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The Point- Volume I, Issue 3
Our Books
Came to Life: A follow Up To Pacific Symposium by
Marc Sklar
This year’s Symposium gave students a chance to hear their textbooks
speak. The authors we read and study everyday in class, and in coffee
houses, were at PCOM’s 14th annual Pacific Symposium.
For those interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of the secondary
channels, Giovanni Maciocia provided information often overlooked when
treating patients. Maciocia lectured on theory and point combinations
for treating pathologies of the Luo, Divergent, and Muscular Channels
that certainly increased our knowledge and understanding of the secondary
channels.
Elisabeth Rochat de la Valle and Philippe Sionneau, two scholars whose
passion for Chinese medicine has pushed them to study classical Chinese
texts, lectured to students more on the emotional aspects of Chinese medicine.
(To hear more of Elisabeth Rochat de la Vallee, look for her upcoming
lecture in May.) Both French scholars caused us to concentrate on their
pronunciations a bit, however the information presented was enlightening
and inspirational.
Another scholar fond of the classics is Ken Rose. You may have heard
the fans screaming after Rose’s preaching on the importance for
practitioners to learn all they could about China. Others like Mary Kay
Ryan expressed the need for Chinese medicine to evolve in America without
the need for practitioners to abandon their American culture. Regardless
of what side of the fence you stand on, Rose’s lecture on the history
of Qi had attendees talking well after symposium ended, and possibly may
have caused some of you to want to study medical Chinese.
Possibly the most anticipated speaker of symposium was Ted Kaptchuk.
Although Kaptchuk was once a professor at PCOM, and his book "The
Web That Has No Weaver" may have been their first classroom text,
most of the current students had never heard him speak. In his keynote
address, Kaptchuk waxed that although TCM and biomedicine have become
intertwined, mutual respect, patience and the ability to question our
beliefs, are key components to the future development of medical care
in America. His unique lecturing style sometimes proved difficult to follow,
but Kaptchuk provided the ‘pearls of wisdom’ that he is known
for.
This year’s symposium also had our very own Bob Damone, Alex Tiberi,
Greg Bantick, Bill Helm and Zev Rosenberg. From classical texts to face
reading to Taoist sexual practices, this years Pacific Symposium had everything
you could have asked for. As our textbooks came alive we were able to
gain a deeper understanding of Chinese medicine. Thank you to everyone
who helped put Symposium together and for enriching our knowledge in this
ever-expanding medicine.
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TCM vs. the
Media Our Legitimacy Under Attack by Ryan
Altman
Recently, there has been much concerned debate over the libel currently
circulating in several magazines about the safety of our practice of Acupuncture.
Carried through the internet news service, Ivillage, (an independent ‘news
agency’ linking such magazines as Vanity Fair, Cosmopolitan, and
Good Housekeeping) several articles have surfaced proclaiming that acupuncture
is only safe when performed by an MD in the role of Medical Acupuncturist.
Needless to say, this powerful lobby of practitioners, some holding only
300 hours of TCM from a three month course are scaring the public into
believing them.
Even though non-medical acupuncturists have fewer cases of malpractice
and accident, and MD’s often forego traditional theories of TCM
and simply translate their Biomedical beliefs into point specific treatments,
the public has been trained to believe what their Doctors tell them. The
Medical Acupuncture community, with the support of the AMA is constantly
trying to damage our reputations with the public.
As the media fans the fires of hysteria by creating big headlines for
shock value, it is our own responsibility to keep them honest. Fortunately,
some of the more traditionally conservative magazines are even coming
around to alternative therapies. The recent cover story in ‘Newsweek’,
(Dec. 2nd issue) goes a long way to dispelling the myths of the dangers
of Acupuncture. All practitioners are considered as equals and at no point
in the entire magazine are Medical Acupuncturists even mentioned.
All practitioners and students should take the time to respond to these
outrageous allegations in the media by writing letters to the editors
of whichever magazine attacks us next. As the youngest branch of the medical
community, we have to be on guard if we hope to advance the ideas of our
integration into acceptance. For proof of this, simply look-up the history
of the Chiropractic profession in their fight for legitimacy.
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Doctorate
Program Approved by Rebecca Wilkowski
PCOM is pleased to announce the approval of its Doctoral program in Acupuncture
and Oriental Medicine, (DAOM) by the Accreditation Commission (ACAOM).
The program, which is set to begin in the Fall of 2003, will offer a five
semester, 1395 hour, 70.5 credit program of doctoral study. The program
will consist of a series of courses in five tracks: Integrative Medicine,
Application of Chinese Classics, Medical Chinese Language, Evidence-Based
Medicine, and Clinical Studies. Within these tracks, students may choose
Neuromuscular Medicine, Geriatrics or Mental Health as a specialty.
Pacific’s Doctoral clinical training will utilize a team approach
consisting of two expert licensed acupuncturists and a biomedical health
care provider. This will allow for collaborative interaction with multiple
medical providers and access to experts in the specialty under study by
the student. In addition to its own clinical facilities, Pacific has agreements
with: San Diego Hospice, University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Free
Clinic, Senior’s Clinic, UCSD Sports Medicine Clinic, Sharp Hospital
Cardiac Rehabilitation Department, Children’s Hospital Integrative
Medicine Program, and UCSD Division of Urology to provide facilities for
observation and collaboration. Pacific’s clinical component will
also allow students to receive credit for treating patients in their own
practices as well as complete a Clinical Capstone Project that will contribute
to the knowledge base of the profession.
In addition to providing an expert core faculty, Pacific will feature
renowned experts from around the globe to serve as adjunct faculty each
semester. While Pacific’s doctoral program is currently designed
for resident, full-time students, it will also be highly manageable for
practitioners maintaining a full-time private practice or having other
significant commitments. For more info on the Doctoral program, please
contact the College at (800) 729-0941.
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