pmeaden

It's Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. I graduated from there. No classes transfer. Pacific College is consideredthe best in this country by most. My anatomy and Physiology classes in nursing school are easier than those at PCOM. NO CLASSES TRANSFER...to anywhere.

A couple more things... I know a few physicians from China who worked in hospitals as traditional medicine providers there for 10 years or more. When they came to the states they were unable to get work as medical professionals here even if they went through the licensing process. They ended up going back to school so they could get a job. Also, none of the classes you take in your acupuncture program are likely to transfer to any other school if you choose to go back to school at a later date. None of the classes I took for my masters degree have transferred to my nursing degree. There is no acupuncture school in the country with the accreditation necessary for classes to transfer to other institutions. I have yet to find an organization that will even recognize that I have a valid masters degree. This is after I went to school 4 years straight will little break.

I am a licensed acupuncturist and I have just started an ADN program. I love Chinese medicine, and think it desperately needs to be integrated into the Western medical establishment. An issue for you to consider is your ability to make a living. Chinese medicine is a difficult profession to make a living in. As it becomes integrated more thoroughly into our culture there will be more opportunity to get salary positions. Currently you will most likely be an entrepreneur and your income will be limited by how many patients per week you are able to see, and then how much disposable income the community you work in has to spend on care. The other major issue here is Western medical providers trust of Chinese medicine. By and large they are ignorant of what it is, how it is used, and it's effectiveness. It is very difficult to get into a position where you are seen as the medical professional you are as an acupuncturist. However, if you hold an RN, then many walls will drop. You will be trusted to work in hospitals and other medical settings. Most physicians I have talked to think that what I practice is more dangerous than what they do, and that Chinese medicine is the same as placebo. It is an amazing tradition, and the main reason it gets pushed aside in the states is because the medical establishment is protecting their profits. Incidentally, in China, most traditional medicine providers study a great deal of Western medical science as part of their training. Some are MDs first, and then specialize in herbal medicine or acupuncture. So, if you get an RN first, your training will be more close to what providers in China recieve. Finally, you'll be able to pay for your education as you get it instead of going into debt if you have an RN. I spent $80,000 on my Masters of Science of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and won't be able to think about paying that back until I get a job as an RN. Keep those practical considerations in mind. If I had to do it over again I would get my RN first and then get my acupuncture license. Good luck!! By studying Chinese medicine you will be learning the oldest, most used, and most highly developed medicine that mankind has ever created. It is very safe, highly effective, and low cost. When Western medicine and Chinese medicine are used together in a truly integrated fashion, the results for the patient are often better than what either one could do alone.