Dr. Monica L. Hilton, DACM, Dipl. O.M., L.Ac.

I am a native of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and a Licensed Acupuncturist in the states of South Carolina and Georgia. I am a nationally certified Diplomate of Oriental Medicine by the National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).

My interest in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) began several years ago after a friend suggested that I try acupuncture to help relieve my migraine headaches. I decided to search online to learn more about it and was immediately drawn to its theory. I was motivated by the way TCM worked to heal the mind and body as one entity as well as how it focused on addressing the root cause of an illness. I started to analyze my health and think about how so many people could benefit from this kind of healthcare. At that moment I knew I wanted to study TCM and immediately started looking for a school to attend.

I attended Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Los Angeles, California and completed their four-year Master of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine program with honors. I later earned my Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego, CA. I have also completed advanced clinical training in China with the International Education College at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This advanced clinical training consisted of hospital rounds at Longhua Hospital and lectures at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine on various topics in TCM.

Before attending Yo San University, I worked as a Clinical Research Associate at Duke Clinical Research Institute in Durham, NC. In that position, I traveled the country to participating hospitals to ensure adherence to study protocol, Good Clinical Practices, ICH guidelines, and FDA regulations. In the future, I hope to use my clinical research experience to conduct clinical trials in acupuncture and TCM.