acupuncture question

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Josh L.Ac.

353 Posts

Specializes in Pain Management.
Hey All!

It looks like good old Papadoc fell asleep on this one:chuckle .

I practice acupuncture in NY and NJ (two separate licenses).I had several NPs, one CMW, and one CRNA in my class (2001). In NYS, so far, no professions other than MD/DO are allowed to practice acupuncture with 300 hr certification. ASNY is fighting a good fight to keep things as they are. I remember about 3 years ago DPMs (podiatrists)have been shown the door by the NYS legislators:yelclap: :yelclap: :yelclap: . At least my membership fees were the money well spent. I hope that Acupuncture will be protected, just like every licensed profession should be. I know it's tempting to take some certification course, CEU etc. But allowing somebody to practice the incredibly compex medical system (including MD/DO) with 200-300 hrs of workshops and home study course is doing a great diservice to the patient.I believe that even Master's level wich I've got with over 4000 hrs (I also did clinical externships with Master Practitioners)...basically I haven't scratch the scratch yet.And believe me guys, I'm doing some things for my patients that really count. The American Master's level programs are the already a stripped-down version of it's counterparts in Korea, Japan, China, and many European programs.The medical acupuncture course is pretty much reducing the whole art and science of Oriental Medicine to rubble. I had a great "pleasure" of teaching point location to some arrogant group of docs once.When some of them understood that they don't know what they don't know...they've changed their attitudes a bit:angryfire :yelclap: I'm just about done with my rant.But here is a little piece of advise from Papadoc: if you truely want to practice acupuncture and/or chinese herbology, just go to the approved school, and get at least an exposure to what's outthere.

Here are few links for starters:

http://www.nccaom.org (the official "everything" site)

http://www.tsca.edu (school I went to:kiss what a heck free plug for them;)

http://www.acupuncture.com

http://www.acupuncturetoday.com

Have a good one

Paps

I 100% agree that after 3+ years of acupuncture school, it is just the tip of the iceberg. However, if you are like me, I realized that some of the material covered wasn't relevant to practicing acupuncture in the US. In addition, most patients in this country come in to treat pain. This is how the program will be streamlined: it will focus on the use of acupuncture to treat pain.

Oh, and no herbs. Unless a student completes the whole MSAOM program they shouldn't be allowed to touch herbs (not even patents).

Papadoc

151 Posts

Tell Mark Seem to write another of his "bodywork" books...he's slacking off!

Hahahaha!!!:chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

Yep, check out Bluepoppy press. The only masterpieces I had to site from were

"Bodymind Energetics","Acupuncture Energetics", and "Acupuncture Physical Medicine" which was called "Acupuncture Osteopathy"but I understand it didn't sit well with the folks from AOA:chuckle .Who knows may be there are more in the making? Stay tuned.

Papadoc

151 Posts

I hope to go to TSCA this fall. I have heard a graduate tell me that the school's teaching concentrate more on muscle work. In the open house I went to where Warner Seem was speaking to us, they seem to have an eclectic array of approaches - Japanese, Korean and Chinese, and the meridians for each of those cultures is different. Can you shed some light on this for me?

I am choosing them because their schedule is easy to fit into my fulltime work, but I don't really know how to "shop" for the right school. Ultimately I'm going to work in maternity and labor, and I want to incorporate accupuncture into my practice, including pain management and moxibustion for breech presentations, which is Chinese. Is one school just as good as another?

Hey Epiphany!

I think that Tri-State is an excellent choice, although as their graduate I'm biased.I compared TSCA against Pacific, Swidish Institute, and a couple of other programs in Soyosset amd Meniola in L.I. TSCA is known to prepare you for the practical aspects of getting out and practicing. One thing is for sure that you will know what you are doing when you're done, which is not the case with many other programs, which concentrate more on academics, and theory alone. You will get adequate exposure to many styles, and not only as electives, but you will have specific clinics ran by Master Practitioners (i.e Kiiko Matsumoto on Japanese, and Hara diagnosis, moxibustion etc). As anywhere else, graduate education is self motivating. They will give you the tools to succeed, but it's up to you to excel. By the time you graduate you will have a compendium of many, many conditions that are frequent in acupuncture. But by no means it will be limited to pain syndrome, or just some basic musculo-sceletal problems.

Good Luck with your choices

epiphany

543 Posts

Hey Epiphany!

I think that Tri-State is an excellent choice, although as their graduate I'm biased.I compared TSCA against Pacific, Swidish Institute, and a couple of other programs in Soyosset amd Meniola in L.I. TSCA is known to prepare you for the practical aspects of getting out and practicing. One thing is for sure that you will know what you are doing when you're done, which is not the case with many other programs, which concentrate more on academics, and theory alone. You will get adequate exposure to many styles, and not only as electives, but you will have specific clinics ran by Master Practitioners (i.e Kiiko Matsumoto on Japanese, and Hara diagnosis, moxibustion etc). As anywhere else, graduate education is self motivating. They will give you the tools to succeed, but it's up to you to excel. By the time you graduate you will have a compendium of many, many conditions that are frequent in acupuncture. But by no means it will be limited to pain syndrome, or just some basic musculo-sceletal problems.

Good Luck with your choices

Thanks so much. That's a load of useful info you've provided me. Good to know your experience was positive!

Josh L.Ac.

353 Posts

Specializes in Pain Management.
Hey Epiphany!

I think that Tri-State is an excellent choice, although as their graduate I'm biased.I compared TSCA against Pacific, Swidish Institute, and a couple of other programs in Soyosset amd Meniola in L.I. TSCA is known to prepare you for the practical aspects of getting out and practicing. One thing is for sure that you will know what you are doing when you're done, which is not the case with many other programs, which concentrate more on academics, and theory alone. You will get adequate exposure to many styles, and not only as electives, but you will have specific clinics ran by Master Practitioners (i.e Kiiko Matsumoto on Japanese, and Hara diagnosis, moxibustion etc). As anywhere else, graduate education is self motivating. They will give you the tools to succeed, but it's up to you to excel. By the time you graduate you will have a compendium of many, many conditions that are frequent in acupuncture. But by no means it will be limited to pain syndrome, or just some basic musculo-sceletal problems.

Good Luck with your choices

What did you think of Matsumoto's work and hara diagnosis?

If you could have someone like that as a supervisor for clinical shifts, that would be worth the tuition alone.

Edit: bonus on TSCA's initiative to push for the entry level doctorate. "I didn't do 3 1/2 years of graduate work to be called Mister, thanks."

zenman

1 Article; 2,806 Posts

FYI: One of my graduate Zen Shiatsu students, who was also an acupuncturist, did acupuncture on me based on Masunaga's hara diagnosis and it was really strong...I thought I was going to light up!

Josh L.Ac.

353 Posts

Specializes in Pain Management.

Update: probably the best advice for now is to get the master's in acupuncture, which obviously is a 3-4 year committment.

If we had to error one way or the other between making a streamlined, shortened program (with more NPs applying for) or the long, slightly bloated but in-depth program (like the master's degrees now), we would probably pick the second path.

But time will tell.

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