Started in January of 2002, the Acupuncture Institute is without competition, the newest department on campus, which is not a surprise as the entire study of acupuncture has been virtually unknown to the western world until 1972 when President Nixon visited China. The introduction of this ancient far eastern practice to the western hemisphere was initiated when Nixon’s press secretary, who had accompanied him to China, underwent treatment to relieve pain that occurred to him while over there. Upon return, the news spread through the New York Times and throughout the media of this marvelous new healing practice. The first school to offer acupuncture in the United States was the New England School of Acupuncture in 1976 and currently there are 53 schools in the country that have programs in the study. The process of inserting fine needles into specific areas of the body can have wondrous effects in relieving pain and sickness by creating and the balancing of Qi (pronounced “chee”) as the Asian developers say.
Unfortunately for the relatively new institute, enrollment has actually declined from 54 to 37 in the past few years. According to the director Dr. Jennifer Brett, the reason for the decline has been due to lack of advertising and recruitment due to the inability to receive accreditation for the department. However, that accreditation was acquired last year and enrollment will hopefully be back up soon.
The facilities of the Acupuncture Institute include at present three clinics. The first and main one is on campus with eight separate rooms in Warner Hall (Health Center) for treatments. The other two are in Soundshore Hospital in New Russell, New York and Hartford Hospital. In order to complete the program, the students must complete 750 hours of clinic time over one and a half years. 650 of these hours are completed in the on-campus clinic and 100 are spent in the two off-campus locations. The clinics are open to all UB students free of charge or to non-students at a fee of $35 for the first visit and $25 for each returning visit. The sessions average about an hour each and are performed by trained students of the institute under the supervision of licensed clinicians.
As far as conditions that are treatable by acupuncture therapy, the list is a long one. The unique Asian practice helps persons with conditions ranging from to everyday stress to arthritis and other mobility problems, to fertility problems, and much more. Basically, almost anything you have got from everyday aches and pains to chronic illnesses can be treated with acupuncture. So why not stop by for a relaxing treatment and experience not just one of the newest schools at UB but one of the newest and most revolutionary medical practices of the western world.If you would like to hear about upcoming changes in your college email your request to John at scribe@bridgeport.edu
University of Bridgeport
Monday, July 14, 2025