Dr. Steven K.H. Aung is a family, geriatric, and integrative medicine physician, and a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner, calligraphy artist and teacher. He seeks to blend Eastern, Western, and natural medicines in his medical clinic in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
At the University of Alberta, Dr. Aung is a Clinical Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Family Medicine, and Adjunct Professor in the Faculties of Extension and Rehabilitation Medicine. Dr. Aung founded the Medical Acupuncture Program at the University of Alberta in 1991, and he was the program’s chief instructor, examiner, and curriculum consultant. He is also a medical acupuncture consultant for the University of Alberta Hospital, the Cross Cancer Institute, and Covenant Health (Edmonton General Continuing Care Centre, Misericordia Community Hospital, and Grey Nuns Community Hospital) as well as the Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic and the Edmonton Oilers NHL hockey team. He is an active consultant for the College and Association of Acupuncturists of Alberta, an organisation designated by the Minister of Health to regulate the acupuncture profession in the public interest for Alberta. As well, Dr. Aung currently sits as Director of Community Engagement for the Integrative Health Institute at the University of Alberta.
Dr. Aung holds Visiting Professor appointments at the Beijing University of TCM and Research Institute (Beijing, China), Capital University of Medical Sciences (Beijing, China), Heilongjiang University of TCM (Harbin, China), Nanjing University (Nanjing, China), Showa University School of Medicine (Tokyo, Japan), California Institute for Human Science (Encinitas, California, USA) and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (Melbourne, Australia). Dr. Aung is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, the Australian Medical Acupuncture College, and the International College of Acupuncture and Electro-Therapeutics.
He is also a Vice-President and Standing Council Member of the World Academic Society of Medical Qi Gong (WASMQ – Beijing, China), Vice-Chair representing North America for the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS – Beijing, China), Vice-Chair of World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS – Beijing, China), and Honourable Chairman Pediatric Sub-Committee (WFCMS – Beijing, China).
Dr. Aung is a founding member and current President of the World Natural Medicine Foundation, the Canadian Medical Acupuncture Society, and the International Buddhist Friends Association. Dr. Aung was also the founder and President of the World Congresses of Medical Acupuncture and Natural Medicine (Beijing ‘87, ‘91, and Edmonton ‘95, ‘00).
Dr. Aung has been a World Health Organization (WHO) advisor on acupuncture nomenclature and cancer pain control, and also served as a WHO advisor in the standardization of acupuncture indications, training, and safety.
Dr. Aung has been awarded a Professional Excellency from the Academie Diplomatique de la Paix in 1986, the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2002, and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003. In 2005, he received the International Humanitarian Award from the Ancient Mystical Order of the Rosicrucians. He was also one of the recipients of a Physician of the Century Award from the Alberta Medical Association. In 2006, he was inducted as a member of the Order of Canada, the nation’s highest civilian honour. In 2012, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and in 2017 he was a recipient of the Dr. Rogers Prize Groundbreaker Award for excellence in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
Dr. Aung is the author of several articles and books on various aspects of TCM, as well as Chinese calligraphy and painting. His vision and mission is the integration of TCM, complementary and Western biomedicine, within the context of a more natural and compassionate approach to primary health care for all.