TCM after graduation?

[soulsavior]

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I'm a 2nd yr med student and I am extremely interested in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). I am was wondering if many of you think it's a good idea to enter TCM school after graduation rather than going into residency. I know there are acupuncture courses out there for doctors, but I feel like these are just crash-courses. I want to indulge in the concepts, philosophies, etc and know as much as I can. I very much like Dr. Still's approach to medicine but I intend to have my profession geared toward TCM. Please share your insights.

 

[randomusername]

Personally, it seems like it would be wiser to do your residency and pursue something like this:

http://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/education/fellowship/index.html

 

[JaggerPlate]

Personally, it seems like it would be wiser to do your residency and pursue something like this:

http://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/education/fellowship/index.html

+1. Is this the program Andrew Weill is involved with? If so, I've heard it's competitive and expensive (I think you pay for it on your own). Regardless OP ... two things to remember when running an integrative practice: 1. cash 2. payment due at time of services.

God speed.

 

[randomusername]

Is this the program Andrew Weill is involved with?

Yep.

 

[soulsavior]

Thanks but it doesn't look like the institution has what I'm looking for. I want to put a lot of emphasis on the acupuncture field not just integrative medicine.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=791677

 

[RetinaTazer]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=791677

There is UCLA course reserved for physicians. It is an intensive course, more than 1000hrs of material or lectures...i am not sure. However, you will be certified by a physician's organization.

 

[DrWBD]

I very much like Dr. Still's approach to medicine but I intend to have my profession geared toward TCM. Please share your insights.

It's interesting you say this, and it reflects the confusion that lay people harbor about osteopathy and Dr. Still. A.T.'s approach to medicine was to forgo any treatment, pharmaceutical or otherwise, in favor of manipulative treatment. While everybody takes that to mean he rejected drugs, he also rejected everything else that came from outside the body, including so-called "natural" treatments. The core of osteopathy at its founding was that health comes from within. He would probably reject herbals and acupuncture. From my point of view, integrating TCM would actually be more consistent with mainstream "allopathic" treatment.

 

[soulsavior]

The core of osteopathy at its founding was that health comes from within. He would probably reject herbals and acupuncture. From my point of view, integrating TCM would actually be more consistent with mainstream "allopathic" treatment.

Acupuncture does utilize the inherent healing energy of the body. Like OMT, acupuncture and acupressure manipulates the energy flow, but just not at the anatomical level.

 

[Buckeye4life]

If I were you, I would find a residency that has a practioner who practiced medicine in China before coming to the U.S., which may or may not exist. My brother and sister-in-law go to a D.O. in Columbus, OH who practiced TCM before coming to the states. He then earned his DO and regularly incorporates Eastern with Western principles and treatment. I have taken some continuing education myself on alternative medical practices when I was a physical therapist and the amount of training to even be good at taking basic pulses is ridiculous. The instructor said it takes reading about 10 peoples pulses a day for 5 years to be able to detect the 21 different types of pulses the Chinese describe. However, if done right, they can tell if a person is pregnant and even if a person is going to have twins. I have met the physician who my brother sees and he quickly diagnosed me by examining my tongue and he was actually correct with medical conditions I have had. It's very fascinating, so I would research programs that maybe have these type of practitioners involved with them, but still complete a conventional residency.