Monmouth Pain & Rehabilitation is proud to host 8th Grade interns from the Red Bank Charter School. One of our interns, Mei-Ling Downey, interviewed our Shrewsbury/Freehold acupuncturist Hugh Kim to find out more about why Hugh became an acupuncturist, his inspiration, and more!
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Korea.
What college did you attend, and for how many years?
I went to Binghamton University for 4 years of undergrad.
What degrees did you need to become an acupuncturist?
You can attend programs after college, but I have a Masters in Oriental Science; you can get that or a masters in acupuncture.
How long did it take you to learn about acupuncture?
I completed 4 years of Masters, but I am always learning as there are so much to learn about.
What kind of things did you need to learn about to become an acupuncturist?
I had to study western forms of medicine and oriental medicine, and the many different pressure points on the body. There is a lot to learn, like the history of oriental science, which goes very far back into history.
What was the hardest thing to learn about acupuncture?
It was hard to master timing, when to put the needle in and the pulses . Also the history of oriental science is always been hard as there is so much to learn.
Did you always want to be an acupuncturist?
I never was definite on being an acupuncturist, but my grandfather was an acupuncturist, and that encouraged me to become one. In college I found out you can go to acupuncture school so I decided to attend.
As a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a scientist, or in the scientific field.
If you weren’t an acupuncturist what would you be?
I think I’d be a dentist.
Are there different needle sizes in acupuncture?
There are few, like long ones to hit the pressure points that are farther down into the body and prickers for the points that are closer.
Do you ever do acupuncture yourself?
Yes I sometimes do acupuncture for myself if I need it.
Were you ever afraid of needles?
I wasn’t very comfortable with them before I became an acupuncturist but over time I just got used to them.
If you would be interested in trying acupuncture for yourself, you can schedule an appointment with Hugh or any of the acupuncturists in our other locations by calling 732-345-1377.
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