More Than 400 Attend Great River Symposium at Northwestern Health Sciences University

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. —More than 400 acupuncturists and students attended the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MCAOM) Eighth Annual Great River Symposium March 28-30.

One of the main attractions this year was world renowned speaker Richard T. Tan, OMD, LAc. Tan lectured about the Balance Method and his own Strategy of 12 Magical Points, which is used to treat multifaceted disorders.

Mark McKenzie, LAc, MCAOM dean, said Tan’s seminar as well as continued excellence at this event drew the record attendance.

“It’s the fact we have Dr. Tan and his strong name recognition,” McKenzie said. “Also, what you get for the price is amazing. I have heard that from a lot of people.”

Joann Pepperell of Blue Poppy Enterprises based in Boulder, Colo., has been a vendor at the event for several years. “It’s always a good show for us,” Pepperell said. “You guys do a great job of getting people here. It’s a friendly show.”

With a more than 150-attendee gain from last year, McKenzie said it’s obvious how much drastic growth the profession has experienced.

“It’s very exciting to see 400 acupuncturists in Minneapolis attending a conference,” he said. “It’s amazing given where the profession was 20 years ago.”

Patricia Culliton, MA, LAc, was one of the first in Minnesota to talk about acupuncture. She was presented with the Outstanding Service Award at the Symposium. Culliton had to travel to Asia for school and now works to promote the profession.

“From the fetal ultrasound to going away to college – that’s how much it’s grown,” she said. “The growth has been beautiful to watch and to be a part of.”

Culliton said as the baby boomer generation grows older, alternative medicine is becoming an option for those who always questioned authority and are active in their own health care.

“The growth of Chinese medicine is partly due to the changing demographics of Americans,” Culliton said. “It’s also a statement to the value of the medicine.”

Student scholarships were awarded at the March 29 luncheon. Stefanie Beniek, T5, and Andrew Fritsch, T8, were selected as Diane Diegel Scholarship winners and given $500 each. Jolene Habeck, T5, and Amanda Krmpotich, T8, were selected as winners of the $1,000 Healy Family Memorial Scholarships; and Hilary Patzer, T5, was awarded the $500 Alumni Association Scholarship.

For Amanda Troelsen, a 2007 MCAOM graduate, the Symposium is something she looks forward to as a reason to return to Northwestern.

“It’s really fun coming back for the Great River,” she said. “It’s like one big reunion.”

Northwestern Health Sciences University offers a wide array of choices in natural health care education including chiropractic, Oriental medicine, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, human biology, and integrative health and wellness. The University has more than 900 full-time students on a 25-acre campus in Bloomington, Minn.