Matt Callison, L.Ac.
Thirty-five years blending Chinese Medicine with Western sports medicine — in clinical practice, in the cadaver lab, and in the classroom — distilled into the SMAC Program.
At a glance
An integrated approach, built over three decades.
Matt Callison’s ability to blend Chinese medicine with Western sports medicine is most visible in the program he created — the Sports Medicine Acupuncture Certification (SMAC) Program, attended by acupuncturists worldwide. More than twenty years of cadaver dissection have shaped how he teaches functional anatomy to acupuncturists.
In more than three decades of clinical practice he has become known for developing innovative treatment protocols for musculoskeletal injury, and for his work with professional athletes. His published works include three articles in the Journal of Chinese Medicine, “A Clinical Study on Acupuncture and Tibial Stress Syndromes,” “Sports-Related Muscle Tension Headaches,” and “AcuMoxa Treatment of Shoulder Impingement Syndrome.” The quintessential tome, Sports Medicine Acupuncture: An Integrated Approach Combining Sports Medicine with Traditional Chinese Medicine has distributors worldwide. He has numerous other publications, blogs and online videos including the SMAC program, Motor Point Needle Protocols, and Manual Muscle Testing & Acupuncture Video library.
Over the years he guest lectured in acupuncture doctoral programs across the United States. As Clinic Supervisor for Pacific College at UC San Diego’s RIMAC Center he guided acupuncture interns treating collegiate athletes.
“One has to examine the right and left, upper and lower parts of the body, make the upper and lower parts connect. Feel and palpate the body to find something with your hands, then take the disease away with the needle using correct points. This is the rule, according to the rule, one can remove disease.”
From sports medicine to Chinese medicine
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1985
B.S., Physical Education & Sports Medicine
San Diego State University.
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1985–2016
31+ years in sports medicine
Alvarado Sports Medicine Clinic, San Diego, and Scripps Hospital, La Jolla. UCSD RIMAC Athletic training facility as an acupuncture supervisor for Pacific College interns
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1991
M.S., Traditional Oriental Medicine
Pacific College of Health and Science, where the class he developed — “Treatment of Orthopedic Disorders” — is still taught today.
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2011
Created the Sports Medicine Acupuncture Certification Program
Built from three decades of clinical practice, cadaver dissection and teaching — and from his years as Clinic Supervisor for Pacific College at UC San Diego’s RIMAC Center. The program is carried forward today by C.SMA instructors.
