Dr. Cynthia Kerr Salmond

Cynthia Kerr Salmond, DNP, CRNP, LAc has been a medical practitioner since 1999, first working as a registered nurse then obtaining a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in 2012. She has worked as a Nurse Practitioner since 2006 in various areas, including cardiovascular care, trauma, pain management and palliative medicine in tertiary care and community hospitals in Maryland. The experience Dr. Salmond gained and the time spent with patients who needed care inspired her decision to pursue an acupuncture degree. She learned first about acupressure and used this knowledge to create a thesis for her doctorate. She received the DNP Capstone Award for the original research, “The Use of Acupressure to Decrease Anxiety in Orthopedic Trauma Patients Requiring Surgical Intervention.” Dr. Salmond found that many symptoms patients faced, such as anxiety, pain, nausea and others were not well managed by conventional medicine. Learning and seeing the effects of acupressure on patients pushed her to continue her study of this medicine. She received her Masters degree from Maryland University of Integrative Health in 2021. The practice of acupuncture shows her an additional way to help her patients without needing to burden them with another medication. As she says, “I am able to speak both languages of medicine; the traditional Western approach and the complementary Eastern approach. Both are focused on patient well-being, yet the Eastern approach encompasses the emotional and spiritual relief as well, which we know is a large part of what makes us human.” Dr. Salmond focuses on the mind, body and spirit in each of her treatment sessions. She first looks for the root cause of symptoms, which may not be the reason for seeking help. In partnership with her patients, she creates a treatment plan that is individualized yet informed by thousands of years of collective Eastern medical wisdom. She offers advice on lifestyle and dietary decisions which help further support the acupuncture treatment sessions. Dr. Salmond’s patients have reported, “She has worked in the field of healing for many years, but this specialty is such a gift to her patients and community” and “She is empathetic and compassionate. After my visits with her, I feel restored and at ease.” During her off time, Dr. Salmond loves to be in nature with her friends and family, hiking, kayaking, biking, being on the beach and most importantly, laughing.