Reckoning the Present, Wayfinding the Future • Danielle Reghi

About this episode

Danielle Reghi discusses the challenges facing the acupuncture profession and innovative solutions for the future.

The acupuncture and East Asian profession is facing a number of critical challenges as long-established schools close, new federal guidelines on graduate education loans will dramatically change how much students can borrow, and fewer students consider a career as an acupuncturist. How to wayfind through these troubled times? That is the question explored in this series with practitioners, researchers, and educators in the field of East Asian medicine. In this conversation with Danielle Reghi we follow the arc of her career from acquiring and dealing with upwards of 200K in debt, to building a multi-location practice and learning how business acumen is as necessary as clinical skills. She is the president of the Oregon Association of Acupuncturists. She played a key role in drafting the Oregon Acupuncture Workforce Sustainability Proposal, which considers the effect of the new RISE and AHEAD metrics from the federal government and how those affect the amount graduate students may borrow. Additionally this proposal looks at other educational options and alternative pathways that can lead to licensure in the State of Oregon. Any discussion of the future requires a clear eyed view…

People in this episode

Host: Michael Max

Guest: Danielle Reghi

Topics covered

• acupuncture
• East Asian medicine
• education
• workforce challenges
• business acumen
• licensure pathways

Keywords

• acupuncture
• East Asian medicine
• education loans
• workforce sustainability
• business skills
• licensure

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Oregon Association of Acupuncturists, Oregon Acupuncture Workforce Sustainability Proposal, federal government

Places: State of Oregon

More episodes of Qiological Podcast

• What is Essential • Kathleen Lumiere · June 11, 2026 · 1h 1m
• 464 Time, Timing and the Timeless • Peter Firebrace · June 9, 2026 · 1h 36m
• Realities of the Math • Ryan Hofer · June 4, 2026 · 1h 19m
• 463 Complexity, Boundaries and Biomes • Neil Theise · June 2, 2026 · 1h 28m
• 462 History Series: When Resistance Strengthens Tradition • James Flowers · May 26, 2026 · 1h 24m
• 461 Neurology, Concussion and the Curious Organ of Chinese Medicine • Clayton Shiu & Ayla Wolf · May 19, 2026 · 1h 25m