401 History Series, Becoming the Doctor • Steven Rosenblatt

Some paths in life aren’t so much chosen as they are revealed—often through unexpected encounters, serendipitous moments, or a relentless tug of curiosity. The call to become a healer, to step into the role of a doctor, is often as much about who you are as what you do.

In this conversation with Dr. Steven Rosenblatt, we step back into the early days of acupuncture in the West. From his serendipitous meeting with a renowned acupuncturist in Griffith Park to becoming the first Westerner licensed to practice acupuncture in the United States, Steven's story is a rich tapestry of curiosity, perseverance, and pioneering spirit.

Listen into this discussion as we explore the underground days of acupuncture in Chinatown, the quest for legal recognition of the medicine, the challenges of integrating acupuncture into mainstream healthcare, and how becoming a doctor is as much an internal shift as it is an external practice.

In This Conversation We Discuss:

• Steven’s experience learning acupuncture from Dr. Kim and the importance of mentorship
• The challenges of studying acupuncture when there were no formal schools or training programs in the United States
• Steven’s work in establishing the first accredited acupuncture school in California
• Involvement in the legislative process to legalize and license acupuncture in California
• The integration of acupuncture with Western medical practices at the UCLA Pain Clinic
• Using scientific methods to measure the electrophysiological changes induced by acupuncture
• The challenges and successes in educating Western physicians about acupuncture
• Insights into how acupuncture can bridge the gap between Eastern and Western medicine
• The early days of acupuncture practice in California and the evolving understanding of qi
• Steven’s role in pioneering clinical trials and research on acupuncture’s effectiveness
• Reflections on the importance of balancing tradition with modern clinical practice
• Advocacy for acupuncture as a legitimate medical practice, not just complementary therapy
• Thoughts on how acupuncture education has evolved over the decades
• Ongoing passion for teaching and promoting acupuncture to a broader audience

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Steven L. Rosenblatt, M.D., PhD, L.Ac, is licensed as a medical doctor in California and Hawaii. He is residency trained in Family Practice at Kaiser Hospital, Riverside, California and is currently board certified in Urgent Care Medicine. He graduated with a PhD in research from UCLA and then attended the prestigious Hong Kong Acupuncture College. He was the first Westerner licensed to practice Acupuncture in the U.S. Dr. Rosenblatt was the Founder and past President of the California Acupuncture College. He was the co-founder and Clinical Director of the UCLA Acupuncture Clinic, and he is National Board Certified in Acupuncture (NCCAOM) and in Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).

He is the author of several research articles and the best-selling book “The Starch Blocker Diet” published by HarperCollins. His most recent book “The Birth of Acupuncture in America: The White Crane’s Gift” was published by Balboa Books.

Dr. Rosenblatt is a nationally recognized leader in the field of Integrative Medicine and his major interest is the utilization of dynamic clinical models to enhance the healthcare delivery system. He was a commissioner on the NCCAOM. He now serves as a board member on the State of Hawaii Acupuncture Board. He maintains a busy clinical practice combining Family Practice medicine and complementary modalities at his office in West Los Angeles and his clinical practice at OceanMed Clinic on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island in Hawaii. He is currently on staff at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica

Links and Resources

Read Steven's book on The Birth of Acupuncture of Acupuncture in America.

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