Our four-academic-year (three-calendar-year) program in acupuncture and Oriental medicine consists of 3,344.5 total hours, for which 216 quarter credits are granted. Of these, 996 hours are devoted to clinical studies. Curriculum development at OCOM is a dynamic and ongoing process, paralleling the rapid evolution within the profession of traditional Oriental medicine itself and the changing environments of private and public health. Current program and course information is detailed in the 2012-2013 Academic Catalog. 

Qi Cultivation 

Our students study two years of qi cultivation: one full year of qigong, and a second of advanced qigong or taiji quan. These internal development arts support personal health and creativity and provide the groundwork for direct, experiential understanding of the fundamental energetic concepts of Oriental medicine. 

Oriental Therapeutic Massage 

Students study six weeks of shiatsu (a Japanese form of acupressure) and six weeks of tuina (a Chinese form of massage) before determining their focus for three more quarters of study. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory 

Throughout the master’s program, students will explore the theories that serve as the foundation for the practice of Chinese medicine. 

Acupuncture Theory and Practice 

First-year students will study the location of more than 400 points and the channel theory on which acupuncture is based. As they progress through the program, students will master the functions of the acupuncture points, design acupuncture treatments, learn and practice basic and advanced techniques of needling, as well as adjunctive therapies such as moxibustion, cupping and electrical stimulation of points. 

Chinese Herbal Medicine 

After studying more than 300 individual herbs of the Chinese herbal pharmacopoeia, students learn to combine these herbs into classical formulas and to modify those formulas to meet the needs of individual patients. Working in the Chinese herbal dispensary helps students become familiar with the look, feel, smell and taste of the herbs and the specificity of their clinical applications. 

Biomedicine 

Coursework addresses basic sciences, anatomy and physiology, living anatomy, western pathology and clinical diagnosis, western pharmacology, diet and nutrition, and public and community health, enabling our students to partner with patients and their providers to offer optimum care. 

Professional Development 

Students develop their ethical and legal awareness, case management capabilities, and marketing and practice-building skills in a series of dedicated courses, augmented by a community outreach practicum. 

Clinical Studies 

Clinical training affords students the opportunity to integrate their knowledge and skills and apply them to the treatment of patients in a carefully structured and supervised learning environment. Learn more about about clinical education at Oregon College of Oriental Medicine.