Leaving university with a brand-new degree and a coffer full of new tools is an exciting moment for a new Chinese medicine graduate. But it’s equally daunting as we realise that the time has come to stand on our own two feet.

To transition from being a student to a practitioner is not an easy task in the best of times, let alone during a global pandemic. This article is based on conversations with students before the current circumstances.

Opposite this surreal reality, we find money being handed out in extraordinary amounts by our government and we are asked to stay at home.

In the early days of my life, I wasn’t overly confident in choosing a path and I did not have a huge amount of clarity to what I wanted to do with my existence. I seemed to be making choices because something felt right without considering the consequences.

As Chinese medicine practitioner, we are very much physical therapists as most would predominantly apply acupuncture as physical therapy. But as Chinese medicine practitioners, we also hear about our patient’s emotions and psychological states, their stresses and challenges in life.