"The BMC Pediatrics internship was one of the most important learning experiences I had at NESA. It was deeply satisfying to bring relief to children in pain, parents under stress and to newborns detoxing from maternal drug addiction."
Maria Broderick,
Student
Satellite Clinics
NESA serves the public by offering accessible acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine treatment at the NESA Clinic and at satellite locations in the Greater Boston area.
NESA satellite locations treat a variety of populations, including: those with substance abuse issues, the elderly and chronically ill, recent immigrants, adolescent and pediatric populations, the homeless and the socio-economically disadvantaged. There are also several clinics in Western medical settings where interns work closely with Western medical residents. Most of NESA's satellite clinics offer services at a reduced rate, on a sliding scale or completely free of charge, providing patients with affordable access to quality care.
Satellite clinics provide interns with opportunities to educate the public and other health care providers about acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Additionally, it allows NESA and its students to reach out and provide care to patients not normally afforded acupuncture and Chinese herbal medical care. These experiences help interns prepare to open their own clinical practices or join an integrated team in traditional Western medical settings.
Several of these locations are open to the public. For more information about any of these please contact the NESA Clinic at (617) 558-6372. A complete listing of NESA's satellite clinical opportunities is found below.
Boston Medical Center
Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
Boston, MA
NESA's affiliation with Boston Medical Center (BMC) began in the spring of 2004, when NESA opened a satellite clinic in the hospital to treat those receiving outpatient services. At this clinic, NESA interns treat a wide range of conditions in pediatric and adolescent patients referred through the BMC Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. In the fall of 2005, interns began offering services at the in-patient unit. Patients in this urban-based clinic are primarily Latino. Interns often treat victims of violent crime, those with work-related injuries, and individuals with chronic pain syndromes. Interns are exposed to an exciting and valuable multidisciplinary approach to patient care, with doctors and interns documenting their services in the same medical records.
Cambridge Health Alliance
Family Medicine Center
Malden, MA
NESA interns began working with Tufts University Family Medicine residents as part of a multidisciplinary health team serving the Malden area in the fall of 2003. The clinic, originally located at the Hallmark Health Center, moved to Cambridge Health Alliance in the summer of 2007. Interns treat many Southeast Asian and Latinos who have recently migrated. Patients are often referred for acupuncture treatment by the medical staff of the health center for a variety of ailments, although referral is not needed to make an appointment. NESA has two clinical shifts at this location, offering both Japanese style and Chinese style acupuncture treatments.
Dimock Community Health Center
Roxbury, MA
NESA began offering acupuncture treatments through the Dimock Community Health Center in 2001. Dimock is nationally recognized for providing outstanding primary health care, and it houses one of NESA's oldest and busiest clinics. After generous donations from Crane Herbs and others, NESA expanded to offer Chinese herbal medicine to patients of the clinic. As a leader in Boston's urban health care, the Dimock Center addresses the needs of a frequently under-served population, primarily African-American and Latino. Open to the public and operated on a donation basis, this clinic offers a public health approach to multifaceted and complex health issues facing these inner city populations.
Elder Service Plan of the North Shore
Lynn, MA
The satellite clinic at the Elder Service Plan of the North Shore (ESPNS) opened in the fall 2002. Interns at this clinic work as part of a multidisciplinary health team comprised of a primary care doctor, nurses, a physical therapist and a social worker providing care and comfort to a wide range of elderly men and women. ESPNS is a joint venture between the Lynn Community Health Center and Greater Lynn Senior Services. Appointments are only available to members of the PACE program.
Pathways to Wellness Health Resource Network
South End Community Health Center
Boston, MA
Formerly known as the AIDS Care Project - and now as Pathways to Wellness - this public health center was founded by a group of NESA graduates, and is known nationally for its clinical services and acupuncture research for people with HIV/AIDS. Open to the general public, including those with complicated chronic conditions, the clinic treats patients in a relaxed, supportive environment.
Roxbury Comprehensive Community Center
Roxbury, MA
This clinic is affiliated with the Behavioral Health Department and Adult Medicine Department of Roxbury Comprehensive Community Center. While the various departments within the health center system generate referrals for acupuncture, a referral is not necessary for treatment. In addition to treating the general public, interns also treat patients from the internal medicine, cardiac, dental, mental health and substance abuse departments. This is a very busy clinic serving the needs of a diverse community.
Lemuel Shattuck Hospital
Jamaica Plain, MA
This clinic is located in the Physical and Occupational Therapy departments of the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital and was opened in the summer of 2005. Current patients - both in-patient and out-patient - are referred by their primary care physicians in the Shattuck Hospital system. This active clinic sees patients from all walks of life, including the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, and with a wide range of medical conditions.
Winchester Family Medical Center
Wilmington, MA
The NESA clinic, in affiliation with Winchester Hospital, treats patients in this community health center on Saturdays. The facility offers a unique setting and treatment opportunities ina quiet space, overlooking wooded conservation land surrounding the hospital. Patients of all ages with health problems ranging from musculoskeletal ailments to internal medicine are treated here.
Newton, MA 02458