challenges of U.S. Acupuncture Practice (Pt. 4)
September 2023 (Vol. 24, Issue 09)
Understanding the Challenges of U.S. Acupuncture Practice (Pt. 3)
August 2023 (Vol. 24, Issue 08)
Understanding the Challenges of U.S. Acupuncture Practice (Pt. 1)
June 2023 (Vol. 24, Issue 06)
Trending
News / Profession
Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution: China’s New National Standard
Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution

On April 1, 2026, China implemented a landmark national standard: Classification and Determination of TCM Constitution. Although designated as a recommended rather than mandatory standard, it represents a major step in modernizing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by converting traditional constitution theory into a clear, measurable and clinically practical framework. By clarifying the relationship between constitution, disease, and pattern differentiation, the standard strengthens professional credibility, supports research, and enhances patient-centered treatment.

Ann Y Wang, CMD (China), LAc
News / Profession
Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change
Profession at a Crossroads: What Must Change

The field of acupuncture in the U.S. continues to grow in visibility, patient demand and clinical effectiveness. Yet behind the curtain, many acupuncturists are quietly struggling to keep their doors open. While the profession is rooted in centuries of healing tradition, modern economic pressures – particularly those driven by insurance limitations, low reimbursement rates and job-market saturation – are making it increasingly difficult for licensed acupuncturists to thrive.

Shabnam Pourhassani, LAc, QME, DACM
Acupuncture & Acupressure
It’s Time to Stop Prescribing Points
It's Time to Stop Prescribing Points

A student stands over a patient, needle poised. They have a “perfect” prescription: a textbook combination of points harvested from a lecture slide on chronic lower back pain. But as the needle meets the skin, the student hesitates - the symptom of a quiet habit that has taken hold of our profession. We routinely say we “prescribe” points. It sounds efficient. It echoes the authority of biomedical culture and fits neatly into the insurance field. But vocabulary is never neutral; repeated long enough, it dictates behavior.

Bruce W. Park, DACM