The Qi-Unity Report interviews Jason Wright, LAc

QUR: Kindly introduce yourself.

My name is Jason Wright. I am a licensed acupuncturist and have been in practice for 12 years. I have maintained private practices of Oriental medicine in Seattle, WA, Carbondale, CO, and Cortland, NY. I have taught classes at Bastyr University, the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine and currently teach in the School of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine at New York Chiropractic College (NYCC) in Seneca Falls, NY.

My wife, Julie, is a professional potter. We have a one year old daughter named Ruby.

QUR: How did you first become interested in AOM?

When I was in high school, I experienced some personal health issues that inspired me to investigate healthcare as a profession. I explored a variety of options including acupuncture, naturopathy, massage, and conventional medicine. Having a strong interest in simple living and self-sustenance, “natural medicine” strongly pulled my attention, and I was drawn to Bastyr College (now Bastyr University). While the naturopathic program initially drew me to Bastyr, it was eventually the AOM program that seemed to resonate most profoundly for me. The basis of the medicine in the laws of nature, coupled with acupuncture’s license-ability in New York State, were influential selling points. Once engaged in the study of Oriental medicine, I fell in love with it and have never regretted my professional path.

QUR: Did your experience in Brazil change the way you envisioned your future?

Being uncertain about my professional preferences immediately following high school, I opted to pursue a year abroad in Rotary International’s Youth Exchange program. I was not interested in beginning college without clear goals in mind, so upon graduation from high school I spent a year in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil. I spent my time in Brazil exploring the (foreign to me) country, culture, and my desires for future education. Through exposure to traditional herbal medicine use in Brazil, I was able to clarify my professional desires. I completed the year in South America with a relatively clear sense of what I wanted from college and what career I wanted to pursue. Once I returned to the U.S., I earnestly researched therapies within the field of “natural medicine.” I then enrolled in a science-based undergraduate educational track majoring in biology and chemistry, and I completed prerequisites for acceptance into the MSAOM program at Bastyr.

QUR: What was it like studying at Bastyr in the 90s?

When I studied at Bastyr (graduating in 1996), it was a little different from the university today. The college shared a public school building in Seattle with junior high school age students. The cafeteria at lunchtime was quite a conglomeration of 12 year olds running rampant and acupuncture & naturopathic students studying diligently. It was, and still is, a wonderful environment where individuals with a variety of approaches to healthcare come together to share their knowledge and skills. The exposure I gained to multiple modalities was an aspect of my education that many AOM schools cannot offer. As a student intern, then the first AOM resident, and eventually clinical faculty of the teaching clinic of Bastyr, I was exposed to a wide range of complicated clinical cases, and I left the school with a substantial grounding in the practice of Oriental medicine. I still continue to communicate with several of the faculty who were influential in my AOM education.

QUR: What is the focus of your current work?

Currently I work for the School of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine at NYCC where I teach acupuncture and herbal medicine courses, see patients in their community health center, instruct student interns, and coordinate the clinical education delivery for the AOM programs. I also have a love for plant medicine and have developed a beautiful Chinese medicinal herb garden on the campus of NYCC. We have eight large stone beds with a gorgeous flagstone patio to house dozens of varieties of medicinal plants that are taught in the Materia Medica courses. It is quite a resource and love of mine.

QUR: Do you think case report research will help to expand legitimacy in the AOM profession?

Acupuncture research is an ongoing challenge for our profession, especially with the continued expansion of our services into conventional healthcare settings such as hospitals. Insurance companies and conventional systems want research to justify the incorporation of AOM into their offerings. AOM does not fit easily into the randomized controlled studies model, thus funding for research and qualified researchers can be limited. It is up to us, as practitioners and teachers, to share reports of the results of our medicine. Case reports do accommodate the unique nature of our treatments and provide an avenue to convey the strength of our medicine while maintaining the integrity of its essence & spirit. So, yes, I do believe that all AOM students and practitioners should be well versed in the composition of professional publishable case reports. It is up to us to tell the story to support our medicine. The proof is out there; we need to be able to bring it forward.

QUR: Are there specific issues that affect acupuncture in New York you would like to discuss?

There are some exciting things happening currently in the state of New York. The biggest is a legislative effort spearheaded by the New York State Acupuncture Coalition (NYSAC). NYSAC is working through the state legislative process to achieve the following goals:

1. Amend the acupuncture license to acknowledge and protect the use of traditional herbal medicine for acupuncturists.
2. Include acupuncturists in mandatory reporting of child abuse.
3. Change the licensed acupuncturist representation on the NY State Acupuncture Board to include a higher percentage of licensed acupuncturists, bringing the board in line with other NYS professional boards.
4. Allow for an out of state, or country, visiting faculty instructor to maintain the legal right to perform acupuncture inside of an educational context.

All of these goals stand to strengthen the professional existence and scope of practice for acupuncturists within New Yorkstate, and hold New York legislation as an example for other states to follow. The School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine at NYCC is a strong supporter of these efforts as are numerous other schools, companies, and professional organizations. The amount of professional consensus in support of NYSAC has been impressive and inspiring.

QUR: As an educator, what do you see as upcoming challenges to young practitioners?

As I mentioned earlier, AOM practitioners are challenged to develop documentation and research that support the practice and integration of our medicine into mainstream healthcare. That has always been a challenge of AOM in the United States, and today the profession is substantially poised to enter the conventional system. Developing strong research studies and a plethora of case reports will be keys to raising the perception of legitimacy amongst conventional medical circles. Along with that, however, practitioners are further challenged by not neglecting any of the true personality and spirit of Oriental medicine in order to “sell it” to the West. Further, young practitioners are challenged with an aspect of Oriental medicine that I have always found particularly appealing. It is a field of thought and practice to which you can devote an entire lifetime of study without even scratching the surface. Never stop learning and loving the medicine!