Meet Lindsay Biewert

With a college swim coach for a father and a collegiate diver for a mother, Lindsay Bierwert began swimming competitively at the age of 5. Originally from western Massachusetts, Lindsay had set out to follow in the footsteps of her mother, who is the director of molecular biology at Smith College and has been involved in research since before Lindsay was born. However, just before her final year at Hartwick College, where she was majoring in biology, minoring in Spanish, and swimming on the team, a summer research job at Princeton helped her realize that research was not what she wanted for a career. She returned to Hartwick for her senior year and, surprisingly, it was through her Spanish studies that she was introduced to acupuncture.

For the final six credits of her Spanish minor, Lindsay was required to complete a month-long internship where she would be immersed in the language. So her professor put her in touch with a Spanish-speaking acupuncturist - a 2011 graduate of the Finger Lakes School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (FLSAOM) of NYCC. “Within two weeks of shadowing her I was hooked,” Lindsay says. “I was inspired by the profound effect that acupuncture had on these people and knew that this was something that I could use to help people immediately and sustainably.” In July 2014, while driving home from Buffalo, she stopped by the FLSAOM on the spur of the moment, and fell in love with the campus and the people. In September, her journey began.

Lindsay recalls truly enjoying everything about her experience in the FLSAOM. Her favorite class was the herbal dispensary practicum, where students prepare formulas, pills, liniments, and other medicinals. Out of all the faculty, she cannot pick a favorite, because each one brings something new and exciting to the table. She tells students that, even through the moans and groans of mountains of charts to memorize and articles to read, they should never fail to appreciate the value of their instructors.

Now graduated and starting her own practice with a chiropractor in North Carolina, focusing mainly on sports injuries and pediatric cases, Lindsay recommends to students: “Be prepared to feel like you understand nothing during the first year and a half. It will all come together, but you have to be patient and willing to put in the work at the beginning to reap the rewards in the end.” And, when you’re feeling totally spent and don’t think you have anything more to give, perhaps a philosophy from her father that kept her going will help: “There’s always more toothpaste in the tube.”