09/07/2026
What happens when ancient medical wisdom meets modern neurophysiology?
That was the question at the heart of Inspire Acupuncturist, Dr. Carla Arieta's recent lecture at the Georgetown University School of Medicine
Dr. Arieta spoke to medical students and met with faculty members in the Personal Health and Wellbeing Selective, within the Department of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences, about “Bridging Traditional Chinese Medicine with Evidence-Based Clinical Practice.”
They discussed the evolving science behind acupuncture—including neurophysiological mechanisms, pain modulation, endogenous opioid pathways, fascial mechanotransduction, and the growing role of integrative approaches in supportive care and oncology.
But beyond the science, there was a deeper conversation:
How do we help patients not simply live longer, but live better?
Personal health and wellbeing requires looking beyond a diagnosis—to consider the person, their resilience, their environment, their daily habits, and the quality of life we are ultimately trying to preserve.
Teaching future physicians is one of the most meaningful ways we can advance that vision.
Congratulations to Dr. Arieta for contributing to this important conversation at Georgetown University and learning alongside such engaged students and colleagues.
The future of medicine does not have to be either traditional or modern.
It can be evidence-informed, integrative, human-centered, and grounded in the best of both worlds.
