Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine Student Clinic

I went regularly to the student clinic because it offers affordable treatment with student acupuncturists supervised by professionals. I was really hopeful and gave it a long run, but in the end, I had to move on. There were tons of sweet professionals there. However, they seemed rather unorganized. I never seemed to see the same person but random people every week. The treatments were unpredictable as well – all over the map. I’ve been to student clinics many, many times, and overall, didn’t care for the way this one was run. I understand they are students, but with the other ones I went to there was little less chaos and unpredictability. I could schedule with certain students, and it was like they were my acupuncturist. We would have a treatment plan, and they were basically just supervised and corrected if they were off base. I’m sure they were still experimenting at the other clinics, but it was more in the context of a student learning what it was like to have regular clients. At ATOM, sometimes, I felt like an actual experiment. I might come in hoping for a regular treatment and end up the experiment of a visiting lecturer complete with pictures of the «amazing»…actually let down… treatment. I’m not sure if there was a way to schedule with the same student, but then I never had enough of an amazing experience with a student to make a connection enough to push the point. At one of the other school’s clinics in a different town, I made connections more than once with excellent emerging acupuncturists. It seemed like overall the technique at the other school was more reliable. I hate saying that because personality wise, I met a lot of great students at ATOM.
I really wished it could have gone better, but part of what I get from acupuncture is peace, and the clinic made me anxious with all the chaos.
P. S. Parking is a bit of a bear with no actual parking lot and needing to park with quarters or in a parking garage. Plus, there are lots of vagrants around. I wouldn’t trust going there at night. And that adds to the anxiety, wondering if you put enough money into your parking. Since acupuncture (especially with students) can take a varying amount of time, that is another anxiety factor with the experience. And then also worrying about the homeless approaching you as well.