Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine (SIOM)

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Embarks on a New Vision in Acupuncture Education

In the fall of 2008 the Master’s of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree program at SIOM was revamped in order to provide a deeper understanding of the roots of this ancient medicine, as well as a clearer grasp of modern approaches to Chinese medicine. The new format of instruction is unique in the field of acupuncture education. It is a result of the last fifteen years of instruction and innovation at SIOM, and the next step in SIOM’s mission to prepare highly qualified, effective and successful practitioners.

First year students at SIOM are now immersed in a clinical and academic setting where they study the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches of the oldest forms of Chinese medicine found in practice today. As part of this instruction first-year students study the Shäng Hán Lùn, Jïn Guì Yào Lüè, Nèi Jïng and Nàn Jïng texts and concurrently assist in preceptorship clinics with practitioners who utilize those approaches. In conjunction, the Chinese language curriculum has been revised so that students study the source texts directly, utilizing the latest technology to learn classical Chinese and its application to medicine. Following this study of the classics, students will then transition in the next year of study to more modern approaches to Chinese medicine and its application in herbal and acupuncture practice.

In addition to this first-year emphasis on ancient theory and practice of the medicine, the school is also embarking on a more in-depth study of the key aspect of Asian medicine: Qì. For westerners Qi is often a mysterious or nonsensical phenomena. For Chinese medicine practitioners, it is basic to understanding effective diagnosis and treatment in promoting health. The SIOM program now includes more extensive practice in meditation, qi-gong and tai chi, as well as practice in developing the palpatory skills that improve students’ ability in assessing and treating patients through a deeper experiential understanding of Qi. This practice is augmented by a stronger tui-na (Chinese medical massage) program that includes extensive clinical practice.

After achieving a solid foundation in classical Chinese Medicine, second-year students will begin utilizing this approach in clinic internships. Concurrently they will learn modern perspectives on traditional Chinese medicine and methods of herbal and acupuncture therapy that have evolved over time in various parts of Asia, Europe and the United States. The Chinese language coursework in the 2nd year will shift its focus to helping students gain competency in accessing information from modern Chinese medical texts and journals. Students will observe and assist experienced practitioners who employ techniques from China, Japan, Taiwan and France.

In the third year students will have advanced therapeutics courses that focus on common medical conditions seen in clinic as well as training on how to be effective in a modern multidisciplinary health care setting. The clinical aspect emphasizes a comprehensive approach to patient care in the busy teaching clinic utilizing the modalities learned, as well as practice in specialty clinics. Because students begin their clinical instruction in the beginning of their first year, by the time they graduate at the end of their third year, they have had extensive experience in patient care and are well-prepared to start their own private practices.

“SIOM was founded to explore new approaches in medical education. To date the outcomes have been quite successful,” noted Craig Mitchell, Academic Dean. “Nonetheless, we believe that we have learned some important things about the educational process, and we want to put these new ideas into practice.”

For more information on the program or SIOM’s educational philosophy visit the website at www.siom.edu and read the school’s catalog and other articles posted at the site.