We recently connected with Dr. Edison Tai and have shared our conversation below.

Dr. Edison, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

Tell us the story of the early days from when you decided to start your own firm/practice to establishing the practice.

My name is Edison Tai, I am a licensed Acupuncturist, I am from Taiwan, a country that inherits Chinese culture. My family in Taiwan is a Chinese medicine family. I have fifteen cousins, 11 out of them are medical doctors. Therefore, practice Chinese medicine is what I did since I was a child. when I grow up, I work in a big hospital fitness department, I help weak patient rehab, and also get a personal trainer certification. In 2010, I apply to a university in Daphne, Alabama, to study a doctoral program in Sports Management. That’s how I combine my medical knowledge and my exercise science background. In 2012, I got a job in Denver, Colorado, That’s a big and famous sports nutrition company, and my job is to do research with elite professional athletes and publish the results as research papers in medical journals. When I work there, I also got my Ph.D. degree in 2013. During that time, I saw many professional athletes got injured in their athlete careers and cannot overcome injury. I want to help them as I did in Taiwan hospital, but according to American law, I cannot do anything because I am just a researcher rather than a legal medical practitioner, even I know how to do it. This is the main reason why I decided to get a medical license to help people. According to my knowledge and family background, an acupuncture license is my best choice. Now I can help people who needed, and I want to bring real Chinese Medicine to the U.S.
It’s not easy for me to open my own clinic, how to educated people and let them know acupuncture is not only inserting the needle into a patient’s body, is a part of Chinese medicine, which include using Moxibustion and Chinese herbs medicine, also it is holistic medicine, we treat people, make people healthy, rather than treat a specific disease. In addition, it takes more time to let the patient know acupuncture is a natural therapy, it helps people to boost their own self-healing ability, rather than just kill some virus.

What were the main steps you had to take, what were some of the key challenges in setting up your own office/practice and would you have done anything differently knowing what you know now?

I start my own practice, Dr. Tai Acupuncture, basic start from two parts. One is about my Chinese medicine and acupuncture knowledge and skills. The second is how I establish my own business and a clinic.
About how my acupuncture skills were learned, it would relate to my family. I was born in Taiwan and grew up in a medical family. My family is an old and elite medical family in south Taiwan. More than half of my family members are medical doctors, and the Tai family has our own Chinese kung-fu and Chinese medicine skills. Therefore, most of my acupuncture skills are Tai family acupuncture skills, also called “Tai Needle”, it’s very different from what most American acupuncture schools teach. When I learn the difference between American patients and Taiwan patients, Master Shifu Hwang and Dr. Wen-Chiang Pai guide me as my mentors. Master Shifu teach me his Tai-Chi skills and experience of herbs used in the U.S. Dr. Wen-Chiang Pai show me his clinic in New York and how to treat different cultures people.
About my business building, when I start my business, Liliana Morris gives me the most help, and guide me on how to establish my business step by step. She is the main person help me to start Dr. Tai Acupuncture. Dr. Jessica Shepherd is the other one inspire my businesws. She builds a premier wellness and concierge medicine practice, Sanctum Med + Wellness, which lets all our talent can work together for health and wellness support.

Any advice for a young professional who might be considering starting their own practice?

Open your mouth to ask is very important, but I am more believe fate. Do the things you like; when you doing it longer enough, the people who walking in front of will show up and guide you, no matter use positive (teach) or negative (depress) method. The way I use is always focus on my work and let people know I do my best, and it’s really work on me to attract people who interested on me.

Dr. Edison, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

There are three major differences between Dr.Tai Acupunctre and the other Acupuncture clinic. First is my diagnosis method is way different from the general acupuncturists. There is a basic concept of medical treatment: If the diagnosis at the beginning is wrong, then all follow-up treatment is useless. The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnosis is basic on “Four Examinations”, which are: looking diagnosis (checking tongue), listening diagnosis, smelling and tasting diagnosis, and touching diagnosis (feel the pulse). Especially the pulse diagnosis is for the final decision for patients’ syndrome but is also the most difficult skill. Usually, an acupuncturist will use their three fingers (index, middle, ring) to feel the patient’s pulse, but the results are quite subjective and difficult to assured. In my clinic, besides only using fingers to feel the pulse, a TCM pulse diagnosis device also is used. Since 1989, Jinmu TCM Pulse Diagnosis System has developed more than 30 years, and there are more than 141 research papers published on PubMed until 2021. Evidence shows it’s the most accurate TCM pulse diagnosis system in the world. Dr. Tai Acupuncture and is the only clinic that uses it in the U.S.

Secondly, my needle skills are developed by the old Tai family, it’s more precise, efficient, and the most important is more safe and painless. There is a case from my patient before, I have a patient who really worries about the needle will cause pain, so I set her prone (face down) position and start to needle her. Until I finish my first five needles and insert my sixth one, she asks me, “Dr., are you already start?” This is a true story from my patient.

Finally, is I am from Taiwan. Most people in the world don’t know the difference between Taiwan and China, they will think Taiwan might be more close to Thailand because of pronouncing. In fact, China uses simplified Chinese for writing, and Taiwanese use traditional Chinese. Traditional Chinese is from the 2nd AD and continues used now. This means all ancient medical books are written by traditional Chinese, and a Taiwanese acupuncturist can easy to read and understand them. I modify my TCM skills from all classical and bible level medical books, also all my herbs medicine prescription is from the classical formula. The knowledge of ancient Chinese medical classical is extremely difficult and It’s impossible for people who cannot read traditional Chinese to make it.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

Yes, and I would start it earlier. there is a huge demand for real Chinese medicine in the U.S. In this industry, I see a lot of “Foreigner style Chinese medicine”, for example, grab a stone or hold a water bottle to “diagnosis” your energy. Mix the meditation and seat Qi Gong. A lot of circus style Chinese kung-fu treatment. I think it’s the time to go back real.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

I will say the peaceful attitude and open mind thinking are very important. According to I know, the most Acupuncture in the U.S.are Anti-modern medicine. They think the medicine are poison. I had work in Taiwan’s hospital, I cooperate with other department, so I don’t anti any treatment. In my opinion, there is no bad treatment method, on;y has the bad practionor. The problem is not drug, is human.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dredisontaiacupuncture.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.tai_acupuncture_clinic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrTaiAcupuncture
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-edison-tai-ed-d-mba-l-ac-28513669
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dr-tai-acupuncture-addison