17/07/2025
25 years
Iโm not one for stopping and reflecting (always planning and looking forward) but Iโll make an exception today. 17th July 2025 marks 25 years of practicing acupuncture.
I graduated on Saturday 15th July 2000, after a challenging and rigorous 4 years of training. I already had patients lined up for the Monday morning of the 17th, this meant I had to drive my college certificate to the BAcC headquarters in west London on the Sunday, post a copy through their letter box asking for membership and insurance to start the following morning (nothing like being keen to get going!).
It has been an amazing career and journey which has taught me so much about people, life and most importantly myself. I had no idea when I started that I would end up as a Joint-Principal at the college in which I trained, or that I would be taken down the road of academia, doing a PGCE at the University of Brighton, and becoming External Examiner for the University of Kingston. Other interesting projects included working with the Department of Health on a pilot using acupuncture for โPersonal Health Budgetsโ and speaking in the House of Commons regarding this. Appearing on BBC radio as a spokesperson was another new experience.
I will raise a glass this evening to all the patients I have seen over the years. I can honestly say the thrill of watching people get better has never diminished in 25 years. On with the journey!