created by Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine
The Masters of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (MAcHM) degree is a full-time, three-year program. After three years, students graduate from the MAcHM program and have the option to complete a fourth year of study to graduate with the Doctorate of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (DAcHM) degree.
Year 1 The first year of instruction focuses on students gaining insights from experienced faculty in clinic and academic instruction, and introducing students to the fundamentals of both classical and contemporary traditions of East Asian medicine. Clinic — Students have the unique opportunity of preceptoring from the beginning of the school year with experienced SIEAM clinical faculty who represent diverse backgrounds in diagnostic and treatment approaches to patient care. Courses — There is in-depth instruction in qi gong, physical palpation and assessment techniques; as well as methods of performing acupuncture and related modalities. Surface anatomy and western clinical science provide a groundwork that effectively informs the practice of bodywork and acupuncture. Students study the basics of Chinese herbal therapy and Chinese medical language throughout year one. 26356252_1798632203494445_7059181210886471680_n.jpeg For the MAcHM and DAcHM students, this training continues throughout the remaining years of the program to enable them to utilize Chinese herbal formulations and to access Chinese medicine texts. Year 2 Clinic — All students in the second year participate in clinical practice with acupuncture and related modalities. Student interns practice in a team approach to provide acupuncture, herbal medicine and bodywork under the supervision of key faculty, who have been their mentors in their academic instruction. They will have weekly clinical preceptorship with experienced herbalists on the SIEAM faculty. 22430192_122947025055902_4818040342093758464_n.jpeg Courses — Students also continue to deepen their understanding of the biomedical perspective of diseases in order to more effectively communicate with patients and collaborate with other health care practitioners. Student learning focuses on the technical aspect of techniques and clinical practice and the demonstration of basic skills for assessment, diagnosis, treatment and referral. Students will also participate in rigorous instruction in Chinese herbs, Chinese medical classics, and medical Chinese language. They work in the herbal dispensary learning how to make herbal preparations, measuring herbs for formulations, and becoming cognizant of the safety issues in working with the Chinese materia medica. Year 3 In the third year of SIEAM programs, the learner engages with the various clinical conditions and diseases commonly seen in contemporary clinics from both eastern and western perspectives. 82969306_186132889140769_3796468380215680384_n.jpeg Clinic — The clinical internships include offsite training assisting patients in community clinics, drug treatment centers, and other specialized patient populations. At this point, interns largely practice “solo”, being responsible for all aspects of patient care with oversight by SIEAM’s clinical supervisors. Students work in integrated clinics combining acupuncture and herbal medicine and have coursework on herbal therapies for the range of clinical conditions likely to be seen in clinical practice. Courses — Students broaden their understanding of the health care system, its histories, and the legal and business necessities of practicing in the field today. They continue their Chinese language studies through the translation of case studies and texts relevant to the clinical conditions they study.
ACUPUNCTURE 260
