Esther Martínez García

I am a pediatrician trained at the Hospital Vall d’Hebron, I hold a master's degree in acupuncture awarded by the University of Barcelona and I am a specialist in Japanese acupuncture awarded by Harvard Medical School. I was a pioneer in Spain in the development of pediatric acupuncture as a safe and painless complementary medical procedure. I am passionate about teaching my specialisation, pediatric acupuncture, and I lecture on two master's courses at the University of Barcelona. I also hold courses and conferences around the world. In recent years I have trained as an expert in oncological nutrition and am head of the Integrative Pediatric Oncology Unit (UOPI) of SJD Barcelona Children’s Hospital, which is the project of my life.

My passions, pediatrics and integrative oncology, have given me the opportunity to offer my patients treatment from different approaches, which is serious, rigorous and in step with their conventional treatment plan, with the aim of improving their physical-emotional wellbeing and their quality of life. I am thankful to life, to the great teachers that have helped me along the way, my patients and my five children.

Training

• Expert in oncological nutrition, University of Barcelona, 2018 - 2019.
• I followed "The international structural acupuncture course for physicians: a palpation based approach", Harvard Medical School, United States, 2013 - 2014.
• Master’s degree in Acupuncture y Moxibustion, University of Barcelona, 2009  -2012.
• Residential training in pediatric allergology, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebrón, Barcelona, 2007 - 2008.
• Residency in Paediatrics and its Specific Areas, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, 2003 - 2007.
• Degree in Medicine and Surgery, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 1996 - 2002.

International experience

• Practising pediatric Acupuncture in Barcelona, Lima and Bogota between 2010 and 2019.
• Trained in palpation based medical acupuncture in the Kiiko Matsumoto style at Harvard Medical School,  2013-2014.
• Speaker at national and international conferences on medical acupuncture and integrative medicine.

Scientific activity

• Carrillo B y Martínez E. "COVID-19 y Acupuntura: ¿existe una nueva línea de investigación terapéutica?". Revista Digital de Acupuntura. Número extraordinario, Marzo 2020.
• Carrillo B y Martínez E. "COVID-19 et acupuncture: existe-t-il une nouvelle voie de recherche thérapeutique?". Acupuncture & Moxibustion. Vol 19 num1. Enero - Junio 2020.
• E. Martínez. Crying in the nursing infant: fear or pain?. International Journal of Acupuncture. Vol. 08. No. 03. July - September 2014. 
• E. Martínez, C. Martorell. Infantile tics and Acupuncture: A case report. International Journal of Acupuncture. 2012; 06:162-5 - vol. 06 No. 04. 
• Passive smoking in babies: BIBE Study: BMC Public Health 2010,10:772. Co-investigator. 
• E. Martínez, S. Bargalló. Rate of HIV infection in the healthcare setting. Evaluation of preventive measures Emerging Infectious Diseases 2002; 4 (3):123-127.
• Member of the SCACB Board: Societat Catalana d'Acupuntura Científica de Catalunya i Balears.
• Department of healthcare activity of the Spanish Medical Acupuncture Society.

Conferences and congresses

• E. Martínez y B. Carrillo. Management of pregnancy with cervical shortening. Effectiveness of Zhaohai KID 6: case report. Poster. 34th ICMART World Medical Acupuncture Congress. Greece, July 2021.
• Myth and reality about pediatric acupuncture. Speaker in the 1st World Congress of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese medicine. Estoril, Portugal, November 2019.
• Workshop: Pediatric acupuncture. 12th European Congress on Integrative Medicine and 2nd Congress on Health and Integrative Medicine. Barcelona, September 2019.
• Course: Pediatric acupuncture. Scientific Society of Acupuncture of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands (SCACB). Barcelona, March 2019.
• Workshop: Pediatric acupuncture. Speaker in the 5th International CMAESP Acupuncture Congress  and 23rd Brazilian CMBA Acupuncture Congress Sao Paulo, October 2018.
• Pediatric acupuncture: myths, techniques and most frequent applications. Speaker in International Council of Medical Acupuncture and Related Techniques (FILASMA -ICMART). XXXII World Congress on Medical Acupuncture. Mexico, June 2017.
• Course: Pediatric acupuncture. 23rd Academic Meeting of the Mexican College of Human Acupuncture (XXIII Encuentro académico Colegio Mexicano de Acupuntura Humana) (COMAH), October 2017.

Teaching

• Teacher on the Master’s degree course in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture. University of Barcelona, SJD Barcelona Children’s Hospital Teaching Campus, 2019.
• Teacher on the Master’s degree course in Energy Assessment and Acupuncture. University of Barcelona, SJD Barcelona Children’s Hospital Teaching Campus, 2019.
• Teacher on the Master’s degree course in Acupuncture and Moxibustion. IL.3, University of Barcelona, since 2014.