On a hilly residential street in Potrero Hill sits a unique school, created for those looking for an alternate approach to the healing the body and mind. The American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine's acupuncture and herbal clinic (450 Connecticut St.) has been educating students for 35 years, making it one of the oldest acupuncture schools in the country. 

Around 200 to 250 students are currently enrolled in the program, working towards a Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine degree. Schooling takes three to four years to complete, and racking up numerous clinic hours is a mandatory part of the curriculum. As a result, the school also offers an acupuncture and Chinese herb clinic, where patients can procure discounted services from students getting much-needed practice.

Tracy Tognetti, the clinic manager, showed us around the space. A large waiting area welcomes patients, before they're taken to one of 13 private rooms for treatment. Acupuncture, cupping, massage and consultations for Chinese herbs are all offered, at a much cheaper cost than clinics throughout the rest of the city. Treatments run between $45 and $65 on a sliding scale, but students and seniors over age 62 only have to pay $35 per visit, and anyone on Medi-Cal can visit for $25. 

The availability of low-cost treatment draws clinic patients from all over the Bay Area. "About 80 percent of our patients come in through word of mouth," Tognetti told us. They often include whole families: "Sometimes we treat grandparents, their children, and their kids."

In terms of what acupuncture can treat, the possibilities are endless. "We often get calls from people asking if acupuncture can treat their ailment," Tognetti told us. "But the truth is we're just helping your body heal itself. Acupuncture has been around for more than 3,000 years, and it treats the whole body. We can't cure cancer, but we can certainly help treat symptoms." 

Pain management is the most frequently treated issue at the clinic, with many students helping patients with chronic back, knee or neck pain. Other patients seek help with digestive issues, such as irritable bowel syndrome. Some patients come in when they have a cold or the flu, or just for a "tune-up" to help their body stay healthy. 

In addition to the Potrero Hill clinic, students also work with patients at various local hospitals. Twice a week, they're at CPMC's Davies campus to treat trauma and stroke recovery victims. Across the bay, students volunteer at Berkeley Longlife, offering internal medicine treatments. On Thursday afternoons, they treat patients at GLIDE in the Tenderloin, and on Tuesday mornings, they're at the Women's Resource Center. 

All of these weekly visits, combined with the Potrero Hill clinic, mean that students of the school treat over 500 patients per week. 

As for where students end up after graduation, it varies. Some work at local community clinics in San Francisco, or start their own practice. Others return to their homes in other parts of the U.S. or the world, sometimes starting the very first clinic in their town. "There are so many more options now than there used to be," Tognetti told us. 

The Acupuncture and Herbal Clinic is open Mondays through Thursdays from 8:30am to 9pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 8:30am to 5pm. Call (415) 282-9603, or click here to request an appointment.