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Poll Results for the following Question: How would you rate the education you received at your acupuncture school?Results: Excellent Total Respondents: 298 Comments: Note: These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this
Web site.
Anonymous My education was excellent. Difficult and challenging. I found that I developed according to the effort that I put into my studies. I also taught and found that there was a range of student who either really put the effort into studies and the opposite end of those who complained and criticized often and did not want to be challenged to read extensively (which is required here, to take notes to file for their own further development, etcetera. Granted this field is difficult. I went through school and continuing school, and found that while I was enjoying the intellectual, practical, and theoretical challenge, someone else would be constantly complaining about how substandard the education. I think though that often the faculties are actually not supported very well by the administrations making the teaching expression difficult. Personalities vary greatly. I also think the students should respect their teachers more. The administrations need to support the teaching and learning process. I always said if you go to school and then say your school was poor you are saying that about yourself and your practice will follow suit. djclarke2000@mac.com Excellent It wasn't untill I was in a difficult situation that I realized how important my education really was. For example, I recently purchased a practice of somewhat magnitude. I graduted from Bastyr University in 1999. I opened my own practice shortly after graduation. It seemed like the best thing to do. Move home and practice medicine in my home town. It all looked good on paper however reality set in and the patient base was slim for the first year. I met an acupuncturist in a local city who approached me about taking his place after his retirement. First it was the ethical thing to do and second it was a 300% increase in my patient load. Stepping in was like jumping on a steam engine at high speed.I never realized how good my education really was untill that very moment. With 3 rotating rooms and a full appointment book the first month was survived by my traing taking over with out me even knowing I had it in me. I think that it is easy to get down on your education however, when you really need it; it's their for you. Anonymous Average I believe that California should raise the standards of practice to that of M.D., D.C., D.O. and that of other physicians. I also believe that these changes should be retroactive and include all practicing O.M. in our profession. This would throw out the ever growing trash in our profession and add quality. At the present level we are profession is not as good as physicians who provide the same services. We have a long way to go, baby!!! Let's push the envelope and improve or go by the wayside!!! lmccann2@mindspring.com Fair I've studied acupuncture in a variety of places and situations over the past 20 years. Unfortunately, I've seen a general deterioration in the quality of education during that time. We in the profession have reached the point where in far too many cases, students (or instructors with limited experience) are teaching new students. I've seen many people graduate and within a year or two of part-time clinical practice, they're writing books, producing tapes, and teaching classes and seminars in an effort to generate revenue. It's a tragic situation that I think many of us are aware of. Lately I've been reflecting on the fact that some my earliest teachers were the best, in part because they understood what the essence of TCM is all about. Sadly, that's gradually being lost. tarick450@hotmail.com Poor please can you write to me about acupuncture because my school sucks!!!!!! id love to hear from you bye bye.. and thank you for useing your time to read this... Anonymous Excellent At Tri-State College, we are exposed to a variety of acupuncture styles, with a special focus on acupuncture physical medicine, developed by Mark Seem, Ph.D, the school's founder. This type of training is invaluable, especially eith so much focus on acuppuncture in the role of pain management. Anonymous I am attending the Northwest Institute of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Seattle,WA. I believe that it is an above average school in many respects. We spend ~ 264 didactic hours on Chinese herbs and formulas, with an additonal 616 hours of herb clinics in addition to straight acupuncture clinics. Our professors are all fluent in English, yet most of them have trained in China. The adminstration and faculty are dedicated to make our experience a good one, and work closely with the students. Our clinics are closely supervised, yet we are given independence when we are ready. One important thing is that if a student has transfer credit we are not required to pay for the class again, which I found common place in every other school in the nation. I highly recommend NIAOM to any prospective student. Anonymous Good It really help me learn what I needed to know about acupuncture, I think anyone looking for info. should go here first. Anonymous Excellent I went to a school that forced us to look at and learn different styles of acupuncture.I found this very valuable. Unfortunately I find the style of acupuncture predominately tested on the national boards not as effective as some of the other styles I learned in school. neonzen@netzero.com Excellent I often compare notes with other practitioners on how they handle situations. In general it appears to me that most colleges in California and New Mexico apprer to have better schools and teachers. I was trained in Santa Barbara and at Emperors. Many acupuncturists outside the states which have stricer requirements do not seem to have enough training in herbs and diagnostic skills. Anonymous Poor As first year student of TCM, I notice the quality of education is getting widen between classes taught in English and other languages. Sorry to say, English classes are far behind. I see two type of instructors in English classes: those who are very experience but have English fluency problems, and those who are very fluent in English but have very little clinical experiences (no knowledge beyond the textbook) The level of education perhaps is suitable for those "Acupuncturist" that of a message therapist level rather than OMD. ndra_lim@yahoo.com Excellent I need more information about accupunture.would you give it to me.thank you rosemary2@supersat2.net Good I received a very good education in many ways at my acupuncture school. However, it fell short in some areas, particularly in the area of palpation techniques. We got virtually no training in this area, and even after nearly five years in practice, though I have learned alot from experience and observation, I still feel inadequate at it. seamist2@msn.com Excellent I graduated in August from PCOM in San Diego, CA. I can only say great things about the school and the staff at PCOM. Our professors and supervisors are the best in the business, they will give all the time necessary to helping each student. We also have well known acupuncturists.....Alex Tiberi, Zev Rosenberg, Bob Damone'.....they are not just well known, they are great people dedicated to helping all of us become the best we can be. THANKS PCOM! marla sweeney Anonymous Excellent I am graduating from the East West College of Natural Medicine (formerly the Academy of Chinese Healing Arts) in Sarasota, FL in April 2002. I have been very happy with my education and the quality of the instructors. I transferred here at the beginning of my second year from a school that abandoned its Acupuncture Program. The school is in the middle of a major growth spurt and is not without its growing pains, however. Lack of parking and clinic space are two huge issues. Plans are in the works for a move but not in the immediate future. kghearn@aol.com Good I attended the now-defunct California Acupuncture College in the early 80's and found that my education was equal to, or better, than what many were learning in China.When I visited Bejing in 1996, I was suprised to discover that I knew all I needed to know. The teachers at CAC were very passionate about Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture and the students benefitted from this. Anonymous Average As a recent grad of a school undergoing major structural changes, I feel the quality of the education was less than I needed to competently treat upon graduation. The buzz line was,"Learn by treating. Don't worry, you'll do fine." While the quality of the senior faculty is excellent, classes are increasingly taught by recent (1-2 years out) grads. I, and many of my classmates, were disappointed by gaps in the curriculum, to boot. Anonymous Good I had an education better than most --- I went to two of the top schools. If I had only gone to one the experience would have been mediocre. A lot of time is being wasted within most of the curriculums. One of my schools had far too much western training, the other not enough. I was able to create a program for myself that had a sum greater than the two halves combined. More hours, especially with more western training, is not what will make these programs/students better. More clinical training and higher paid professional teachers will. darrinbauer@yahoo.com Excellent I learned Acupuncture meridian therapy with the use of the EMI measuring device known as "Ryodoraku" which has brought my practice to new levels. The western world approach has proven to be very effective. Therefore, I rate my education as excellent!!! gr8dc@hotmail.com Excellent new york institute if chinese medicine is the best tcm school in new york state! Anonymous Poor Unfortunately the schools make a lot of money from the airy feary lost souls, starved on tofu. Emphasis is not on skill, but ancient theories that confuse the heck out of most people. Basically, it talks better than it works! cgubersky@hotmail.com Good I wish we had studied herbs longer, and on a more thorough basis than we had time for in my program. I also wish we had been able to rotate to different acupuncturists offices in town, to either observe or intern. rietihose_gusyahoo.com Excellent Its the best way to go.I seen many come back to healthuseing this art. Anonymous Good I've just graduated with a masters of Oriental Medicine. I have recently completed both NCCAOM exams and am setting up my practice. I believe that a full education in Oriental Medicine is very important at this time. I am attempting to set up my practice in the east and am finding that the general perception is that an acupuncturist is only to be associated with pain management and to be regulated by western Medical Doctors. This is frustrating due to my training in Internal Medicine. I am proud of my training and the effectiveness of Oriental Medicine to meet my communities health concerns. I will now work diligently to bring my state's legislation to a place that allows me the opportunity to practice as my training requires. Thanks for allowing me to comment. Anonymous Good The basic TCM theory was excellent. The core chinese teachers were excellent. The clinic experience was average - we needed more direct supervision from the clinic supervisors and more experienced clinic supervisors rather than recent grads. herbs_and_needles@yahoo.com Average My school's #1 goal, and I'm sure most school's, is to have their students pass the national boards, preferably on the first attempt. Because the board exam is based on CAM, that is where the academic emphasis is placed. We have an excellent group of Ph.D. insturctors from China who would like to share their knowledge with the students. But instead, they have to teach CAM, even when the instructors disagree with some of the information offered. If our national acupuncture exam would raise its standards, our schools could also. |
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