We at CTA believe that acupuncturists need to engage with research; by this we mean as a minimum to be able to understand research and how it does and does not inform our practice.
Our aim is for our students to be able to discuss acupuncture research confidently in response to patients' questions, in their interaction with other healthcare professionals, and amongst the wider public.
Acupuncture is a complex intervention, often diluted to its detriment in research, particularly that which reaches the headlines. We must, as a profession, seek to produce research - and disseminate it - that better informs both our practice and external stakeholders. If we bury our heads in the sand and shake our heads from the sidelines, poor quality and irrelevant research will continue to be carried out in our name.
CTA's research strategy aims therefore to:
- Promote research awareness amongst practitioners
- Endorse and promote a wide range of research design
- Contribute a research minded point of view to facilitate PR of the profession, and of alumni
Follow 'research at CTA' below to find the full document and read about research in the BA/MA programmes.
In 'the evidence for acupuncture' we summarise the evidence for acupuncture's effectiveness and comment on the latest research.