Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

TCM College

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • TCM College

    What are some good ones in the U.S.? and besides that, how are you expected to make $$$$ as a TCM physician?

    2 general questions, im asking in hopes ddj sees the thread

    amitabha
    "did you ask me to consider dick with you??" blooming tianshi lotus

  • #2
    Good schools. The best schools in California that I know of are, Pacific College, Five Branches Institute, Yo San University, and Emperor's College. If you want a better list, I beleive naturalhealers.com has an extensive listing of every accredited (you don't want to go to a non accredited school, you pay 4 times as much and can't actually practice the medicine) acupuncture school in the U.S.

    How are you expected to make money? Either join a pre existing clinic as a staff physician, or open a private practice. Money is not much of a problem in this field. There's a fairly high demand, and its not unheard of to be making a six figure income in your first few years out of school. But for those people without any business experience or saavy, you can still easily make 40-50k in your first year after passing licensure exams. It might even be possible to get a federal grant to cover the start up capitol needed to open your own clinic when you finish school.

    Requirements: All accredited acupuncture schools in the U.S. are running a three to four year program which requires that you have finished at least 60 credits (approx. two years of undergratuate coursework) in an undergraduate institution prior to applying. Some schools have additional western science requirements, others will teach the western science parts there.

    Some of the schools on the east coast, particularly in NYC, teach only acupuncture and not herbs in the curriculum. Nearly all the schools in california teach a curriculum of both acu and herbs. The schools in california are much tougher, and in general offer a better education. Licensure exams in california are the toughest in the country, but state legislature allows licensed acupuncturists much more freedom and responsibility (they are considered primary care providers, equivilent to an M.D. in many respects) than in the rest of the country.

    Thats the short answer, you need to know anything else, ask.
    Show me a man who has forgotten words, so that I can have a word with him.

    Comment


    • #3
      greedy muther ****ers..

      man those prices are bull****, id have to go into the damn military to afford that ****

      which isnt entirely out of the question..still sucks though

      if i ever go to TCM school and learn all that crazy ren an du ****, im gonna open the best school and teach people at a reasonable price

      anyhow

      amitabha
      "did you ask me to consider dick with you??" blooming tianshi lotus

      Comment


      • #4
        Well most of those schools will run you around 10 grand per year for four years. Thats nothing when you realize that most private grad schools will run you around 30-35 thousand per year.

        Its not hard to cover it with federal loans, but you better be sure that its the thing for you before you go get in debt with the government.
        Show me a man who has forgotten words, so that I can have a word with him.

        Comment


        • #5
          man, i wish it was 10 grand a year for berklee school of music up in boston...

          Comment


          • #6
            I recently graduated from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (PCOM) in New York. I am currently waiting for my license from New York State. PCOM in New York has the same curriculum as PCOM San Diego which has a very intensive herbal and western sciences curriculum. As far as I know, it is the only school in the New York area that allows you to sit for the California exam. (I will likely take that exam this summer just to have the tough exams behind me.) I believe Tri-State (in NYC) offers an herbal program but it is separate from the acupuncture and won't allow you to sit for the California test. California has good TCM schools, but there are also great schools in Oregon, Washington, Massachusettes, Texas, and Florida. The demand for TCM is growing in the U.S. so the number of and quality of schools is increasing. I think TCM is a great field to get in to. It combines science, philosophy, health care, exercise, lifestyle, etc. I know of some TCM practitioners who make bank oof of their practice. The big difference between a TCM practice and a Western medical practice or other small business is that you have to be a good educator. Americans have no idea what TCM is, they think herbs is a bunch of hocus-pocus crap, and many have no idea what yin and yang are. If you can explain to people what TCM is, and get them excited to experience its benefits, you can have a successful practice.

            It also depends on what state you live in. We had a guest speaker at PCOM from Massachussettes who told us a busy Acupuncture practice is 15-20 patients a week, and that acupuncturists really don't make much money and we'd better have some side business to supplement our income. Well in the New York area I know practitioners who see 60 to 90 patients a week. At an average fee of $90/patient, that's not bad. Also, in MA, no health insurance will pay for acupuncture. In New York, Oxford, Cigna, and I believe HIP pay for acupuncture.
            In Ohio, you cannot give herbs to patients unless you're an MD. In New York it's no problem. California is the best. There you can be a Primary Care Practitioner and order blood tests, X-rays, and other scans. I believe that is the case in Florida too.

            Hope that was helpful,
            G

            Comment


            • #7
              Yeah, the success of your practice is dependent on alot of things, but I wouldn't beleive anyone who tells you that you need to seek other work on the side to support yourself. Hell, if someone can run a successful acupuncture clinic in Willimantic, Connecticut you can run one almost anywhere. But its definatly easier on the west coast. One of my proffessors in particular sees 10-20 patients per day in his private clinic, and word has it from the students I know that work for him, he pulls in around 300 k per year. Given, this is not average. For every person with a busy clinic there are people who tried to start clinics in poor locations with lousy marketing and aren't doing well as a result. The safest thing to do as a newly licensed graduate is to get a job in a preexisting clinic, and not go through the risk of opening a private practice right out of school.
              Show me a man who has forgotten words, so that I can have a word with him.

              Comment


              • #8
                DDJ-

                I've been considering on attending Emperor's College, any advice?

                I need to get the 60 units first, was there anything particular that you had to take before you went to Emperors'?
                "For some reason I'm in a good mood today. I haven't left the house yet, though. "

                "fa hui, you make buddhism sexy." -Zachsan

                "Friends don't let friends do Taekwondo." -Nancy Reagan

                Comment


                • #9
                  and,what about in china,any good place to learn near shaolin?
                  son of the light

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Fa Hui, you can take em at any community college, I beleive they want you to take standard general education classes (math, science, english, whatever). But in order to transfer classes in, (which helps alot) they need to be in excess of the 60 credits. If you can take anatomy and physiology, physics, bio, biochem, basic nutrition, physchology, or pathophysiology, they are great classes to transfer in. It will be much cheaper for you to take those kind of classes at a community college, but in order to transfer them in, they need to be in excess of those 60 credits. I transferred in everyone of those classes except biochem, and it helped out quite a bit. Unless you want to take anatomy with no labs, in a difficult lecture class, led by a terribly sarcastic bitter ex marine combat medic.

                    I highly reccomend it though Fa Hui, its a wonderful place with a wonderful community, and just a whole lot of love around. And though I doubt this will sway your decision much, but currently the student body is 70% female.

                    I'm sure you'll make the right decision though.
                    Show me a man who has forgotten words, so that I can have a word with him.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Thanks DDJ. It maybe a while before I get there, but I am definitely considering it. It would be completely up my alley.

                      I'm going to take it slow at C.C. because it will be easier for me, but thanks for the info.

                      BTW, is it really 70% of the student body?
                      "For some reason I'm in a good mood today. I haven't left the house yet, though. "

                      "fa hui, you make buddhism sexy." -Zachsan

                      "Friends don't let friends do Taekwondo." -Nancy Reagan

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I've been in classes of 30 students when I was one of four men in the room. Yes, it really is.
                        Show me a man who has forgotten words, so that I can have a word with him.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          It might not take me all that long after all....
                          "For some reason I'm in a good mood today. I haven't left the house yet, though. "

                          "fa hui, you make buddhism sexy." -Zachsan

                          "Friends don't let friends do Taekwondo." -Nancy Reagan

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            hmm, interesting, I know the medical field is growing. I know a man who has a preventive care center in the Dells. acupuncture was probably cheaper than other types of medicine. I know a guy who runs his own clinic.
                            http://www.blogger.com/profile/16155538

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I kind of have an interest in massage too.
                              http://www.blogger.com/profile/16155538

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X