Two years ago, Dr. Alex Moroz, Director of Rusk Institute’s Integrative Musculoskeletal Medicine program, initiated the Academic Acupuncture Externship for licensed acupuncturists in collaboration with  Tri-State College of Acupuncture (TSCA). This program enables participants to work in partnership with medical providers at Rusk as an adjunct to primary and specialty care treatment. Externs also participate in the educational program for PM&R residents.

Dr. Moroz is a graduate of NYU School of Medicine, trained there in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He joined the faculty in 2000 and is currently the Director of residency Training and Medical Education and Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine. Dr. Moroz is also a NY State certified acupuncturist. he has received a number of awards for his teaching and has written extensively on the subject of acupuncture.

Our Externs

Prospective externs apply for the program and are first interviewed by Peter Dubitsky, Director of Clinical Training and a teacher at the Tri-State College of Acupuncture. Peter has been an NCCAOM Board Certified, NYS Licensed Acupuncturist since 1992, and has post-graduate training and certification in Acupuncture for Orthopedic Conditions. He has professional offices in New Paltz, NY, and in the TSCA Faculty Practice in NYC, where focus of his work is the treatment of acute and chronic pain conditions. In addition to his private practice, Mr. Dubitsky worked for 17 years integrating acupuncture with medical care in a busy family medical practice. His interest in working with the Rusk Institute is a natural development of his experience and interest in acupuncture pain management and integrative medical care.

Current Externs

Robivar M. Atienza is a Diplomate of Acupuncture licensed in New York and certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental medicine (NCCAOM). He graduated from Tri-State College of Acupuncture with a Master of Science Degree in Acupuncture and completed the program of study in Oriental Medicine.

Robivar has a Master of Public Health and practiced western Medicine in the Philippines. In addition, he completed the special course of Chinese Acupuncture at Beijing Traditional Medicine Training Center of the World Federation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Societies (WFAS), sponsored by the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, People’s Republic of China.

 He is a Major in the United States Military, serving with the New York State National Guard. He has a private practice in Rockland County (845-893-5633) and is an active member of the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA).

Po-Hong Yu is a New York Licensed Acupuncturist and a Diplomat of National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.  She received her Masters of Science in Acupuncture at Tristate College of Acupuncture where she was trained in  Chinese, Japanese and trigger point release styles of acupuncture .  She currently has a private practice in Manhattan (www.taoofpo.com) and works at a Community Clinic in Brooklyn. She is also enrolled in the herbal program at Tristate and is looking forward to learning more about herbal farming. 

Po-Hong is passionate about helping others and learning more about the intricacies of Chinese Medicine. She specializes in treating pain, gynecology and digestive conditions.  She believes that everyone should be able to afford regular acupuncture treatments and hopes to make a difference in the accessibility of acupuncture in the future.

Former Externs

Lisa Rana, L.Ac. is Board Certified in Acupuncture by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). She is licensed in New York and New Jersey. She maintains a private acupuncture practice in New York City as well as works in two pain rehabilitation practices.

While living in Taiwan and Thailand, Lisa became interested in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. She earned a Master’s Degree in Acupuncture from Tri-State College of Acupuncture in New York.  She was trained in 3 styles of Acupuncture-Chinese, Japanese and American.

Lisa completed an extenship at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in NY working within the Department of Community Medicine.

Lisa spends a great deal of time traveling internationally spreading the power of acupuncture in community-based settings throughout developing nations. She volunteers her time with various organizations including Acupuncturists without Borders to help heal those suffering from trauma.

Vera Yung is a New York State licensed acupuncturist and physical therapist.   After practicing as a physical therapist for more than ten years, Vera pursued graduate level training in acupuncture and oriental medicine to augment her healing skills.  She received master degrees in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from Tri-State College of Acupuncture.

Vera believes that the synchronization of both approaches provides a more expeditious and complete recovery for patients. Growing up in China, as the daughter of a physician who was trained to combine both approaches, and coming from a family of Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners, she witnessed this first hand.

Vera maintains a private practice and is working as an acupuncturist in a rehabilitation center in New York City.  She treats variety of disorders including back pain, neck pain, arm/leg pain, work related injuries, sports injuries, auto accident injuries, pre/post op pain, stroke, sleep disturbance, gynecological and weight issues.

David Simpson is a Diplomat of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, a member of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and is a Licensed Acupuncturist in New York, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, and North Carolina. He currently maintains a private practice in New York (www.powermeridians.com).

While studying and doing research on atomic bomb victim literature in Japan, David was introduced to acupuncture and herbal medicine. It was this introduction that led to his return to the US to obtain his Master of Science Degree in Acupuncture at the prestigious Tri-State College of Acupuncture in Manhattan, where he is continuing his education in herbal medicine.

David’s primary interest is in treating pain, using both classical and modern acupuncture styles.  he finds that integrating myofascial trigger point dry-needling can significantly reduce or eliminate pain caused by stress, sports injury, or any of life’s “learning experiences”. He augments his acupuncture practice through continued study and utilization of Tui Na through the Zheng Gu Tui Na School in Manhattan.

Jason Sargis is licensed to practice acupuncture in the States of New Jersey and New York. He is Board Certified in Acupuncture by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and in Clean Needle Technique by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM). In the summer of 2006 Jason traveled to China where he received training in advanced oriental medicine theory and clinical skills. He completed clinical rotations in Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, and Tui Na at various hospitals in Beijing and Shanghai. During this time he became certified by the China Beijing International Acupuncture Training Center in Acupuncture and Moxibustion. In 2007 Jason received his certificate in Oncology Acupuncture from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Jason received his Master of Science in Acupuncture and a Master of Science in Oriental Medicine from Tri- State College of Acupuncture. Prior to attending acupuncture school Jason earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Chicago. Jason is currently completing a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree program at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, which focuses on geriatric care, women’s health and the study of current research trends in acupuncture and oriental medicine.

Corinne Kohrherr, L.Ac holds a Master of Science in Acupuncture from TSCA.

She was trained in the Chinese, Japanese and trigger point models of acupuncture and specializes in muscle injuries, pain conditions, infertility, pediatrics and the promotion of healthy pregnancies.

Corinne completed an internship with a focus on gynecology and infertillity and an externship at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center.

She is currently enrolled in the Herbal Program at TSCA and maintains private practices in New York City and Pennsylvania (www.akoyaacupuncture.com).

Corinne is also trained as a massage therapist and childbirth doula.  She specializes in corrective massage and took courses in Pediatric Tui-Na and Pre- and Perinatal Massage.  She attended the PA School of Muscle Therapy for Swedish massage training and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Villanova University.

Christine Marcarian, L.Ac is committed to empowering her patients with services that yield long-term changes. She uses a comprehensive approach to evaluate and treat each patient, and integrates her extensive experience with bodywork into her acupuncture treatments. In addition, Christine offers individualized self-care regimens which incorporate herbs, nutrition, corrective exercises and MELT (myofascial energetic length technique). Christine treats a diverse group of individuals from pre/post surgery patients, orthopedic pain, smoking cessation, women’s health, weight loss, repetitive strain injuries, pediatric complaints and stress related disorders.

A graduate of the Tri-State College of Acupuncture, one of the oldest and most prestigious Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine schools in the United States, Christine has studied diverse styles of acupuncture and herbal medicine. In addition to having her own private practice (www.acupuncturebody.com), she is a faculty assistant and clinic supervisor at Tri-State College, teaching with the college’s founder, Dr. Mark Seem, Ph.D., LAc. Christine practices and teaches Acupuncture Physical Medicine, developed by Dr. Seem, which is a modern American approach that draws from both classical meridian acupuncture and western physical medicine. She works on rehabilitation after injuries and surgeries, stress after over-training, women’s health and movement facilitation in daily life and performance. Christine continues to be amazed by the power of acupuncture to stimulate the body’s self-healing mechanisms and its ability to restore harmony.