making a living

January 5, 2007

As a former student of Todd's and a relatively new practitioner, I

couldn't help but add my two cents on this topic. First, I agree

with Kip that part of the problem with people fresh out of school is

that they are not prepared to become entrepreneurs. No one likes the

idea of sales, yet that is what we have to do. We can't sit and wait

for patients to come to us. WE ARE WRONG when we assume that people

know that they have acupuncture as an option for treatment of many

of their problems. Most people have no clue about our medicine.

People are awe-struck when I tell stories of fibroid tumors

shrinking, nightsweats disappearing, mnstrual cycles regulating.

People know we treat back pain. That's it.

So people who are whining that they can't make a living, STOP!

It is our responsibility to let everyone around us know what we are

capable of, what choices they have. This is not selling snake oil.

This is patient education. Since we don't have the budgets that the

big pharm do to market our product, we need to pound pavement, give

lectures, etc. If you don't want to do this, maybe choose another

career. If you don't mind doing this, then this is an awesome,

exciting field to be in.

I am sad that Todd feels that this career choice was a mistake for

him. I am one of many students who learned a lot from him. And I

make use of this knowledge on a daily basis. My patients are

benefitting from Todd's knowledge every day.

If anybody is struggling and would like to do something about it,

call me and I would be glad to talk you through it. There are plenty

of ways you can build your practice.

Sara Poldmae

Meadow Hill Wellness

Annapolis, MD 21401

443.433.5535

January 5, 2007

Sara,

I couldn't agree with you more.

I practice out of an integrated medical clinic on a small gulf island close to

Vancouver, B.C.

( I am actually following in the foot steps of the last acupuncturist to

practice here, Mr

Roger Langrick (author of the Needle Game), if any one knows of him)The

population here

is roughly 2500 full time residents. Hard to make a living with CM alone, but

since I know

and see alot of the community on a regular basis I do agree that most people

have no clue

what CM is or what it is good for, besides just shoulder pain. Education is

essential. If I

am not out educating people in the shopping centre line up or teaching a lecture

I am not

getting clients. The two MD's in the clinic where I work now refer the odd

patient to me,

but I have to educate them all the time. The MD's are too busy to take the time

to seek out

the so called alternatives and read all the research papers produced. I have to

go to them.

There is still a lot of ground work to be done with our profession, so that the

general

public knows that they have options. This is exciting and exhausting work, but

ESSENTIAL.

And to all you baby boomer practitoners that have come before me, I am deeply

greatful

for all your work. You have built the foundation that has made it possible for

people like

me to even consider learning about and practicing CM. Your legacy to the world

of both

practioner and patient is massive.

Sincerely,

Trevor

, " preventionhealth " <spoldmae

wrote:

>

> As a former student of Todd's and a relatively new practitioner, I

> couldn't help but add my two cents on this topic. First, I agree

> with Kip that part of the problem with people fresh out of school is

> that they are not prepared to become entrepreneurs. No one likes the

> idea of sales, yet that is what we have to do. We can't sit and wait

> for patients to come to us. WE ARE WRONG when we assume that people

> know that they have acupuncture as an option for treatment of many

> of their problems. Most people have no clue about our medicine.

> People are awe-struck when I tell stories of fibroid tumors

> shrinking, nightsweats disappearing, mnstrual cycles regulating.

> People know we treat back pain. That's it.

>

> So people who are whining that they can't make a living, STOP!

>

> It is our responsibility to let everyone around us know what we are

> capable of, what choices they have. This is not selling snake oil.

> This is patient education. Since we don't have the budgets that the

> big pharm do to market our product, we need to pound pavement, give

> lectures, etc. If you don't want to do this, maybe choose another

> career. If you don't mind doing this, then this is an awesome,

> exciting field to be in.

>

> I am sad that Todd feels that this career choice was a mistake for

> him. I am one of many students who learned a lot from him. And I

> make use of this knowledge on a daily basis. My patients are

> benefitting from Todd's knowledge every day.

>

> If anybody is struggling and would like to do something about it,

> call me and I would be glad to talk you through it. There are plenty

> of ways you can build your practice.

>

> Sara Poldmae

> Meadow Hill Wellness

> Annapolis, MD 21401

> 443.433.5535

>

January 5, 2007

That was my experience as well. I always tell students that the next

generation or two of acupuncturist/herbalists have a second full time job

educating the general population about our skill set. As a result of

constantly talking about ac/herb for the wide variety of problems we can

treat, I treat a wide array of problems. If I hadn't done this, I'd be

seeing back pain.

Mark Reese

_____

On Behalf Of Trevor Erikson

Friday, January 05, 2007 4:56 PM

Re: making a living

Sara,

I couldn't agree with you more.

I practice out of an integrated medical clinic on a small gulf island close

to Vancouver, B.C.

( I am actually following in the foot steps of the last acupuncturist to

practice here, Mr

Roger Langrick (author of the Needle Game), if any one knows of him)The

population here

is roughly 2500 full time residents. Hard to make a living with CM alone,

but since I know

and see alot of the community on a regular basis I do agree that most people

have no clue

what CM is or what it is good for, besides just shoulder pain. Education is

essential. If I

am not out educating people in the shopping centre line up or teaching a

lecture I am not

getting clients. The two MD's in the clinic where I work now refer the odd

patient to me,

but I have to educate them all the time. The MD's are too busy to take the

time to seek out

the so called alternatives and read all the research papers produced. I have

to go to them.

There is still a lot of ground work to be done with our profession, so that

the general

public knows that they have options. This is exciting and exhausting work,

but ESSENTIAL.

And to all you baby boomer practitoners that have come before me, I am

deeply greatful

for all your work. You have built the foundation that has made it possible

for people like

me to even consider learning about and practicing CM. Your legacy to the

world of both

practioner and patient is massive.

Sincerely,

Trevor

@ <%40>