Blog

Reflections After Ten Days of Dissection

These past ten days have been intense, humbling, and deeply rewarding. Hosting this dissection course has been an honour—one that reminds me why this work matters so much. To the students: thank you. Many of you traveled from far and wide, leaving behind your homes, your practices, and your routines to be here. You didn’t just make a geographic journey—you made a personal one. Your dedication to learning, growth, and clinical excellence is what gives this course life. To Dr. Poney Chiang: this marks a decade of working together (not counting the pandemic break). Your mentorship, leadership, and passion for merging acupuncture with anatomical precision have been the driving force behind this program. I would not have taken on this role without your encouragement. Thank you for believing in this vision. And most importantly, to the donors: you are the true teachers. Your decision to donate your body to science […]

Why Acupuncturists Need to Be Anatomists: The Story Behind iDissect.ca

After more than three decades in practice, I’ve come to realize something fundamental — something that has shaped the way I treat, teach, and now, dissect:Acupuncturists need to be anatomists. As practitioners of East Asian medicine, we’re trained to think in meridians, patterns, and energetics. We palpate for point tenderness, assess pulses, observe tongues. And while all of that is vital, it doesn’t negate the fact that our needles move through very real anatomical structures: skin, fascia, muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. This dual awareness — of energetic theory and anatomical reality — has become the foundation of how I practice and teach. And it’s the reason I created iDissect.ca. Bringing Anatomy to Life for Acupuncturists This summer, I’ll be hosting a 10-day hands-on dissection course at the University of Toronto, using soft-embalmed cadavers that preserve the natural tone, color, and texture of real human tissue. This isn’t just an academic exercise. It’s an opportunity to see what […]

What Does Acupuncture Actually Do? Here’s What You Need to Know

You’ve probably heard someone say, “You should try acupuncture for that.” Whether it’s back pain, stress, migraines, or fertility challenges, acupuncture is often recommended—but what does it actually do? Let’s explore how acupuncture works, what it does in the body, and why so many people are turning to this ancient practice to support modern health. Acupuncture in a Nutshell Acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and involves inserting very thin, sterile needles into specific points on the body. These points lie along channels called meridians, which are thought to be pathways for the flow of Qi (pronounced “chee”), or vital energy. When your Qi is flowing freely, you feel healthy and balanced. But when Qi is blocked or deficient, symptoms like pain, fatigue, or illness can arise. Acupuncture’s goal is to restore balance and promote the body’s natural healing ability. What Acupuncture Does—According to Both Eastern and Western […]