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CLINICAL TRAINING & INTERNSHIP
896 hours / 59.7 semester credits
Purpose of the Course
Clinical Training and
Internship provide very essential supervised, practical experience and
is constantly emphasized throughout the program. It is here that the
student becomes a true practitioner of Chinese medicine. This
understanding goes to the heart of the philosophy that there is an
essential unity of thought and action: "Knowledge is the beginning of
action, and action is the completion of knowledge. Learning to be a sage
involves only one effort. Knowledge and action should not be separated.”
(Wang Yang-Ming) Each student will be required to take responsibility to
discover his own truths and abilities in diagnostics, needling, and
treatment techniques, ethics, and practice management.
Clinical Training and
Internship provide valuable hands-on experience and education that
complements the academic side of the Master of Acupuncture and Oriental
Medicine Degree program. This practice is required by CAHM to qualify
for graduation and to satisfy state and national requirements. Through
clinical practice, a student becomes a true practitioner of Chinese
medicine.
Students complete 896
hours of clinical training in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in
order to fulfill CAHM Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Degree
requirements. During this time, students must also perform at least 350
supervised patient treatments.
Course Educational Objectives
The course will
enable students to formulate accurately an Acupuncture and Oriental
Medicine diagnosis, to determine an effective treatment strategy based
upon the diagnosis formulated; to assess the effectiveness of the
treatment strategy and its execution; to enable students to prescribe
and formulate correctly an herbal medicine treatment, to determine an
effective herbal formula based upon the diagnosis, and to assess the
effectiveness of the herbal treatment strategy and its execution; to
prepare students for Hawai'i State Board of Acupuncture Licensure,
National Certification in Acupuncture and National Certification in
Herbal Medicine and enable graduates to set up and maintain successful
professional practice of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
Clinical Training & Internship Classifications
Clinical Training is
composed of Clinic Observation and Clinic Assistant. Clinical
Internship consists of Clinic Intern I and II. The successful
completion of each preceding level is prerequisite to advancing to the
next level of the program.
Clinic Observation
Semester 1 / 112 Hours
During
the first semester students come to the clinic for an introduction to
clinical protocol and procedures. Through observation, students will
accumulate practical experience and develop an appreciation for both the
art and science of acupuncture.
This program is designed to train students in the
following:
I. Learning of Relevant Clinical
Protocol and Procedures
II. Observation of how Learned Theories
are Applied During Treatment
III. Learning About Equipment and Safety
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Needles: Gauges, Types, Selection, Replacement,
Inspection
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Other Equipment: Cups, Moxa, Seven Star, etc.
-
Clean Needle Technique & Sterilization: Necessity
and Various Methods
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Relevant State and Federal Regulations Concerning
Equipment & Safety
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Avoiding Harm from Typical Procedures: Needling,
Moxa, Cupping, etc.
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First Aid & Fainting During Treatment
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Personal and Office Cleanliness and Hygiene
Clinic Observation Competencies
Through this program students will acquire
professional competency in:
I. Clinical Protocols and Procedures
II. Utilization of Skills Appropriate
for Preparation of Tools and Instruments
III. Accumulation of Practical Clinic
Experience Through Observation
Clinic Assistant
Semester 2 / 112 Hours
During the second
semester students continue accompanying either a licensed acupuncturist
or an acupuncture intern in the clinic. Students first learn clinic
tasks and duties that provide for efficient and effective treatment.
Students check-in patients and show them to their room, learn
moxibustion and cupping techniques, learn how to properly dispose of
acupuncture needles and learn sterilizing techniques, assist in the
general cleaning of the clinic and help in the preparation and
dispensing of herbal prescriptions. Students train to take patient
medical history, to do rudimentary pulse and tongue diagnosis, and to
properly remove acupuncture needles from patients.
Students also learn
human service skills. Sometimes patients, because of their pain and
illness, are difficult or ill-tempered. Students must learn to be
patient, kind, and sympathetic. Students are taught to respect patient's
privacy, while at the same time making them feel welcome and
comfortable. While assisting the acupuncturists, supervising
acupuncturists discuss a case as it presents itself, so that students
can develop an appreciation for the art and science of diagnosis and
treatment.
Course
Objectives
This program is
designed to train students in the following:
I.
Integration of TCM, Taoist Medicine, Herbal Medicine, and Biomedical
semester concepts into patient care
II. Clinical application and practice
of classroom learning, clinical theories and skills
III. Steadily increasing
self-confidence and professional poise
IV. Diagnostic Skills and Treatment
Planning in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
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History Taking / Charting
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Methods of Observation, Audio-Olfaction, Inquiry,
Palpation, and Differential Diagnosis
-
Measuring and Recording of Vital Signs, i.e. Pulse
Rate
Clinic
ASSISTANT Competencies
Through this program
students will acquire professional competency in:
I.
Collecting Data and Formulating a Diagnosis
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Observation -Noting the Spirit, Color, Body
Structure, Tongue, Symptom Site, and Patient’s Complexion; Olfactory
Examination - Odor of the Patient's Body and Patient's Secretions,
Discharges and Breath
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Audio Examination - Sound of Patient's Voice,
Abdominal Sounds, Respiration and Cough Quality Palpation - Noting
the Temperature, Moisture, Texture, Sensitivity, Tissue Structure,
Rhythms and Qualities of the Abdomen, Chest, Ear, Channels
and Points, and Radial and Regional Pulses
-
Inquiry - Asking General Questions, Questions about
Medical History, Chief and Secondary Complaints, Sleep Patterns,
Excretions, Thirst and Appetite, Digestion, Nutritional Levels and
Patterns, Medications, Chills and/or Fever, Perspiration, Pain,
Emotional State, Life Style, Exercise, Use of Alcohol, Tobacco, and
Drugs, Reproductive Cycles and Menstruation, Leucorrhoea, Sensations
of Heat, Cold, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Palpitations and Chest
Constriction
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Physical Examination Adjuncts - such as Akabane and
Electrical Stimulation
II. II. Utilization of Skills Appropriate for Preparation
of Tools and Instruments
III. Accumulation of Practical Clinic
Experience Through Assistance
IV. Complying with Practices as
Established by the Profession
Clinic Intern I
Semester 3 / 112 Hours
Students in their
third semester have had sufficient
theory, observation and practice to begin to take
responsibility for patient care during their Clinic Training.
Students begin Herbal Clinic Internship and integrate their knowledge
and utilize concepts presented in Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory,
Taoist Medicine, Herbal Medicine, and Biomedical Clinical Sciences with
the observations they are making in Clinic. Students devise treatment
plans, apply relevant technique and perform treatment under supervision.
Students develop correct, effective application of theories and
techniques, acquiring wisdom and mastery through practical experience.
Together, students learn, develop, and share in clinical knowledge and
experience. Intern permits are required by each student.
Clinic Intern II
Semester 4-8 / 448 Hours
Clinic Intern II’s perform a minimum of 350
supervised treatments incorporating acupuncture, diet, and herbal
therapy. Students develop sensitivity, awareness of protocol, and
professional standards and ethics. The spiritual discipline of Taoism
and the practice of Chi Kung have given them an extra dimensional
insight and intuitive awareness into the unique needs of patients.
Within this healing milieu, students have learned how to creatively
personalize and tailor therapies for effective case management.
Knowledge and its practical application are unified, and the students
are ready to become independent practitioners. During this part of our
program, all the skills learned are fully utilized and students manage
all aspects of running a clinical practice, from keeping patient records
up to date to collecting fees, developing the skills to begin their own
practices.
Students gain
valuable knowledge and clinical experience in a professional clinic
setting including: practice management, patient protocol, handling
difficult cases, completing a student's preparation for independent
practice.
Course
Objectives
This program is
designed to train students in the following:
I.
Developing Confidence in Treatment Planning
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Methods and systems for planning, carrying out and
evaluating a treatment
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Recognition of Symptoms Requiring Referrals,
including Infectious Disease
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Methods and Systems for Planning, Carrying Out and
Evaluating a Treatment
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Prognosis and Contraindications of Treatment
Consideration of Special Factors or Symptoms Indicating
Potential for Increased Risk to the Patient (Immune Compromised
Patient, Diabetic Patient), the Need to Modify Standard Therapeutic
Approach (Infants and Children, Pregnancy), and Apparently Benign
Presentations that may have a More Serious Cause (Hypertension,
Headaches)
II. Performing Treatment by Applying
Appropriate Techniques Under Supervision
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Needle insertion: depth, duration, manipulation and
withdrawal
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Moxa: application, direct and indirect, etc.
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Other techniques (e.g. moxibustion, cupping, gua sha)
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Safety Issues
III. Begin Preparation for Independent
Practice. Further, develop and refine professional skills developed in
Clinical Internship
IV. Serve the community by providing low cost health care
V. Develop confidence, competencies, and poise for future
independent practice
VI. Complete preparation and training for independent
practice
VII. Counseling and Communication
Skills
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Communications Skills: Listening, Counseling,
Explaining, and Teaching
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Managing Psychological Reactions That May Arise
During Treatment and Making Appropriate Referrals
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The Availability of Additional Appropriate
Modalities For Patient Referral and the Ability to Communicate with
Other Health Professionals Regarding Patient Care
Clinic InternSHIP Competencies
Through this program students will acquire
professional competency in:
I. Performing Treatment by
Applying Appropriate Techniques
-
Proper Sterilization and Aseptic Procedures
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Preparation of the Patient, including Proper
Positioning for Application of Techniques
-
Effective Communication with Patients Regarding the
Nature of Illness and Treatment Plan
-
Accurate Location of Acupoints, Safe and Effective
Needle Insertion Techniques Based on Point Function, Recommended
Needling Depths, Underlying Anatomy at the Site, Desired Effect of
Needling, and Nature of the Illness
-
Protocols in Compliance with NCCAOM Guidelines on
Sanitation, Asepsis, and Clean Needle Handling
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Safe and Effective Application of Adjunctive
Techniques, Moxibustion, and Manipulation
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Effective Control of Emergency Situations
II. Assessing Effectiveness of the Treatment Strategy and
its Execution
-
Re-examination of the Patient; Comparing with
Previous Condition and Expectations; Modifying of the
Treatment Plan, if required, based upon that statement
-
Recognizing Situations Where the Patient Requires
Emergency or Additional Care, or Care by Practitioners of Other
Healthcare (or Medical) Modalities, and to Refer Such Patients to
Whatever Resources are Appropriate to their Care and Well-Being
III.
Performing Treatment by Applying Appropriate Techniques
-
Proper Sterilization and Aseptic Procedures
-
Preparation of the Patient, including Proper
Positioning for Application of Techniques
-
Effective Communication with Patients Regarding the
Nature of Illness and Treatment Plan
-
Accurate Location of Acupoints, Safe and Effective
Needle Insertion Techniques Based on Point Function, Recommended
Needling Depths, Underlying Anatomy at the Site, Desired Effect of
Needling, And Nature of the Illness
-
Protocols in Compliance with NCCAOM Guidelines on
Sanitation, Asepsis, and Clean Needle Handling
-
Safe and Effective Application of Adjunctive
Techniques, Moxibustion, and Manipulation
-
Effective Control of Emergency Situations
IV. Determining Treatment Strategy Based on Diagnosis Formulated
-
The Availability of Additional Appropriate
Modalities for Patient Referral
-
The Ability to Communicate with Other Health
Professionals Regarding Patient Care, Utilizing Commonly
Understood Medical Terminology
V. Complying with Practices as Established by the Profession
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Application of a Code of Ethics
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Maintenance of Personal Development by Continued
Cultivation of Compassion
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Recognize Situations Where the Patient Requires
Emergency or Additional Care, and to Refer Such to Whatever
Resources are Appropriate to Their Care and Well-Being
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Appropriately Utilize Relevant Biomedical Clinical
Science Concepts and Understandings to Enhance the Quality of
Oriental Medical Care Provided
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Protect the Health and Safety of the Patient and the
Health Care Provider Related to Infectious Diseases, And Other
Issues Relevant to Blood Borne and Surface Pathogens
VI. Making a Diagnosis/Energetic Evaluation By:
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Identifying Position, Nature and Cause of the
Dysfunction, Disorder, Disharmony, Vitality and Constitution Based
on Knowledge of Distinctive Patterns of Herbal Combinations and
Recognition of Medical Emergencies
VII.
Assessing the Effectiveness of Treatment Strategies and Their Execution,
Effectiveness of Herbal Treatments |
