Acus Foundation

ACUS FOUNDATION BRINGS LIFE-CHANGING MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE TO OUR NATION'S SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS. THEY TRAIN THE DOCTORS WHO TREAT THE PAIN.

1. IN 2022 WE WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO IN-PERSON TEACHING, AFTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIRTUAL AND HYBRID TEACHING DURING 2020-21. ALL OUR PRECEPTORS WERE INVITED TO BE ON-SITE FOR THIS YEARS PROGRAMMING. HOWEVER, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO OFFER THE STREAMLINED COURSE WITH LOCAL MENTORS AND CLINICAL PRECEPTORS AS NEEDED OR REQUESTED. THE ADAPTATIONS WE HAVE MADE CONSEQUENT TO THE PANDEMIC HAVE EVOKED REMARKABLE ENTHUSIASM AT THE VARIOUS AIR FORCE AND VA FACILITIES WHERE THE COURSES ARE DELIVERED.2. THE 2021-22 GRADUATING CLASS OF TWENTY-SIX INCLUDED 24 FAMILY MEDICINE PHYSICIANS FROM THE AIR FORCE AND 2 FROM THE VA OF SALT LAKE CITY. THEY COMPLETED THEIR FINAL COURSE UNIT IN FEBRUARY OF 2022, STUDYING MORE ADVANCED ENERGETIC WORK, PAIN MANAGEMENT OF JOINTS, TECHNIQUES FOR RELIEVING SCAR-RELATED COMPLAINTS, AND STRESS MANAGEMENT. THE STUDENTS SAW THEIR OWN ACUPUNCTURE PATIENTS IN CLINIC AND FINISHED THE UNIT BY DISCUSSING PATIENT CASES.3. ENROLLMENT OF THE 2022-23 CLASS, OUR LARGEST TO DATE WITH 32 STUDENTS, WAS COMPLETED IN THE SUMMER OF 2022. THE FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENTS COME FROM FOUR BASES AND THE VA OF LAS VEGAS. THIS CLASS IS LEARNING WITH OUR NEW 200-HOUR PROGRAM AND HAS COMPLETED TWO OF THE THREE COURSE MODULES. THEY HAVE ALREADY LEARNED 18 DIFFERENT TREATMENTS, COVERING ACUTE PAIN AND FIRST AID, CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENTS FOR PSYCHO-EMOTIONAL CONDITIONS.4. THE 2022 CLASS WILL COMPLETE THEIR FINAL COURSE UNIT IN FEBRUARY 2023, AND THE FOLLOWING GROUP WILL BEGIN IN THE AUTUMN OF 2023. WE ARE WORKING TO ADD ONE AIR FORCE FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCE SITE IN 2023.5. AT THE 2022 ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE, DR. JOSEPH HELMS DELIVERED THE KEYNOTE ADDRESS ON FINDING AND TREATING THE PROBLEM BEHIND THE PROBLEM AND RECEIVED A STANDING OVATION.6. WE ARE LEARNING OF THE RESTORATION OF HOPE AND COMMITMENT AMONG PHYSICIANS, MANY OF WHOM HAD CONSIDERED LEAVING MEDICINE BEFORE TAKING OUR TRAINING. THESE DOCTORS ANTICIPATE MANY YEARS OF EXPLORING WHAT THEY CAN ACHIEVE WITH MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE.7. THE RESEARCH ACUS SPONSORS IS EXTENDED ACROSS SEVERAL MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. PAUL CRAWFORD, M.D. CONTINUES TO CONDUCT A LONG-TERM SLEEP STUDY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ACUPUNCTURE IN TREATING INSOMNIA AND THIS RESEARCH CONTINUES TODAY.8. ACUS RECEIVED A SIGNIFICANT GRANT IN 2022 FROM THE WEIL FOUNDATION IN SUPPORT OF OUR TRAINING PROGRAMS AND OUR EFFORTS TO INTEGRATE MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE INTO PRIMARY CARE.