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.
Aram Akopyan, MD, LAc
Dr. Aram A. Akopyan, a licensed acupuncturist in California, holds advanced degrees in computer science, information technology and TCM. He completed his clinical residency at the Sichuan Academy of TCM in China and subsequently earned his qualifications for medical doctor (MD), specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. He serves as the clinical director for Nepal Pain Relief; and is the director of communications for the European Traditional Chinese Medicine Association (ETCMA). As chair of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Task Force for the NCCAOM, Dr. Akopyan spearheads initiatives to incorporate artificial intelligence into acupuncture for enhanced patient care.