What Is The Evidence For Acupuncture?
Acupuncture, it’s just a placebo - right? Wrong! There is a growing body of evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture and the NCA has been at the heart of this movement.
The growing evidence
It’s vital for the continuing development and credibility of our profession that we can answer our critics with scientific proof of the evidence for acupuncture. The evidence is growing and each year new pioneering research studies are published from all over the world - and some at our back door! Our BSc Acupuncture Course Lead Karen Charlesworth recently completed her PhD researching the benefits of acupuncture and nutrition for patients with atrial fibrillation.
Find out more about research at the Northern College of Acupuncture
Our graduate - the brilliant Mel Hopper-Koppelman - runs the organisation Evidence Based Acupuncture - check this out!
Research at the NCA
The NCA’s commitment to the evidence base was embedded by our co-founder and first Principal Hugh MacPherson. Hugh’s work, through his role of Professor in Acupuncture Research at the University of York, had global impact in helping acupuncture gain credibility beyond our profession. Hugh sadly passed away in 2020, but his legacy created our robust research culture and we have graduates conducting and publishing their own research all over the UK and beyond.
Check out our graduates’ research
Becoming a “research literate” practitioner
You will be engaging with research throughout your course which will enthuse and enlighten you about the value of being a “research literate practitioner”. You will learn to understand and interpret up-to-date clinical evidence and bring this to the treatment of your patients. The research teaching will also enable you to engage with patients and other healthcare professionals about research issues in a well-informed and confident way.
The Graduate Perspective
Kimberley Shepherd - graduate
"I was sick, tired and slogging away in a corporate marketing position and everyone around me seemed like grey, lifeless machines and I knew I aspired to more! After some deep soul searching, I reflected on a bigger passion and purpose, to help others reclaim their health and overcome these challenges on a physical, mental and emotional level. Acupuncture saved my life when suffering with a chronic health condition at just the age of 20 so instinctively I knew that this was the modality that I wanted to pursue. I’d already made my decision about what I was going to do when I visited different colleges, but the NCA made it very easy for me. They presented their course structure as being a fusion of Western and Eastern medicine which is something I was adamant I wanted to do. I wanted a degree level course that had a strong reputation, that trained people to the highest level and would graduate me as a reputable healthcare practitioner. Whilst this was my second degree, I wasn’t overly academic in the traditional sense so I resonated with the way in which NCA structured the course as a combination of hands on, lectures both in person and online, and traditional academia. My cohort was a beautiful mix of people from all different backgrounds, it was so refreshing to spend time with people that were on the same page as me. And the lecturers were always very approachable when needing help which was a huge difference, I found, to a traditional university setting.
When I finished my training I had an amazing opportunity to travel to Nepal with my acu buddy working for a organisation called the “Barefoot Doctor” treating people in need in the countryside.
When I returned I set up my practice in Sheffield which has grown and developed over the years. My practice is now called Life and Lemons and I specialise in women’s health and fertility. I love every working day – it is so satisfying to help women with all sorts of conditions."
