Medical acupuncture is an evidence-based approach to acupuncture practiced by licensed physicians who have completed additional, rigorous training in acupuncture science and techniques. Because it is practiced by medical doctors, medical acupuncture integrates modern biomedical knowledge—such as anatomy, physiology, neurology, and pain science—with the therapeutic principles of acupuncture.

Physician acupuncturists evaluate patients through a conventional medical lens first, using diagnosis, imaging, and laboratory findings when appropriate. Acupuncture is then applied as part of a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to the patient’s medical condition.