Why I Believe the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine Is The Best Acupuncture School On The Planet
UPDATE: Oregon College of Oriental Medicine takes the business & marketing needs of graduates seriously! (Read UPDATE below.)
Admittedly I have not been to every acupuncture school on the planet.
In truth, I have not been to any acupuncture school other than the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. So to say I am biased when I assert that OCOM is the best, well, it is true.
I AM biased. But for very good reason.
OCOM is consistently ranked among the top 3 schools nationally for its academics & clinical program. Students and graduates rank it highly for everything from quality of faculty and internships to the exceptional herbal medicine program & Qigong teacher certification training.
Students attending the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine receive comprehensive training (and meet all course work requirements for NCCAOM board certification) in:
- Acupuncture
- Oriental Medicine
- Chinese Herbology
- Asian Bodywork
Additionally, students are trained in Qi Ciltivation Techniques including Qigong and TaiQi. These techniques are taught to provide the foundation for direct experiential understanding of Chinese medicine's energetic concepts, as well as to support students' personal health and well being.
OCOM is one of the first schools to achieve candidacy status with the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) for the Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) degree, and THE first school to graduate professionals from this program.
The Oregon College of Oriental Medicine is at the forefront of acupuncture research with a nationally recognized Dean of Research. OCOM has ongoing studies in collaboration with local physicians, hospitals, and institutions, including Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) and Legacy Cancer Services.
Students learn the importance and specific challenges of acupuncture research and are encouraged to further advance the global understanding of Chinese medicine in their Master's Thesis.
My favorite thing about OCOM is that is combines academic excellence with an experiential learning. Students from all backgrounds are able to build on their talents and expand their knowledge.
At OCOM there is an appreciation for the unique qualities of individuals while demonstrating a uniform standard of excellence in academics, ethics, and patient care.
Obviously, my experience at OCOM was exceptional and I believe the demanding program graduates highly qualified acupuncturists and herbalists.
But you do not have to take my word for it. Check out OCOM for your self and compare it to other accredited acupuncture schools.
UPDATE:
In 2007 OCOM added Jason Stein as the Chair of Professional Development. This is an entire department dedicated to the professional and business development of their graduates! I've met personally with Jason and taught in some of his Practice Management classes.
To my knowledge OCOM is the only school that has listened to the needs of their graduates and created an entire department for Professional Development.
Now that the NCCAOM is providing CEUs to acupuncture practitioners who attend business courses, we should continue to see a rise in the success of independent practitioners. That's great news and I'm glad to see OCOM leading the way!