Acupuncture in China feels different from acupuncture almost anywhere else — and Dr. Tony Willcox, PhD, D.A.O.M., A.P., has seen that difference up close. Between 2016 and 2019, he returned to China every year. There, he trained in hospitals, treated patients, and completed his PhD. Today, those years still shape how he practices at Acupuncture Zen in Delray Beach.
Why Acupuncture in China Feels Different
In China, acupuncture is not an alternative. Instead, it is part of everyday hospital care. In fact, a 1997 BMJ report described China as unique in one respect. Western and traditional medicine are practiced side by side at every level of its health system. As a result, patients often visit an acupuncture department the way Americans might visit physical therapy.
Several differences stand out:
- Environment — the practice grows out of centuries of medical history and culture.
- Public acceptance — patients see acupuncture as a normal part of health care.
- Trust — people come in expecting it to be part of their care, not a last resort.
- Volume — busy hospital clinics give practitioners deep hands-on experience.
As a result, the training environment is unlike anything available in the United States.
Inside the Huatuo Hospital in Bozhou
In September 2018, Dr. Tony trained at the Huatuo Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Bozhou, in northern Anhui Province. The hospital is named for Hua Tuo, a celebrated physician of ancient China who came from Bozhou. During that visit, he worked alongside his mentor, Professor Yang Jun.
Dr. Tony Willcox treating a patient at the Huatuo Hospital in Bozhou, China, 2018.
He also had the privilege of treating patients. One case involved a patient recovering from a stroke. In China, acupuncture is commonly used alongside stroke rehabilitation. There, it may support comfort and well-being during recovery — always as one part of a broader medical plan.
A PhD in Acupuncture From Anhui
Dr. Tony completed his PhD in Acupuncture at Anhui University of Chinese Medicine in Hefei in 2019. Notably, he was the first Western graduate in the university’s 60-year history. Before that, he earned a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (D.A.O.M.) in the United States in 2016. He also trained in Shanghai.
Together, the two doctorates give him a rare dual perspective. On one side sits the American clinical model. On the other sits the hospital-based tradition of acupuncture in China. For a closer look at how training hours compare, see medical acupuncture vs. licensed acupuncturist training.
Bringing Acupuncture in China Home to Delray Beach
Those lessons now show up in every session at Acupuncture Zen. Point selection, needle technique, and pacing all reflect years spent in Chinese hospitals. At the same time, the clinic draws on current research and modern tools such as laser therapy and electro-acupuncture.
His patients come from many backgrounds. Some are physicians themselves — M.D.s, D.O.s, orthopedic surgeons, and neurologists among them. Others are professional athletes. For example, he served eight years as the Official Acupuncturist for the Florida Panthers Elite Medical Team. He also spent five years on the medical team for the Blackzilians UFC fight team.
A Complementary Approach
Acupuncture works best as part of a broader plan of care — not as a replacement for it. Patients are encouraged to keep their physicians informed of all treatments. Likewise, results vary from person to person.
Curious how training at the source shapes care? Call Acupuncture Zen at 561-633-3537 to schedule a visit in Delray Beach.
Peace and Blessings,
Dr. Tony Willcox, PhD, D.A.O.M., A.P.
