Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Oregon College of Oriental Medicine will break ground at a new campus in Portland's Old Town Chinatown Tuesday.

The school specializes in acupuncture and has had a campus in Portland since 1983. Since then, it has grown to graduate about 200 students a year. They earn doctorates and master degrees, then may go on to either open their own clinics, work at hospitals or conduct research. College spokeswoman, Gretchen Horton, says more and more people are turning to acupuncture.

"I think there is a lot of interests for multiple reasons. Not just the economy but it's been proven to be effective and healing and it's something I think the Northwest is embracing maybe a little quicker than other communities," Horton said.

The new campus will be at the site of the old Globe Hotel, next to the University of Oregon's 'White Stag' building. The $16 million project will doubles the school's square footage. It should open in the fall of 2012.