MCPHS acquires acupuncture school

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By Emily Micucci

MCPHS University has branched into a new area of study after acquiring the New England School of Acupuncture (NESA) in Newton, according to a statement issued Tuesday.

Under the deal, which was finalized Monday, NESA will retain its name but fall under the MCPHS umbrella after a formal process is completed. For now, MCPHS has taken over by becoming the sole member of the NESA Corp. The Newton campus will also be maintained for the foreseeable future, the statement from MCPHS said.

As a result of the acquisition, MCPHS, which has a campus in downtown Worcester, will add two degree programs to its current list of 65, according to Charles F. Monahan Jr., president of MCPHS.

NESA offers master’s degrees in acupuncture and acupuncture and oriental medicine. Students can tailor their programs to match their interests by choosing from among several track options.

Monahan said breaking into the realm of acupuncture will be a learning experience for MCPHS.

“We’re very excited that we’ve taken it over,” Monahan said.

Acupuncture turns mainstream

According to Monahan, holistic medicine is a $20 billion industry and many MCPHS students are interested in it. He said that as MCPHS explored acquiring NESA, he was struck by the prevalence of holistic medicine employed by the major hospitals in the region, particularly in pain clinics and cancer centers. Meanwhile, alternative medicines are becoming more commonplace on pharmacy shelves.

“This certainly is a health science, both acupuncture and holistic medicine,” Monahan said.

Founded in 1975, NESA was the nation’s first school of acupuncture, according to MCPHS. NESA operates a Chinese Herbal Dispensary and Professional Clinic at its Newton campus, as well as satellite clinics at several Boston hospitals and health centers, treating more than 20,000 annually.

In a statement released last month when the two schools announced they were looking to merge, NESA President Susan L. Gorman said combining with MCPHS would further integrate acupuncture and oriental medicine into mainstream medicine.

“MCPHS is located in the center of Boston's Longwood Area, known for its innovative medical research, teaching and clinical practice. Together, we will become the largest institution of integrative healthcare programs in the United States,” Gorman said.

Worcester expansion ongoing

MCPHS’s Worcester campus, which serves 1,500 students, is growing after the school announced plans in 2012 to expand over six years period in 2012. At the time, MCPHS said it needed to accommodate growing demand for its programs, as it was expecting the size of its student body to nearly double in that period.

The school offers undergraduate, professional and graduate degrees in pharmacy; nursing; physician assistant studies; optometry; physical therapy; radiological sciences; and premedical and health studies, among many other health care programs.

MCPHS has another campus in Manchester, N.H.

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