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Department of Clinical Practice

C560, 562, 564 Clinical Assistant Diagnosis and Evaluation
C566, 568, 570, 572, 574 461, 462, 569, 571, 573, 575 Clinical Observation and Assistantship
C660, 662, 664, 665, 760, 762, 764, 766, 768 Clinical Internship
M680 Practice Management and Ethics
Non-required Electives

 

C560, 562, 564 Clinical Assistant Diagnosis and Evaluation
Clinical Assistant Diagnosis and Evaluation is a three-credit course taken in three one-credit modules over the course of the Assistantship section of the program. The course provides an opportunity to learn practical skills through a discussion of cases experienced during Clinical Assistantship. Students will analyze treatment plans and principles of diagnosis at a level appropriate to their academic and clinical level of training.

C566, 568, 570, 572, 574 461, 462, 569, 571, 573, 575 Clinical Observation and Assistantship
The Clinical Observation and Assistantship program is composed of six, two-clinical unit modules providing almost 400 hours of training over a minimum of seven semesters. These courses offer the student the opportunity to assist in, and become familiar with, all aspects of an Oriental medical clinic. Students become a valuable part of the college’s clinical team. They assist interns and private practitioners by performing orthopedic evaluations, charting, assembling herb formulas (students in M.S.T.O.M. and M.T.O.M.), and performing moxibustion, cupping, massage, other non-invasive acupuncture techniques, and closely supervised needling. Assistants observe diagnosis and treatment procedures with experienced doctors and begin to formulate their own assessment. They describe and evaluate treatment rationales and keep a record of their activities for review and discussion. These courses and their instructional activities are closely coordinated with the Oriental Medicine courses to ensure a valuable clinical experience.

C660, 662, 664, 665, 760, 762, 764, 766, 768 Clinical Internship
Over two years of study and practice are challenged and refined by treating real patients in Clinical Internship. Students are guided to develop and maintain the highest standards of professionalism and responsibility for patients until such standards become habits. The development of these positive character traits will ensure the acupuncturist’s acceptance in today’s culture. From close supervision at the beginning of Internship until gradual, relative independence, the Intern at Pacific always has the finest, licensed practitioners available for supervision or consultation. While closely guided in the first few months of Internship, Interns are always expected to think for themselves and to present diagnoses and treatment plans for review and critique. Internship is not the beginning of learning at Pacific, it is the culmination. It is a time when textbook cases become living, breathing human beings: human beings with needs, pains, and concerns. It is a time to apply the compassion produced by an abundance of knowledge, confidence, and self-esteem developed in the classroom. Intern activities include the formulation of diagnosis, treatment plan, and prognosis, and the implement-ation of treatment for a wide variety of individual patients. Referral is never ignored as a possibility. While functioning under the auspices of the college, the Intern assumes, in spirit, responsibility for individual patients under the Intern’s care. Interns must utilize the appropriate forms of treatment which may include acupuncture, herbs, massage, nutrition, exercises, and lifestyle modifications. While in the clinic, the Interns should effectively utilize their support staff, which includes Clinical Assistants, massage therapists, administrative staff, and, of course, the licensed supervisors and outside referral options.

Selected Interns may participate in college research projects. The benefits to the Intern and the profession of such projects are numerous. Additionally, because the college is often approached to provide information to the public, Interns, usually accompanied by a school representative, may have the opportunity for public speaking. Interns may participate in community outreach opportunities such as the Great American Smokeout or off-site internship rotations at Sharp Hospital, Children's Hospital, San Diego Hospice, UCSD Seniors Clinic, UCSD Free Clinic Project, UCSD Sports Training Facility, Olympic Training Center, St. John's Riverside Hospital, Jamaica Hospital, Initiative for Women with Disabilites - Hospital for Joint Diseases, Grand Meridian Clinic, Fortune Society and others. The Clinical Internship program is composed of nine, two-clinical unit modules providing almost 600 hours of training over a minimum of three semesters.

M680 Practice Management and Ethics
Pacific recognizes and respects that students should realize a return on the time, money, and energy invested in their education. For any service to persist, medicine included, there must be mutual benefit for the parties involved. In most cases, patients must receive health and well-being from their relationship with the practitioner. In addition to the satisfaction of a job well done, in most cases the practitioner must receive money. Money is the most common medium for the exchange of our values and energy, thus the student must practice good business and, more importantly, ethical behavior.

This hands-on class gives students a comprehensive view of the various office management, record-keeping, insurance billing, and bookkeeping systems related to an Oriental medicine practice. Time is devoted to the study of the laws and regulations of acupuncture in California, New York and/or Illinois, as well as the professional and ethical responsibilities of being a primary care provider. Practice building techniques are introduced in this class and students design a business plan to give themselves a head start in creating a successful practice.

Non-required Electives
Pacific offers a variety non-required electives at each of its campuses based on their unique faculty resources. M.S. students in San Diego may also take any course from the Department of Advanced Asian Body Therapy. This is highly recommended as it is observed that practitioners who are expert in body therapy build their practices quicker. However, students should note that non-required elective and courses from the Department of Advanced Asian Body Therapy are not accredited by ACAOM and therefore such courses are not covered by financial aid. Such courses do not count toward fulfilling the A820, 822 Specialty Electives requirement.