Emma Rengel

On January 29, 2024, I conducted a Zoom interview with Dr. Dennis Moseman, the dean of the New England School of Acupuncture (NESA) at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS). The focus of this interview was to gain further knowledge about NESA at MCPHS and what this university has to offer. The goal was to not only learn more about the programs, faculty, and staff but also to learn about what lies at the heart of this acupuncture school.

The first question I asked Dean Moseman was, “What programs does NESA at MCPHS offer?” The dean shared a list of all the various programs:

• Master of Acupuncture (MAC)
• Master of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine (MAC CHM)
• Doctor of Acupuncture (DAC)
• Doctor of Acupuncture Degree Completion Program
• Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies Chinese Herbal Medicine (CAGS)
• Certificate in Japanese Acupuncture Studies

He stated that NESA at MCPHS is always looking to expand and diversify its program offerings.

Next, we discussed the values of merging with MCPHS and what makes NESA at MCPHS different from other acupuncture universities. Dean Moseman talked about the importance of the fact that the merger of MCPHS and NESA brought together two historically rich schools. In the United States, MCPHS is the second oldest pharmacy school and NESA is the longest continually operating school of acupuncture. In 2023, MCPHS celebrated its 200th anniversary, and in 2025, NESA will celebrate its 50th anniversary. MCPHS is also the most comprehensive health science university in the United States.

Dean Moseman emphasized the value of NESA gaining access to the vast resources that MCPHS has to offer its programs. MCPHS utilizes its financial resources to provide high-quality education and services to its students, as well as quality support to its faculty and staff. The university has state-of-the-art facilities and technology. Student resources include, but are not limited to: the Center for Academic Success and Enrichment (CASE), Office of Student Access and Accommodations (OSAA), Financial Services, the Career Development Center, and access to comprehensive library resources.

Interprofessional education and collaboration is another resource that was gained with the merger. Students are given the opportunity to learn with and about other professions. Interprofessional events are held on campus, where students from different schools can collaborate and work together.

This integrative approach gives students a broader view of the healthcare world. Dean Moseman stated: “We have our roots and our history in Traditional Chinese Medicine, but we are also well aware that we need to be integrated within the biomedical healthcare model to really effect change.”

Dean Moseman was proud to share the wide variety of clinical placements that NESA at MCPHS has to offer. In addition to the Treatment Center on campus, students will have clinical rotations at one or more hospital settings. Students may be placed at Boston Medical Center (BMC) Family Medicine, BMC Pediatrics, BMC Internal Medicine, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, UMass Memorial Hahnemann Family Health Center, or the Cambridge Health Alliance.

The university also has an affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic, the world’s first integrated international health system. Students can apply for a 1-week immersive experience assisting an acupuncturist at the Cleveland Clinic.

NESA at MCPHS has an innovative curriculum that goes beyond the basic acupuncture training. Built into the program is the Acupuncture Integrative Pain Management curriculum.

This pain management program starts on day 1 and continues through the masters program and even into the doctoral program. Students will complete courses in Integrated Anatomy and Acupuncture Integrative Pain Management.

They will then be able to practice these skills in a clinical setting. Dean Moseman said:“Acupuncture does a lot, but we know that it is effective in treating pain and so we feel like we would be remiss if we weren’t teaching our students how to really treat pain from an integrative perspective because that is what is happening out in the world.”

In addition, NESA at MCPHS has comprehensive Japanese Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine concentrations. Students can choose to enter either or both of these tracks.

The Japanese Acupuncture track is a series of 5 courses supported by clinical rotations. This ensures that the students obtain the knowledge and skills necessary to treat using the Japanese style of acupuncture. The Chinese Herbal Medicine track is a series of 11 courses with hands-on clinical experiences working in the herbal dispensary and treatment center. After the completion of this track, students will be eligible to sit for the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) Chinese Herbology board examination.

Since I have attended NESA at MCPHS myself, I was intrigued to hear what Dean Moseman’s thoughts were about the faculty and staff. He shared that NESA at MCPHS has a set of engaged and supportive faculty and staff. The faculty is a group of seasoned practitioners with extensive knowledge of theory and years of clinical experience practicing in the field. Dean Moseman said he believes each of the faculty members is “dedicated to the profession and educating the next generation of acupuncturists because they know how powerful this medicine is.” They are “compassionate, kind, supportive, and nurturing”. Dean Moseman stated: “I think we have a faculty who care about our students and go the extra mile to make sure they get what they need, and that is true of the staff as well.” The faculty listen to student feedback and implement changes so that they can provide the best education possible to help the students become the best they can be. Each member of the staff works hard to make sure that the faculty, students, visitors, and patients at the Treatment Center feel welcome and supported. They are dedicated to maintaining the building’s cleanliness, safety, and organization. If a student ever has a question, a staff member is there to help.

Next, I decided to ask Dean Moseman what the school was looking for when accepting students.

He stated, “I like to look at the big picture with students. I don’t know that there is one model that makes a good acupuncture student. Someone who wants to make a difference is really important.” Dean Moseman expressed that a prospective student should be compassionate, caring, and empathetic. He stated that he continues to enjoy conducting interviews because he likes to hear the students’ stories and what brought them to apply to NESA. Dean Moseman explained how important it is that a prospective student must be dedicated to the course of study and understand the rigor of the acupuncture curriculum. The student needs to be aware of what it means to excel in an acupuncture program both academically and otherwise.

Because this medicine originated outside of the United States, I wanted to find out more information for international students. With input from the International Students Office at MCPHS, Dean Moseman shared that the student body of NESA at MCPHS is composed of 15% international students. They have a long history of international student enrollment specifically for healthcare and health sciences education, and are in the top 10 specialty institutions in the US for hosting international students (IIE Open Doors Report 2023). This experience shapes the expertise with which they have designed their support structures and welcoming policies that safeguard international student integration, support, and success in the university and in their career networking after graduation, making them one of the foremost institutions of international healthcare education in the world.

Some of the key offerings in support of international students include:

• Equal tuition for US citizens and international students
• Scholarships for international students
• Immigration support services
• In-house foreign transcript expertise
• Study/Service Abroad opportunities for international students

Dean Moseman stated： “I would love to have a more diverse student body. I encourage students from all around the world to explore this amazing field of acupuncture. The United States is a diverse country and it needs practitioners from diverse backgrounds to serve those communities.”

Next, I asked the dean what the university’s hopes are for students as they go through the program. Dean Moseman shared that the university’s goal is to make sure that the students feel supported throughout the program and that they feel ready to enter into professional practice. The statement of purpose for NESA at MCPHS is: “Train and inspire future generations of acupuncturists to create a healthier world as independent health care providers in various clinical settings.”

Finally, I asked if there was anything exciting to look forward to in the future.

Dean Moseman shared that NESA will be having its 50th anniversary in 2025. NESA looks forward to celebrating this great milestone with its faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the greater MCPHS community. Dean Moseman then shared some final thoughts as we ended the interview. He stated that he hopes “through quality acupuncture education and training, we are graduating acupuncture professionals that can meaningfully contribute to the advancement of the acupuncture practice in the United States”.

Author information:

Emma Rengel DAc, MEd, Lic. Ac.

A full-time acupuncturist at Mass General Brigham Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover, NH.