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Justine Meccio

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The Path to Licensure: Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine

Posted by Justine Meccio on Wed, Jul 22, 2015 @ 02:00 PM

For students considering a career in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, it can often be confusing to interpret the landscape of professional licensure for practitioners in the U.S. Though it might seem daunting, developing a clear understanding of the licensure process for acupuncturists before you even begin your studies is an important part of preparing yourself to be successful after graduation.

  1. State Licensure

Just like other medical professions, licensure for acupuncturists is governed on state-by-state basis. Currently, forty-four U.S. states have laws regulating the practice of acupuncture. In most of these states, the laws governing licensure –such as eligibility, and scope of practice - are overseen by the state’s medical boards. Here in Texas, for example, the Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners is responsible for granting licenses to acupuncturists. As a new practitioner, you’ll apply directly to the board in your state for your professional license.

For students entering the field, where they choose to practice can impact their eventual scope of practice. Likewise, the requirements for eligibility and process of applying for licensure may vary from state to state.

If you’re thinking about practicing in a particular state, it’s a good idea to research the scope of practice defined by that state’s regulatory board. You can find a full list of state licensing agencies online.

  1. National Board Exams

Though licensure itself may be regulated at the state level, there are national standards for the practice of acupuncture & Chinese medicine.

In the U.S., an organization named the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), evaluates competency for practitioners seeking to enter the field. The NCCAOM measures competency by administering a set of board exams that, when passed successfully, lead to nationally recognized certification in the following areas: acupuncture, Oriental medicine, Chinese herbs, and Asian bodywork therapy. Of the forty-four states that regulate the practice of acupuncture, all but California require the NCCAOM board certification as a prerequisite for licensure.

As a graduate student in the Master of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine program, planning for the board exams is important. Students can choose to wait until after completing their degrees to take all of their board exams, or, choose to take each exam upon completion of the corresponding curriculum area. Preparing for the board exams does require extra study-hours, and students within AOMA’s graduate program prepare for the board exams through free board-prep, or “competencies” classes.

Currently, the pass-rate for AOMA students taking the NCCAOM board exams is 91%. 

  1. Professional Title

Just as the scope of practice may vary somewhat from state-to-state, so does the nomenclature used in professional titles. The most commonly used title is “Licensed Acupuncturist” and you might see this listed as L.Ac. or Lic.Ac. Other states, like New Mexico and Nevada, grant the title of “Doctor of Oriental Medicine” (D.O.M.) to practitioners who have completed a master’s degree. Currently the entry-level degree required for obtaining licensure in each state is currently a master’s degree.

In Texas, completing a doctoral degree program in acupuncture in Oriental Medicine, allows practitioners to add the title “Doctor of Oriental Medicine” to their professional names but does not alter their scope of practice.

If this sounds overwhelming, rest assured. The Registrar’s Office and academic advisors at AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine are adept and guiding and assisting graduating students through the process of applying for licensure!

For quick reference, here’s a short overview of the process:

https://magic.piktochart.com/output/6945338-licensure-infographic

Licensure_Infographic

Topics: acupuncture school, licensure, licensed acupuncture

5 tips for Applying to Acupuncture School

Posted by Justine Meccio on Fri, Jul 17, 2015 @ 11:02 AM

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Pursuing a master’s degree in Chinese medicine is a choice that will lead you to a rewarding professional career, one that enables you to have a real impact on the health of people in your community.

Now that you have made the decision to attend acupuncture school, what’s the next step? Your journey will most certainly start with the admissions department!

Check out these handy tips for students applying to the graduate program: 

  1. Connect with admissions before applying.

    Before you apply, it’s a good idea to contact the admissions staff. Not only can they address any questions you have about the admissions requirements, the required application materials, they can even help you decide what term to apply for. It’s important to keep in mind that the admissions staff is here provide guidance during the application process – they’re ready and available to help you!
  1. Apply Early.

    AOMA conducts admissions on a rolling basis, meaning applications are processed individually as they are received. Applying well in advance of the application deadlines ensures that you have plenty of time to gather all of the required application materials. Similarly, by completing the application process as early as possible, you are giving yourself plenty of time to prepare for classes and make your post-acceptance plans.  
  1. Order your transcripts first.

    Official transcripts from your undergraduate education are required as part of the application process. Unfortunately, obtaining official transcripts can take several weeks, potentially extending the length of the application process. To prevent issue, the first step after completing the application form, should be to request official transcripts from your previous school(s) be sent to the AOMA Admissions Office.
  1. Address concerns in your personal statement.

    If you are concerned about factors such as your previous undergraduate GPA, limited experience with health sciences, or anything else that you feel may be relevant to the strength of your application, it’s best to address these issues in a straightforward manner. The personal statement is a wonderful place to do this!
  1. Choose your references wisely.

    As part of the application process, each candidate is required to submit two letters of recommendation. The individuals you select to write these letters on your behalf should be able to address your skills and abilities that are relevant to graduate-level study. Choosing references who can speak to your academic or professional background such as former professors, professional supervisors or colleagues lends strength to overall quality of your application.

With that stated, if you have an author in mind, and you’re not sure whether they’re an appropriate reference, you can always contact the admissions team for guidance.

For more information about applying to acupuncture school, visit AOMA’s website at aoma.edu/admissions or contact the admissions office today!

Begin Your Journey: Apply to AOMA Contact the Admissions Office

Topics: acupuncture school, admissions, acupuncture

Oriental Medicine 101: 5 MORE Reasons to attend Acupuncture School

Posted by Justine Meccio on Wed, Jul 08, 2015 @ 09:58 AM

AcupunctureSchool

Choosing to attend acupuncture school may seem like an unconventional choice, but for the students who choose this path, that’s okay. Completing a master’s degree in Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can lead to a rewarding career – one where your personal values are aligned with your professional ambitions.

A Career That Matches Your Values

Many of the students who attend AOMA cite a desire to change the way health care is practiced in the U.S. as a motivating factor behind their decision to study Chinese medicine.  For some, it’s Chinese medicine’s inherently integrative approach – viewing the impacts of physiological, mental, emotional, and environmental factors, as equally important elements in human health – that makes it so different from other systems of care. With this in mind, it’s no wonder that many acupuncturists seek out opportunities for professional integration and collaboration with other medical practitioners. For others, the practice of Chinese medicine provides an opportunity to address the health care needs of underserved patient communities and to expand access to genuinely patient-centered care.

Transforming your Life

One of the key themes expressed by students graduating from AOMA is just how truly transformational their experience in the graduate program was. Put quite simply, by the time you graduate from acupuncture school, you won’t be the person you were when you started. You’ll be someone different – a healer.

The decision to become a health care provider isn’t one that is made lightly. It’s often the result of much soul-searching, of listening to that persistent voice whispering of your desire to help others, of a vocation. No matter where you start from – whether it’s a corporate boardroom or undergraduate classroom – when you finish your studies at AOMA, you’ll be a competent, skilled health care professional ready to step out in the world and make a real difference in peoples’ lives. Getting there takes a lot of hard work and personal dedication, but it is this very work and the overcoming of challenges that fosters personal growth.

You’re an Explorer at Heart

Despite its history spanning over two millennia, the prevalence of acupuncture and Chinese medicine in contemporary health care is often considered a relatively “new” phenomenon within western medical communities. While organizations like the World Health Organization recognize the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of dozens of conditions, research into the mechanisms behind why and how acupuncture works is still relatively new within the scientific community. For curious students who always find themselves asking “why”, the field of acupuncture and Chinese medicine provides many avenues to explore uncharted territory and to enhance our understanding of human health and the human body.

You Want to Pay it Forward

Spend even a few minutes in AOMA’s student lounge on the first day of classes, and you’ll most likely overhear a new student talking about the impact acupuncture or Chinese medicine had on their own life. Graduate students often start out as patients – maybe acupuncture was the only form of treatment that provided relief from chronic pain, or maybe qigong helped restore balance to an unsustainable lifestyle, or perhaps acupuncture and herbal medicine even aided in the conception of a first child. Whatever the experience, many students often start out by experiencing the power of this medicine first hand before deciding they want to play a role in ensuring that others can find the same relief and benefit.

Your Social Network will get Bigger

One of the most interesting things about describing a “typical acupuncture student” is how hard it is to do. Students of Chinese medicine come from all walks of life – they’re former nurses, massage therapists, computer programmers, teachers, military veterans, biologists, social workers, yogis, writers, doctors, lawyers, corporate executives, and so much more. Despite these differences, there is a common theme – the desire to help others. Studying Chinese medicine introduces you to not only a new system of medicine – but also a new network of people with whom you can connect and relate to. After a few terms studying acupuncture and Chinese medicine, you might discover yourself feeling at ease amongst a whole new set of peers.

Can you think of another reason you’d like to study Chinese medicine? If so, feel free to leave a comment. To learn more about studying at AOMA, visit: https://aoma.edu/admissions.

Contact Admissions

Topics: acupuncture school, admissions, acupuncture students

4 Myths about Austin, Texas

Posted by Justine Meccio on Thu, Mar 12, 2015 @ 10:50 AM

MYTH 1: Austin is always hot.texas snowmen_image courtesy of lauraagudelo272.wordpress.com

TRUTH: Austin is hot during the summer. I moved to Austin,TX from Massachusetts in July of 2011, which was later named the hottest, driest month in Texas’ recorded history, and it was brutally hot. The grass was bleached pale yellow and wildfires popped up around the city, in spite of the strict burn-ban, which extended so far as to prohibit Independence Day fireworks. After a few months I learned that such high temperatures are an anomaly for Austin, which generally boasts somewhat mild weather for much of the fall, winter, and spring. Unfortunately, I’d already joyously donated all my cold-weather wear before heading south, so sometime in November I had to reevaluate my wardrobe and purchase much of the gear I’d gotten rid of.

Since living in Austin, I’ve spent Thanksgiving in a wool pea coat and Thanksgiving in a tee shirt…the weather here can be unpredictable, except in its predicable variety.

MYTH 2: If you don’t like tacos or BBQ, you might go hungry.

daidue_image courtesy of daidue.com

TRUTH: While is true that Austin loves its BBQ (there are more than 200 joints in the Austin area) and may love tacos even more (you can buy tacos from  AT LEAST 400 restaurants and food trucks around town), the culinary scene is by no means limited to those two major food groups.Austin is home to hundreds of food trucks, which serve foods ranging from donut-burgers and deep-fried sandwiches to Mexi-Korean and Thai Kun. There are vegetarian &vegan restaurants, gluten -free bakeries,  locally sourced dinner-club inspired restaurants, gourmet hot dog restaurants,Thai restaurants, Southern Comfort Restaurants… I could go on and on. I’m not a food writer, but there are many enthusiastic bloggers in Austin. If you’d like to read more about the food and restaurant scene in Austin, here are a few that I recommend: 

•    http://austinfoodbloggers.org/city-guide-2/
•    http://thetastingbuds.com/
•    http://www.southaustinfoodie.com/
•    http://austin.eater.com/

MYTH 3: Austin doesn’t have public transportation.bcycle_image courtesy of austin.bcycle.com

TRUTH: Austin does have public transportation:

The bus system extends into most of the city, serving 50 routes and 3000 bus stops, and is continuously growing and improving its service.  For more info check out : https://www.capmetro.org/

Additionally, Austin has followed places like DC, Amsterdam, and NYC in implementing a bike-sharing program - ours is Bcycle, and it’s extremely affordable. For more info check out : https://austin.bcycle.com/

Here’s the caveat, and it’s a big one:  people who don’t have cars and instead use public transit often need to plan their daily commute in advance, and may find it easier to live closer to downtown. If you have personal experience with using Austin’s public transportation as your method of getting around, we welcome your comments and opinions!

As important as the presence of public transportation in Austin is its demand due to the growing population. As Austin continues to grow, the city is continuing to improve its public transportation offerings and make improvements to existing systems. I am optimistic that our city planners and local businesses will make this happen.

MYTH 4: Austin is full of weirdoskeep_austin_weird_image courtesy of chucklesnetwork.com

TRUTH: Austin is unique, and so are its inhabitants. You may have heard the city’s popular slogan “Keep Austin Weird”, and wondered what the heck people mean when they say this. In his book “Weird City” Joshua Long explored this very question, and shows that people mean many different things when they use this phrase. Sometimes people are referring to the music, or local icons like Willie Nelson and Leslie, and other times people are referring to the city’s politics or aesthetics. When I hear people talk about Austin’s “weirdness”, it usually has an intangible, nostalgic quality to it. Legend has it that the slogan began as a bumper sticker imagined up by a guy named Red, who (according to Joshua Long) “didn’t want to make money. He didn’t want to be famous. He was just worried that the city he loved was becoming over-commercialized, over-materialistic, and less 'weird'.” Since then, “Keep Austin Weird” has been adopted by the Austin Independent Business Alliance to promote local business and economic revitalization that preserves the flavor of the city, while allowing it to evolve. Long claims that “there is a kind of a self-perpetuating, self-fulfilling prophecy of nonconformity now in the city” related to this sentiment. What this non-conformity looks like varies a lot depending on who you ask, but it’s my experience that many people in Austin are here because there’s a  sense of inclusivity that accompanies the city’s embrace of “weirdness “. Maybe that does make us weirdos, but I like to think of us as movers and shakers and artists and non-conformists, who are trying to build a city-wide umbrella of inclusivity.

Download a guide to Austin

 

elizabeth_arris_-_round-1Elizabeth Arris is an advanced student within the Master of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine program. Prior to relocating to Austin to attend AOMA, she earned a BA in Biological Sciences at Smith College. When not in class, Elizabeth serves as Student Ambassador, administering the InterTransform Mentoring Program for new students.

Topics: Austin, moving to Austin

AOMA Hosts Thanksgiving Food Drive to Help Families in Need

Posted by Justine Meccio on Mon, Nov 17, 2014 @ 05:17 PM

grocery_bag_food_drive

The members of AOMA's campus community are giving back to individuals and families in need this Thanksgiving by hosting a food drive with all donations benefiting the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas

The Capital Area Food Bank of Texas is an important part of Austin, providing food assistance to 329,400 unique clients annually. AOMA's community can make even just a small difference by providing extra food items during the busy Thanksgiving holiday.  

When to Donate:

Monday, November 17 -  Friday, November 21, 2014
 **All donations must be dropped off by 3pm on the 21st**

Where to Donate:

Donations are being collected in two convenient locations: 

AOMA Campus- Building C
4701 West Gate Blvd.
Austin, TX 78745

AOMA North Clinic - Reception Area
2700 W. Anderson Lane, Ste. 512
Austin, TX 78757

What to Donate:

The items most in need are:

  • Healthy, non-perishable foods
  • Canned vegetables (pop-tops cans preferred)
  • Canned meats like tuna, stew, and chili (pop-tops cans preferred)
  • Pasta and pasta sauce
  • Beans (canned or dry)
  • Peanut Butter
  • Healthy Cereals
  • Rice & other dry grains

 When selecting items to donate please choose:

  • Items with intact, un-opened, consumer or commercial packaging
  • Food within expiration date printed on package
  • Items with non-breakable packaging (NO GLASS, PLEASE)

Who to Contact with Questions: 

North Clinic drop-site: Stephanee Owenby, Clinic Business Coordinator / sowenby@aoma.edu

AOMA Campus drop-site: Justine Meccio, Director of Admissions / jmeccio@aoma.edu

 

 

AOMA Announces New Tuition: Starting in Winter '15 Ensures Lower Cost

Posted by Justine Meccio on Thu, Nov 06, 2014 @ 12:00 PM

Throughout its history, AOMA has been committed to providing the best quality education at the most reasonable cost to students. These values must be balanced with quality and care for AOMA's community. In the coming 2015 year, AOMA will increase tuition in order to continue to invest in the quality of its academic offerings, faculty, and campus community.

 

classroom
About the Increase:

AOMA’s graduate program tuition has consistently fallen well below the national average for the top-ranked schools of acupuncture & Oriental medicine. The decision to increase tuition and fees was reached after careful consideration of the institution's values and to ensure the continued well-being of AOMA's community. AOMA has worked with the Tuition Task Force to hear the concerns and needs of students, as well as with senior administrative leaders, and the board of governors to ensure AOMA is able to meet needs of future students.

In a comparison of tuition at the best acupuncture & Oriental medicine colleges, the cost of AOMA’s program is commensurate with the national average.

What This Means for Students:

Master’s Program:

The majority of the increase will take effect for students starting the program in the summer 2015 term or later. By beginning their studies in either the winter 2015 term, new students can ensure a lower program cost.

New Students - Winter 2015 & Spring 2015: For new students beginning the graduate program in the Winter 2015 and Spring 2015 terms, tuition will increase by 3% from its current rate.  This increase represents an anticipated total program cost of $55,158.

New Students – Enrolling in Summer 2015 and after: For new students beginning the graduate program in Summer 2015 or later, the anticipated cost of tuition & fees for the entire program will increase to approximately $72,500 from its current rate.

Students interested in beginning their studies in Winter 2015, should apply by December 1st. Contact the Admissions Office at admissions@aoma.edu or (800) 824-9987, ext 213 for additional information about the application process and requirements.

Apply for Winter 2015

Additional Resources:

To help new and current students understand the tuition changes for 2015, AOMA has created a web page that contains estimated cost breakdowns, frequently asked questions about tuition, and financial literacy education.

View Tuition Resources

 

 

 

Topics: masters program, admissions, tuition, winter 2015

Moving to Austin: Finding Roommates & Alternative Housing

Posted by Justine Meccio on Tue, Apr 22, 2014 @ 10:38 AM

There's no doubt that Austin,Texas is a popular place – recently topping the list of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. With such a dynamic environment, it's no wonder that many students choose to pursue acupuncture school at AOMA.

In our first post in the Moving to Austin series, we covered the basics of the Austin rental market. However for students looking for alternative housing in Austin, many opportunities exist including roommate arrangements, house shares, and cooperative living.

Finding a Roommate

Moving to Austin, Finding Roomates in Austin

For students seeking to limit their housing costs, finding a roommate is one of the best options. New residents have a variety of resources available when seeking roommates, including well-known sites like craigslist.org and roomster.com. These sites provide an opportunity to screen and to connect with potential roommates online.

AOMA offers support in the form of a biweekly Housing Digest that enables new students to connect with future classmates and  potential roommates in a secure platform. Throughout the year, current students also post openings for roommates online via AOMA's Housing Opportunities page and LinkedIn group.

When considering a potential roommate, it's important to be clear about your housing preferences. Taking time to consider lifestyle factors like school and/or work schedules, cleanliness, socializing, pet ownership, and personal habits is essential to ensuring a harmonious living environment. Additional factors to assess include the terms of a lease and/or approval from the landlord or property manager.

Cooperative Living & Co-housing 

Housing cooperatives (or “co-ops” for short) are member-ship based legal-entities that own residential real-estate. Becoming a member typically grants one the right to live within the co-op house or building.

A number of housing cooperatives and co-housing communities exist in Austin. Many of these co-ops feature communal living environments where multiple residents occupy a single house or building and work together to manage/maintain the property. For residents, the benefits of co-ops can include reduced housing costs and increased social interaction with roommates. When considering this type of living situation, it's important to account for personal privacy and space needs.

Information about housing cooperatives in Austin can be found through the Austin Co-op Directory.

 Personal Preferences

Alternative housing may not be for everyone. Depending on your personal or family needs, more traditional housing may be a better fit. No matter your preferences, Austin has a wide variety of options available to support your lifestyle.

Why Everyone is Moving to Austin

Life in Austin, Texas

 AOMA Student Housing Opportunities

AOMA Apartment Locators List

Article Contributors:

describe the imageJustine Meccio

Justine is the Director of Admissions for AOMA's graduate programs and works regularly to support new students in their transition to AOMA & Austin. A native to of the east coast, she relocated from New York five years ago. Since moving to Austin, she has lived in four different zip codes and is happy to share her personal knowledge of the city with newcomers.  

 

 

Take a Virtual Campus Tour Visit AOMA and Austin, TX

Topics: Austin, Austin rental market, moving to Austin, housing in Austin

3 Reasons to Start Acupuncture School at AOMA this Summer

Posted by Justine Meccio on Thu, Mar 20, 2014 @ 03:30 PM

croppedstudent

AOMA’s Master of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine program is a transformative educational experience that prepares students to begin careers as professional acupuncturists and herbalists. The program combines extensive clinical education with rigorous & comprehensive coursework in acupuncture theory & techniques, Chinese herbal medicine, biomedicine, mind-bodywork, and Asian body-work therapy.

Here are 3 reasons to begin your studies this summer at AOMA: 

1. Small Class-size Supports Learning & Connection

New students can apply to begin the program at three points per year: the summer, the fall, or the winter quarters. However, the summer term often sees the smallest incoming cohort with typically about 15 students starting the master’s program each July. For new students, a small class size fosters a tight-knit sense of community, allowing you to get to know your peers very well.

start acupuncture school this summer student body cumbo quote2. Flexibility

The summer quarter is only 8 weeks long. As a result, students’ academic load is often is lighter in the summer – meaning students frequently take fewer total credit hours than during other terms. Starting as a new student in the summer term with a lighter load is a great way to soften the transition to graduate school – especially if several years have passed since you were last in a classroom. You’ll become acclimated to the classroom environment, learn to incorporate school into your personal life, and “get into the groove” academically with fewer courses to balance.

Start Acupuncture School This Summer Robert Laguna

3. Make the Most of Your Summer

Summer in central Texas is often the season when many locals take it easy or even take vacations. Why not spend your summer in Austin,TX getting to know the city and enjoying the laid-back lifestyle? You can dodge the summer heat by spending your days inside air conditioned classrooms pursuing your passion and taking study breaks at beautiful Barton Springs!

Start Today Acupuncture School Karen Lamb QuoteBegin your journey this summer with classes starting on July 20, 2015!

Apply Today to Begin Classes in 2015!

 

Topics: acupuncture school, masters program, herbal studies, Austin, admissions, herbal program, professional acupuncturist, MAcOM

Archetypal Liberal Arts Major Goes Rogue, Studies Acupuncture

Posted by Justine Meccio on Mon, Mar 03, 2014 @ 01:10 PM

First, I’ll tell you that 18 months ago I was established in a career while yearning to go back to school, expand my life practices, and further devote myself to meaningful professional change. Now, a current student at AOMA, I just finished my 5th term.  At no point have I looked back, although I never would have predicted my life would take this path. In 2002, I graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in English that included extensive studies in calculus and Flemish art history. I felt like the prototype of liberal arts major, qualified for everything in general but nothing in particular—or so I told myself.

When I first thought about studying Traditional Chinese Medicine

It was 9 years ago when I first thought about studying Traditional Chinese Medicine. The thought lasted about 5 minutes, extinguished when I recalled that my science background consisted of contrasting types of volcanoes in my undergraduate geology class. I was intimidated by the natural science component included in acupuncture & Chinese medicine programs. My extensive knowledge of Renaissance poetry, for all its complexity, would not help me differentiate tendons in the wrist. My essays on the ethics of historical scholarship would not equip me to understand how a virus invaded the body. And somehow enrolling in the local community college at night to get my science prerequisites just to apply to a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) program seemed too daunting. At the time, it simply wouldn’t fit into my life, so I gave up hopes of being an acupuncturist.

For the next decade my career progressed in education business management and then teaching special education in public schools. While in these positions, I truly felt that I helped heal children as I taught. No matter what I did, I was a healer at heart. The nagging thought of practicing TCM returned. Finally, I visited AOMA’s website.

That’s when I realized that everything I believed for those nine years was wrong.

Reviewing the admissions requirements for the Master of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine program showed me I did qualify to apply despite my limited natural science background. I realized the graduate program included all of the western medicine courses I thought I would need to complete in advance.

After looking on the school’s website, I scheduled a tour of the campus and talked to some current students. Within a few days I realized that this was the real thing, and I could do it. In fact, the liberal arts major in me realized that I could make a darn fine TCM student.

Discovering the Human Body

The biomedical sciences curriculum at AOMA is delivered by experienced instructors who have insight into anatomy and pathology that is particularly relevant to an acupuncturist. Dr. Joel  Cone, who I met in my first week at AOMA, knew I needed encouragement and was very helpful.

My first term within the master’s program, I started taking anatomy and physiology. The biomedicine series continued and I took microbiology and pathophysiology. I spent a full year diving into the human body, the muscles, bones, organ systems, and microorganisms inside and outside of us. I began to walk around looking at everyone, imagining I could see the sinews and tendons underneath their skin moving in a choreographed dance as they walked. After that first year, I felt  as though  I had developed a magical power to see through skin to inspect everything on the inside.  When my throat and lungs got irritated in in the winter, I imagined the tissues trying to expel pathogens rather than thinking about getting sick. The human body came to life as an amazing machine, and I experienced it as a new piece of scientific art that I inhabited.

Integration

Don’t get me wrong, every acupuncture student and practitioner must be able to name the tendons in the wrist and understand how a virus invades the body—along with all the bones, muscles, blood constituents, and more. This biomedical background is essential to a Chinese medicine practitioner who must know how to communicate with and build a treatment plan for patients with biomedical diagnoses. However, TCM is made of the desire to heal as much as the knowledge of science. I’ve tried to put my finger on that “thing” that drew me to this field of study and practice. Sure, it was easy to say that I wanted to help people, that it gave me a sense of satisfaction to help those who are sick feel better. But there is also something else. I had previously studied literature and art and TCM fit into an amazing framework of culture and philosophy that I found exciting at an academic and personal level. My knowledge of this framework in a more abstract unscientific view helped me see TCM embedded as a cultural orientation that fit my spirit.

With my liberal arts background, I realized I simply and beautifully had even more to integrate into my journey as a healer.

Kate Wetzel ImageAbout Kate Wetzel:
Kate is a graduate student within AOMA’s Master of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine program. Prior to beginning her studies in acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine she completed a BA in English at Trinity University and worked as special education teacher for the Austin Independent School District.

 

 

 

Attend a Campus Info Session
 

 

Topics: Traditional Chinese Medicine, student spotlight, acupuncture school, transformation, curriculum, liberal arts

Don't Miss the Doctoral Program Booth at Southwest Symposium!

Posted by Justine Meccio on Mon, Jan 20, 2014 @ 10:40 AM

DAOM Booth Southwest Symposium SWSEach year, AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine sponsors the Southwest Symposium (SWS) - a premier, 3-day continuing education and integrative medicine conference. The event brings together practitioners, educators, and other health care professionals from the fields of acupuncture & Chinese medicine, massage therapy, and naturopathic medicine.

Visit Our Booth:

AOMA's admissions office staff will be on-site at SWS to provide information and answer questions about the Doctor of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (DAOM) program.

Be sure to visit us at booth # 20 to meet Dr. John Finnell, DAOM Program Director, and enter a drawing to win a free gift!

About the DAOM Program:

The Doctor of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine program is a transformative educational experience that prepares master's-level practitioners to become leaders in the care and management of patients with pain and its associated psychosocial phenomena. This rigorous program will challenge you to develop advanced clinical techniques, strong academic research skills, and to cultivate professional leadership abilities.

About the event:

Southwest Symposium 2014: The Heart of the Medicine
February 14-16, 2014
Austin, TX

 

DAOM Learn More

Topics: acupuncture school, doctoral program, DAOM, Dr. John Finnell, continuing education, southwest symposium, SWS

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